The bluebell season is here and is earlier than normal. Usually the flowers are in full bloom around the May Bank holiday weekend. This year their arrival appears to be 1 to 2 weeks early. A blue carpet of bluebells is always stunning especially when set against the backdrop of the woodland. This year I went to Hay Wood as a fellow photographer had taken a picture of the blue carpets of flowers and the scene looked stunning.
Hay Wood is part of Forestry England and is a small wood which is near to Baddesley Clinton. The latter is an outstanding National Trust property which is always lovely to visit. We are fortunate to have Hay Wood nearby. The bluebells appear on specific patches to the east and west parts of the woodland. The easterly display was at its peak and even though I was there around midday, the light was wonderful. The new shoots of green leaves glistened in the sun and the bluebells contrasted against the trees rising upwards.
The bluebells to the west of the wood looked beautiful and they were still flowering. More photographs of the blue carpet were taken. The western part of the wood has a public footpath that links with St Michael’s church that is adjacent to the Baddesley Clinton estate. I visited the church as there is the opportunity to take a picture of the bluebells in the foreground and the church providing the background interest.
All these pictures were taken with my Fujifilm x100vi and I bracketed the exposure of the pictures. The 3 photographs were merged with the HDR function in Lightroom. Some adjustments of the shadows and highlights plus dodging and burning were made.
If you enjoyed these pictures of the bluebells then please follow the links below to see previous entries in my blog.
Birmingham has a long and rich history and the names of George and Richard Cadbury are linked with the story of the City Their success in creating Cadbury’s Chocolate led to the building of their factory in Bournville. The brothers created a Garden Village around the factory to cater for their employees. Sadly Richard died before seeing the project completed although this spurred on George Cadbury to complete the project. Bournville village is now run by a Trust and is a legacy which is enjoyed by both residents and visitors to the area.
IgersbirminghamUK organised their first photographic Instameet of 2024 at Selly Manor which is part of Bournville Village Trust. Selly Manor also has a long story. The original building “Smythes Tenement” dated back to 1476. Over time, the building deteriorated and was split into separate dwellings called the “Rookery”. The house was saved from demolition by George Cadbury who brought the property in 1907 and relocated Selly Manor from Selly Oak to Bournville Garden Village. The House was rebuilt next to the Chocolate Factory in 1916 and opened as a museum.
Nearly 30 photographers arrived at the Museum on a bright sunny Saturday morning. We received a welcome from staff member, Daniel, who gave us an overview of the house and then encouraged us to visit the rest of the area. We were given a leaflet of the heritage trail that takes in all the notable buildings in the Bournville village. We have some excellent photographers in the IgersbirminghamUK ranks as evidenced by the pictures that emerged on Instagram. You can follow the pictures and reels from the day with the following tags and I have provided links to the relevant pages. Please take some time to visit the pages and see the wonderful pictures. Thanks to the other members of the IgersbirminghamUK team for their organisation and help with the meeting Nicky Warwickshire, LenaMac77 and James_never_Jim.
Following on from Selly Manor some photographers moved onto the Bournville Quaker meeting House where one of the Quakers, Anne, was most kind and showed us around inside. The outside of the church does have a fairy castle feeling. Inside the large hall was impressive with light streaming through the windows. There is a raised platform with chairs and table from the Selly Manor museum. This, as Anne pointed out, is not used for worship as Quakers sit around in circles in the centre of the hall usually with a table. Anne then took us up to the balcony to see the organ and from here we were able to take pictures down into the hall. I was even fortunate that Anne agreed to be in my 100 Strangers project.
There is much more to see in and around the Bournville Village Trust and those photographs will have to wait till another day. I spend much of my time talking to other Instagrammers during an Instameet and do not get the opportunity to take that many photographs. Catching up with others and seeing what they have photographed is a bonus with such Instameets. After the meeting we headed off to the Glass House brewery by the canal in Stirchley. We had a good catch up including talking about that elusive picture that got away!
If you are interested in the @IgersbirminghamUK Instameets then I have other accounts on my blog with the one below as a starting point.
A big, revolving, mirrored heart has appeared in Snow Hill square accompanied by lights and seventies disco music. Quite a combination when you think about it. Such retro art installations catch my imagination. “Our beating Heart” is a pop-up show sponsored by Colmore Business District and is free to view.
I hurried along after a meeting at the MAC to see the latest art installation that Birmingham has on show. Snow Hill was quiet, sparsely populated with commuters heading home. In the middle of the square was the heart slowly revolving and lit up by lights. The 11,000 mirrors reflected the light around the darkened buildings of the square. The effect was pleasing and mesmerising as shards of coloured light gave a snowfall effect on the buildings. The music was very much retro. Whilst I was there taking pictures, songs from my youth were blasted out into the night. Heart of Glass by Blondie and Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees are two examples of the disco style music. This an open-air disco and luckily there was no rain.
View from the Station end of the square.No bikes allowed!Colour popping
Just to emphasise the fun of the evening two people were dressed up in multicoloured swap-shop jackets and were ready to engage in conversation with passers-by. The installation was Instagram friendly and I was not alone in taking photographs. Some serious picture taking was happening and a look at the socials shows how everyone wanted to have a piece of the action. The heart was not the easiest object to photograph, very bright lights against the dark is tricky at the best of times. My humble offering of photographs may not be the best but they give a flavour of the atmosphere. There is much more information on the Colmore Business District web site and the pity is that the heart is only around for a few nights. There was a board, where you could post supplied stickers saying how the heart made you feel. I enjoyed seeing the heart but left bemused that a disco light shaped as a heart with retro hits has captured everyone’s imagination. But that is what good art does by making you give an opinion. My advice go and visit as the heart is worth seeing just for the picture taking.
Multi-coloured swapshop jacket.
More information on the Beating heart designed by Studio Vertigo and the Colmore Business District.
Initially the weather forecast for St Patrick’s Day was rain but someone must have had a word with heaven. The rain stopped and the sun started to show itself from behind the clouds. Bradford Street in Birmingham is as straight as a die and runs parallel to Digbeth High street. At the top of the hill by Trinity Church, the floats, dignitaries and people were congregating.
The Lord Mayor by one of the Irish banners.Getting ready to paradeReady to sing Dirty Ole Town by the Pogues .Irish DancersThe Dana FanclubSitting in the cabDrum ReadyIn the greenAll those flagsPeaky BlindersThe day was warmSwan ready
The entry code was you had to wear something green and St Patrick was there overseeing the proceedings. The Peaky Blinders were behaving themselves and they had brought their own police force. Irish dancers and marching bands were adding to the entertainment. There were a group of dancers who had flown in from Bolivia. Their costumes contributed to the colourful noise around them. The scooters were polished so well that you got blinded by the reflections from the chrome work and mirrors. The floats were being loaded up and the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress were greeting everyone and having their picture taken. With so many photographers around it was not long before the West Midland Mayor, Andy Street made an appearance. Everyone was so friendly and the atmosphere was one of excitement and merriment.
The parade on Bradford StreetThe BRMB bus loaded with dignitaries The Guinness hats were everywhereHaving fun was the aim of the day.Which will it be?
Then the parade was due to start so we rushed down the street to St Anne’s church. People were lining the barriers as you went down the hill towards the city centre. Even the dogs were dressed up in the Irish tricolour flag. The parade was long and varied, stopping every so often to let the marching bands and the Irish dancers demonstrate their skills. People waved towards the floats and people in the floats waved back. Everyone was so happy.
Dancing in the greenChrome workTaking time out.Leprechauns and MinionsBolivian coloursWaving to the crowdsShane McGowan by Tat VisionJust hanging aroundColours galore
. Some of the big names in construction were there including Murphy’s and Mahoney’s. The Irish came over to Birmingham and contributed to making the city an industrial powerhouse. The parade reflected this contribution and everyone reacted to celebrating the rich history of Birmingham. These pictures are my own interpretation. At an event such as the St Patrick’s Day parade every type of photographer is out and about. BBC teams and local newspapers, amateur photography organisations and the casual mobile phone snapper were in their element. Everyone wants their photograph taken.
The line up in a floatThe builders’ merchant (even I have used them)I am getting tired now.It was not just people who were having fun.
The BBC coverage is the best starting point for a record of the day’s events although a quick search of St Patrick’s Day Parade, Birmingham will open up many more.
BBC account of the parade
The next parade in Birmingham will be Pride 2024 and here is my account from last year.
Pulling the curtains back, I saw the fog which lifts any photographers spirits. Fortunately, I had to be in Birmingham early and I knew that I would be able to get some good pictures of Dorridge station in the fog before it lifted. I was even more pleased that the fog had not lifted by the time I got to Birmingham city centre. The fog was still around the Bull Ring and Moor Street turning normal street scenes into atmospheric and mysterious places. The silhouettes of commuters provided the focus to many of the pictures. The majority of the photographs were taken with my iPhone15 which were then converted to black and white to take advantage of the contrasts available. I used Silver Efex Pro and I like the fine art processing or occasionally the overexposed settings that are provided. I also include pictures from the start of my journey in Dorridge where the fog was even thicker.
Commuters outside Moor Street station and Selfridges.Riding a bike through the fog.Waiting for the train at Moor Street.St Martin’s walk with buildings obscured by the fog.Looking foggy at the RotundaReduced visibilityEnjoying the morning commute.A lone figure crosses the Bullring
Dorridge station in the fog.
The platforms shrouded in fog.Driving in the fog
I do like foggy mornings as these blog posts show.
Situated in the Staffordshire countryside, RSPB Middleton Lakes are next door to the Aston Villa Bodymoor training ground. The area around the lakes offer differing recreation activities with Kingsbury Water Park, Middleton Hall and Drayton Manor funfair nearby. Water is an overarching theme of this part of Staffordshire with both the river Tame and the Birmingham and Fazeley canal passing through the area. However, the wildlife in the reserve are unperturbed by what is happening around them and just enjoy being given the peace and quiet away from the built-up areas of the city.
The lookout towards the heronry
The RSPB look after the lakes and have designated different viewing areas for bird spotters and photographers. The first place that you encounter not far from the car park is a viewing platform that looks out towards the heronry and here I met Lynn who works for the RSPB. I had been meaning to join the charity for a while and after chatting to Lynn, I decided to become a member of the RSPB. Lynn pointed out the heron’s nesting in the trees over the pond from the viewing platform. I spent a lot of time observing the heron activity in the trees. I was fortunate to have my 400mm lens with me and therefore I viewed the herons as they went back and forth taking materials to the nest. There must have been around a dozen nests that I counted.
Lynn who works for the RSPB with her information stand.Herons’ nests in the trees with a few occupants.Nest building in the Heronry.
There are several bird feeders around the viewing area and blue tits, great tits, chaffinches and bullfinches were flying in and out. The track takes you along the side of a small river and there are several viewing areas. I stopped off at one and immediately there were several inquisitive small birds landing on the branches and checking to see what I was doing.
Activity at the bird feeders.A tough stare from a bullfinch.
The path leads onto the Fisher’s Mill canal bridge where people leave nuts and other bird seed for the many inhabitants of the area. The path then opens up to the wetlands and having been there on a previous occasion, I headed south and explored the meadow area. This is a favoured place to see owls hunting both in the early morning or late evening evening.
A great tit enjoying the nuts on the canal bridge.A canal boat heading northwards.A view of the wetlands at RSPB Middleton LakesNot everyone is happy about sharing.
On the way back, I brough some enamel badges for the grandchildren and set off home. Middleton Lakes reserve has so much nature on view and now as a member of RSPB I will take even more of an active interest in the area. The RSPB do such important work to maintain the natural habitats of our bird community. I joined to take an active interest in their work, I would encourage my blog readers to get involved too!
Oozells Square has featured on my blog over the years. The appearance of the pink blossom on the trees heralds the start of spring in Birmingham. The square becomes a riot of pink colour and is a magnet for photographers. This year, the blossom has arrived very early by about 2 weeks. The warm wet winter has enabled the blossom to flower at the beginning of March. Whenever the blossom appears then people flock to the area especially at the weekends. On a bright sunny Monday morning, I had the square to myself bar a few people passing through. The sun was low enough to catch some of the blossom with its rays producing lovely colours. As luck would have it a few people passed by dressed in pink which matched the blossom. Taking photographs in the square is very competitive as many people will arrive over the next few weeks to get a picture. People dress up specially and families bring picnics to sit out and admire the blossom. The IKON gallery is an ideal backdrop to the blossom. Please feel free to visit my other posts on the blossom.
The Sun catches people walking through the square.Standing under the blossom.Time to move on.The blossom will be around for the next few weeks.
This set of pictures features the University of Birmingham at night. I was fortunate to be staying at the Edgbaston Park Hotel which is on campus. After the conference dinner ended, I headed out with my iPhone and Fujifilm camera. I used my travel tripod for some of the long exposure pictures of the Aston Webb building. The iPhone was ideal for the pictures of the newer buildings around campus. The sensors on the iPhone give a very good rendition of night colours.
Leading lines in the night.The Entrance to Chemical Engineering.The Medical School open all hours.The expanse of the Green Heart.The Walkway to University Centre.
The University has so many different venues that lend themselves for photography. I did a brisk walk around several of the main buildings and paths. Even though it was late, there were several people moving around. Unsurprisingly the busiest area was the University Library. The advantage to using the iPhone is that it is less conspicuous to using my camera. Even with my long exposure pictures on a tripod, I did not attract that much attention and was very much left to myself as I moved around. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Old Joe was telling the time at just before 8pm but that is not correct! Hopefully he will be sorted soon. The clock face is illuminated in purple colours for World Rare Diseases Day.
Table Tenis table outside the School of Sport Sciences.Steps to Univeristy StationThe new entrance to University Station.More of the Aston WebbOld Joe has a purple clock face. The ornate gates of the University main entrance.IRC Net Shape Laboratory always looks mysterious (UN)intentional camera movement – can you guess where I am?
If you enjoyed this blog then have a look at the University Campus in the Summer and the Autumn.
The message went out. “There is likely to be a starling murmuration on Sunday night. The venue will be the roof of a shopping centre car park in Redditch, Worcestershire”. This message was sent out on social media by Jim Panda who knows a thing or two about wildlife. A few years back, he had organised a meeting where over 100 people attended a starling murmuration in the same location. Now Jim let the social media world know that the murmurations were back (if they ever had been away).
A starling murmuration at its peak.
On a Sunday afternoon people gathered on the top of the shopping centre car park. The time was just after four o’clock. The evening was beautiful and whilst there was initially some light rain, the main event for a while was destined to be a beautiful rainbow. People had answered Jim’s call and were turning up to see the murmuration. As we stood overlooking the southern aspect of the car park, very little was happening. Two pigeons were spotted and even a couple of seagulls flew by teasing the assembled photographers and onlookers. Besides this nothing else was stirring. Jim remained calm and reassured people who asked that the starlings had been here for the last few nights. The waiting did have its advantages as it gave many of us the opportunity to talk to fellow photographers. We caught up with the news and gossip in our local photographic community. Behind us a beautiful sunset was gathering pace and the colours in the cloud began to deepen. Occasionally one of two starlings flew past, teasing us as we waited for the main event.
A rainbow was the prelude to the main event.
Without knowing how or when it happened, a flock of around 10 starlings flew by. Then a few more groups just happened to appear and the birds started to coalesce. Then magically a larger group of starlings was in front of us with more birds joining the main group all the time. The murmuration was in full flight. Everyone lined up on the southern wall and watched the birds fly back and forth. Everyone had their iPhones, cameras and eyes on the birds.
Starling murmuration, Redditch, February 2023
The colours in the clouds from the sunset produced a spectacular backdrop for the movement of the birds. At last, I understood why it is called a murmuration. The spectacular flypast was accompanied by the noise of the flapping wings. The event was mesmerising and a few times I stopped taking photographs and just watched the birds fly around. There were several good photographers on the roof and this was demonstrated by the excellent videos and pictures that have been posted after the event.
Starlings against the backdrop of the sunset cloudsGolden wings as the starlings fly away from the sunset.The dramatic skies provided the colour to the silhouettes of the starlings. (This picture was shortlisted in the Fotospeed #fsprintmonday competition – 21st Feb 2024)
I took some snippets of video for the family back home. I had my trusty Canon D5 MkIV and used both my standard 40-70mm and 200mm lenses. I experimented with some long exposures which did not get a great reaction from the family! See what you think. The iPhone was brilliant as I was able to take several videos of the Starlings plus a few wide angled shots. The traditional pictures of the birds against the clouds worked well. From a story telling point of view, I wanted to show the photographers on the wall taking pictures of the murmuration. There was a long line of people who were captivated by the event before them. The birds make different shapes and I saw an arrow. Also there was a snake’s head eating the other birds although you may argue the shapes are something else.
My long exposure experiment.Shapes – an arrow of birdsShapes – A possible head and mouth which is consuming the other birds.
Time passed quickly and the birds were coming to the end of their fly past. The car park has a line of evergreen trees at the front entrance. Groups of birds broke away from the main group and suddenly dropped into the trees. There was a lovely fluttering sound accompanied by the rustle of the leaves as they finally came to rest. This was repeated over the next 5 minutes leaving a few starlings still flying in formation. Then this final group disappeared into the trees and the murmuration was finished.
Dusk had arrived and taken a firm grip of the last light of the day. The dark of the night was just around the corner. We made our way back to our cars and drove off chatting excitedly about the event and rushing home to see and post our pictures. If you ever get the chance to witness a murmuration then you will understand that the words and pictures do not convey the atmosphere of experiencing one of nature’s great events.
A diagonal run of starlings.
If you want some photographic tips on how to photograph a murmuration then this Amateur Photographer article is very useful.
The Bullring centre is hosting a light show called Borealis for one week in February. This production by the artist Dan Acher is on display every evening during the week. With a mixture of dry ice smoke and laser beams, the “northern lights” are recreated in the centre of Birmingham. The performance is accompanied by haunting music which sets the scene and cranks up the atmosphere. When you stand still and look up at the colours, you are transported to a magical place where the northern lights are happening. Borealis is a photographer’s dream. As the laser beams crisscross through the smoke, colours are created and these are highlighted by the surrounding buildings. The gentle breeze in the area moves the smoke around leading to pleasing patterns against the backdrop of the Selfridges building and St Martin’s Church.
Selfridges adorned with colourThe Borealis lasers and smoke clouds
. I arrived there just as the sun was setting and the golden hour followed by the blue hour provided a changing backdrop to the scenes being created. The hypnotic music added to the atmosphere. The smoke adds to the surreal atmosphere and produces a haunting appearance to the area which is part dreamy and romantic at the same time. As it is half term week there are many people in the city shopping. The area around St Martin’s was packed with onlookers gazing into the sky. There was one child dressed in white who seemed to be leading the crowds in a service for the Borealis. The imagery could be appreciated either close up or at a distance allowing everyone to take in the spectacle.
The lights over St Martin’s Church with a construction crane leading the dance of the colours.There was a golden sunset that enhanced the colours of the laser show.There were packed crowds along St Martin’s way.The show caught the attention of everyone even this child who is leading the crowds.
Using both iPhone and my Fujifilm x100v, I had fun taking pictures before heading off for an evening meal in town. After dinner, I dropped by to see Borealis on my way to the train, the night was dark and there was a different take to the light show as the powerful laser colours shone through the smoke layers. I stayed around for a few more pictures. Even at that late time, there were people out and about enjoying the show.
The light show created a calming atmosphere with the lights and the music
Here is a link if you wish to know more about the work of Dan Acher.
The last light show in Birmingham that I visited was in February 2020 when the world was still very young and the idea that a virus would force us all indoors was a fanciful idea. My record of the festival light from 2020 is outlined on a previous blog.
About the picture taking. I was fortunate to have a dinner booked in town at 6pm. This gave me time to see the Borealis early and late in the evening. I always have my iPhone with me and wherever possible my Fujifilm x100v. When I arrived, my mind already starts to think how can I tell a story about the show. There were several things that caught my eye. The smokey atmosphere was one. Standing at the top of St Martin’s Walk looking downwards to the Church is a popular vantage point and captures the haze above the crowds. I moved closer to take in the sunset and the source of the smoke and lasers. My photographic mind is thinking about the big picture and then the smaller things that make up the view. What amazed me were the crowds of people, so I knew that I wanted them in the picture. I swap from iPhone to compact camera when taking my pictures. The iPhone is so good but I find that it wants to adjust the shadows and compensate for the darkness. Meanwhile the x100v requires a very high ISO and wide aperture to let the light in. Fortunately post processing is done with Lightroom and the “denoise” button is a dream to use. This has rejuvenated my night time use with the Fujifilm and I am not afraid to crank up the ISO. Selecting images proved a challenge and I limited myself to just 8 pictures. As always on social media, there were some very good pictures taken by other photographers. Seeing them, I think to myself, if only I had taken that photograph but I know that they also challenge me to adjust my view of the scene when out taking photographs. A selection of them may be found on the Beautiful Productions Instagram page.
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