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Black and White Architecture in Birmingham

by Damien Walmsley Posted on
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.

My challenge for this week’s 52 weeks project was black and white photography. As I was in Birmingham for my research work, I took the opportunity to wander the streets of the city looking for pictures of buildings. Armed with my trusty Fujifilm x100v, I stepped off the bus at the O2 arena stop. On the opposite side of the road, there are new high raised buildings going up. All are aimed at the residential market. These skyscrapers are going up all over and the city looks unfinished or going places depending on which way you think.

Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
28 floors with 154 residential apartments being built on Essex street.

My next stop was the square area of buildings that house the Holiday Inn, 3 Arena central and the Alpha Tower. Many shapes, angles and lines as the tall buildings are all clustered together. The Library of Birmingham and the Town Hall were also the subjects of my study on black and white architecture. Finally the rain, which had been falling heavily all day, got the better of me and soaked through, I headed towards Snow Hill Station for my train home. I still managed to get a few pictures of the Snow Hill skyscrapers.

Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
The edge of the Alpha Tower.
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Clustering of building lines.
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
HSBC between the buildings
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
No touching
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Looking down Beak St to the Raddison Blu
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
The Radisson Blu in Black and White!
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Surreal reflections of the Library of Birmingham.
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Tram stop in front of the Town Hall.
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Tram passing by the Snow Hill Buildings.
Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
Three SnowHill

My processing was a mixture of simple black and white or enhanced work with Silver Efex. The results were interesting and I was surprised that I captured so many buildings in different ways. I reflected all this was done without the need to photograph those iconic Birmingham buildings of the BT Tower, the Rotunda or the Cube. I will probably give the ones that I missed the black and white treatment another time. Meanwhile enjoy the ones that I have in this blog.

Black and White Architecture, Birmingham April 2023.
A conversation outside Birmingham Town hall.

If you enjoyed this blog then how about a splash of colour with your architecture.

Exploring King’s Cross
Edinburgh – the tourist view

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Categories blog

Exploring King’s Cross

by Damien Walmsley Posted on
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023

The interior of King’s Cross Station is an architectural marvel, and I made the decision to visit with my wide angled lens.  I had visited the station a few times mainly to the Harry Potter platform 3/4 and the nearby shop for my grandchildren.  This time I was there to take a picture for my 52 weeks challenge in the style of Candida Höfer.  This photographer took wide angled pictures of large rooms.  When I arrived at the station, I made my way up to the gallery. I asked a couple sitting in the spot that I needed for the symmetry of the architecture if I could take a picture from their table. Luckily, they said yes.  I could not use a tripod, so I upped the ISO on the camera.  Once I had the picture in the can, so to speak, I relaxed and then took several more pictures around the station.  I looked for leading lines, juxtaposition opportunities and several other pictures around the station.  This including pictures from above the platforms and more of the wonderful architecture.  

Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
Up the escalators to the Gallery.
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
Picture this.
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
The open concourse of the station
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
Negotiating the station concourse.

The place I wanted for one of my photographs was in the centre of the concourse. As I was taking pictures, Sam came up to me. He was an architect and he was just in love with design of the station. He asked if I could take a picture of him. In return, I asked if he could be in my 100 strangers project which he duly obliged. Furthermore, he even gave this special pose for the picture. My 100 strangers project will be the subject of a later blog posting.

Sam the architecture lover.

Following this I went below to the underground station and walked along the tunnel that links St Pancras and Kings Cross to Granary Square.  This tunnel has a sweeping curve with moving lights on one wall and black supporting spines on the other.  The colours of the wall and the repeating patterns are a delight to photograph. I felt as if I was stalking the pedestrians moving through the tunnel.  However their silhouettes added to the photographic composition of the place.  Overall a good spot to visit for photography and offers many different opportunities.

Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
The Kings Cross tunnel
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
The colourful tunnel

Here are some links to follow on from my blog. First there is the Kings Cross Tunnel web page telling you about this amazing piece of design. The other famous place to discover at King’s Cross is Platform 9 3/4 from the Harry Potter Books and again I may well feature that on another blog.

Here are some more links to discovering London as a photographer.

Walking Regent’s Canal
Photographing London
Kings Cross Station, London, March 2023
The central column in Black and White.

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Categories blog

City Arcade – Birmingham’s hidden gem

by Damien Walmsley Posted on
City Arcade Birmingham

Lockdown had interrupted by own personal visits to all the arcades in Birmingham. I enjoy mornings when it is quiet and so before going to work, I parked up in town and made my way to the City arcade. In some ways it is my favourite arcade but it has fallen on difficult times. There are not that many shops in the arcade and they are all down one side. When I arrived at the arcade, there was a rough sleeper outside the real ale pub. In these difficult times the city is overburdened with homeless people and I worry for them.

City Arcade
Play on light in the Arcade
City arcade
Getting down low to show the architecture

The City Arcade was built in 1901 and designed by TWF Newton and Cheattle. I picked up this information from the Historic England site and then you are able to search on from there. It has had a recent face lift and the interior designs have been painted and stand out showing the detail that had gone into this building. It is part of Union street which is a busy thoroughfare between Corporation St and the High St. However, step into the Arcade and the noise of people quickly dies away. The arcade is at an angle and links up with the junction of Union and Warwick passage.

City Arcade Birmingham
Details of the ceiling

There are a few shops in the Arcade but from a photographers perspective, there are many reflections of the light. When people walk through the arcade then you can get some very nice effects. I spent a good 20 minutes taking photographs before I headed off to work. Another one of the Birmingham Arcades done and photographed. As the title says a hidden gem and worth exploring.

City Arcade Birmingham
Outside detail
City Arcade Birmingham
The front facade
City Arcade Birmingham
Morning light in the Arcade
City Arcade Birmingham
The grittiness of Union Passage (Arcade to right)
City Arcade Birmingham
Outside design details

And now moving inside to view some of the details of the shops.

City Arcade Birmingham
Signs for the Arcade
The speciality beer outlet “TILT”
City Arcade Birmingham
WillPower
City Arcade Birmingham
Gadget Swap
City Arcade Birmingham
Chandeliers
City Arcade Birmingham
Reflections

If you are interested in the other arcades in Birmingham then please follow these links –
The Piccadilly Arcade
The Great Western Arcade

Categories blog

Up close in Knowle

by Damien Walmsley Posted on

I like taking pictures as you gather and I needed some inspiration to make the daily exercise more interesting. When the Visit Knowle site published a close up of one of the buildings in Knowle then I knew this was an avenue I could explore. So we have a series of images below all taken in the village of Knowle near Solihull. I hope you like them and you might even want to guess what some of them are if they are not that obvious. The lesson learnt from photography is always try and look at everyday objects with a different eye. You will be surprised what you get to see. There are examples of textures, materials, architecture and decay. All give a different but also uplifting views of my home village. The pictures are here to provide some of the character old and new of the village. I also found a reflection picture of the local church which was pleasing.