The newest and tallest building in Birmingham is the Octagon which is 155 m (509 ft) tall. The skyscraper will have 49 floors and is dominating the Birmingham skyline. The picture shows how dominant this building will be across the City. The platforms at Snow Hill Station are uneven and puddles form after the rain. I took this one in a large puddle to show the dominating structure. I am looking forward to taking more pictures of the completed skyscraper. Watch this space.
The Library of Birmingham is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the UK. Built in September 2013, the building is spectacular both inside and out. There is so much to photograph and there are so many different layers to the building. There is a photo opportunity around every corner. Since the opening in 2013, I regularly visit the building with the aim of taking photographs during the different seasons. You will find many pictures of this building throughout my blog.
This set of photographs is from my recent visit in August 2023. I took several pictures with my iPhone as I moved up the escalators. I then went out onto the first balcony and took several reflective pictures. When the library first opened this was one of the favourite pictures styles that appeared on the social media channels. There is one new building that features in my pictures and this is the Library’s tall neighbour, the Octagon. This 49 floor skyscraper is the tallest building in Birmingham and is nearing completion.
This is a link to the next blog which features photographs of the Octagon as it now dominates the Birmingham Skyline.
Some more exciting views of the Library may be seen in this weblink
Stirchley has many good memories as a place to visit. Our first family drink, after lockdown restrictions were relaxed, took place on a cold night in May at an outside table at Birmingham Brewing Company. I have also visited the other two breweries Attic and Glass House, the latter brewery is on the other side of the canal and is just in the Stirchley boundary.
I took part in previous Birmingham half marathons when the route passed along Bourneville Lane with a return down Mary Vale road. In the process, you ran along part of the Stirchley High Street. The Birmingham suburb is easy to reach using the No 45/47 bus route that connects the city via the Pershore Road. All this contrasts with how Stirchley would have looked in 1600 as the area got its name from pastures where cattle grazed undisturbed. There are records of Roman roads that went to the nearby fort which is now the University of Birmingham campus. Stirchley does have history. These days the suburb is recognised as one of the best places to live in the Midlands, an accolade given by the Sunday Times
Therefore when I heard about an in-depth photographic project involving Stirchley then I took advantage of the unique offering from the Prism Photographic Network. The aim is to develop a documentary photography project focussed on the neighbourhood of Stirchley. The course is run by Oksana Bischin with support from the Prism Network. Full details are on their web site. I attended the second of two taster workshops where we had a lecture on an aspect of photography followed by a photographic walk in Stirchley. When the course starts in September, there will be several themes which will come together allowing participants to produce an exhibition of the group work.
We gathered at Stirchley baths which is a beautifully restored community centre. A representative from the Stirchley Residents Association outlined their work and extolled the benefits of living in the area. She was not a great fan of the Stirchley beer mile but recognised the benefits such activity creates for Stirchley. She highlighted the presence of several industrial units either side of the high street and the layout of the terraced houses that are around the area. After introductions, Oksana introduced the camera topic which was how to use the program controls on the camera and then Francesco discussed Typography using the work of Tom Hicks who created “Black Country Type”. After a question-and-answer session, it was time for us to discover Stirchley with our cameras. I am not sure what the shopkeepers and coffee shop owners thought of the small army of photographers patrolling down the street, taking pictures of their shops.
Before I arrived at the baths, I spent a few minutes taking photographs and scouting the area. There was an opportune moment as carpets were being moved at the shops with the Stirchley Gorilla overseeing the activity. On the way onto the street, I like to spend time by myself and I noticed some letter boxes and the typography of 70 in a doorway. But there was also a need to stay with the group and see what the others were up to. Being a Saturday morning, there was a great deal of activity so the picture taking began. One shopkeeper came out to check what we were doing, other people just wandered by keen to get on with their shopping.
The high street is a mix of lively coffee shops and general shops. Several shop fronts have roller shutters that ensure privacy. A lone gorilla logo on one of these shutters adds colour. After photographing the high street we turned right and walked along Ash Tree road onto Charlotte Road. I like the style of the houses and my eye is drawn to the names and dates of the houses. We walked along Mary Vale Road to the Industrial estate that houses Attic Brewery.
Then it was time to get a brunch and talk about the pictures we took and those that got away. The taster session gave me an insight into how the course will develop. I like the idea of the themes as outlined and the idea of curating one’s work for an exhibition.
As a postscript, I discovered on my research of Stirchley an informative website created by users which is a mix of photographic links and historical notes. I am sure that this will prove to be a good background resource and provide a source of inspiration.
Mapping Stirchley is a Walkspace project that came out of the spring lockdown of 2020.
With the long summer nights upon us, the IgersbirminghamUK team came up with the idea for a photowalk that started at St Paul’s Square and finished at St Philip’s Cathedral. Along the way we could photograph interesting views of Birmingham. The walk went down Ludgate Hill, over the Pedestrian Bridge towards Church Street finally arriving at St Philip’s Square affectionately known by locals as Pigeon Park. The call went out a week before on social media and on the evening a group of photographers assembled outside St Paul’s Church. A list of some interesting places and buildings had already been circulated on our social media channels. Many of these suggestions were taken up by our band of photographers. I usually have my iPhone and my Fujifilm x100vi on any city walk. I just find these two cameras so useful to tell the story of the streets as they are easy to carry and use. They also take good pictures.
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The walk started with lovely warm sunshine and St Paul’s Square looked good in the evening light. As we moved down Ludgate Hill towards the Birmingham Canal, the sky clouded over but it did not stop us taking pictures of our favourite Brummie locations.
The canal passes underneath the BT tower. There is graffiti and concrete posts yet the canal locks blend in well with the surroundings. Further along, the pedestrian bridge is always a favourite photography location. The light was dimming so it was possible to practice a few long exposures of the traffic passing underneath.
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As we approached St Philip’s Square along Church Street, we could see the recently installed Big Wheel lit up against the late evening light. Then came the rain. Just as we reached the square, the heavens opened and we got very wet. Some of us were fortunate as we had brough a water proof coat or umbrella. Others were less lucky. We first thought that this was going to be a miserable end to a good evening of photography. After the initial heavy downpour, we saw that the rain had created reflections on the surrounding pavements. The Big Wheel was lit up in different colours, and the resulting images with the reflections gave a range of interesting effects. Also people were walking past with umbrellas casting their shadows in the puddles. The picture opportunities were unending. After a while no one minded the rain or the fact that they were soaked through.
Those of us that were left behind after braving the rain finished our walk at the Wolf pub on Constitution hill. During our well deserved refreshments, the IgersbirminghamUK team planned our next adventure.
This are my own pictures from the @IgersbirminghamUK walk. If you want to see the pictures of all the other talented photographers that took part then follow the link #igbUK_meet_sq2park
The walk back from the Wolf pub to Snow Hill station was short but interesting and here is a set of five pictures showing how the light and reflections after the rain can create a wonderful range of colours.
If you have got down to here then there are other IgersbirminghamUK meetings to read about on my blog. Enjoy reading about our activities. The team at IgersbirminghamUK look forward to seeing you at one of their future meetings.
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 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.
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.
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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 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.
The next parade in Birmingham will be Pride 2024 and here is my account from last year.
Joy and happiness at Birmingham Pride 2023
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.
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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.
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.
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.
Digbeth is known for streets of light and the area looks it best when the sky is dark. But not too dark. An ideal time to take photographs is during the blue hour. The warm yellows of the streetlights reflect on the colourful buildings. I watched a PhotoPills YouTube video on the Art of Travel Photography. The guest photographer was Scott Stulberg who said if you want to get the best pictures then you have to go out at night. So my first blog of 2024 is all about Digbeth in January.
The blue hour is great but you must get up early and that is not easy unless you plan to go out in January. The sun rises at around 8 o’clock and therefore you can get into the city early and be ready for the golden hour. The rewards are many and I know this, as last year my photograph of Floodgate Street taken on an early January morning was “Highly recommended” in the Landscape Photographer of the Year awards in 2023. Making sure I was there at the right time helped. If you are lucky enough to be around after a night of rain then the streets light up with multiple reflections. My aim as always is to be different but also to fit in a few of those classic views.
Arriving in Digbeth early in January I was hoping that Floodgate street and Trinity Street lights would be on but I was disappointed. The lights were off but I guess it was a Monday morning. However Gibb street was ablaze with lights and this is where I concentrated my efforts on my picture taking. I walked up and down Gibb Street looking for pictures of the shop windows and the street art. There were a few people moving around and coming into work at the Custard Factory. My cameras were the trusty Fujifilm x100v and my iPhone 15 proMax. I set up my mini tripod for some of the pictures with the x100v and went for high ISO to catch the people moving around. I did move around Floodgate and Lower Trinity Street to take pictures as there were still some neon lights on to assist early risers to find their way to the Custard Factory.
Lingering and loitering is a good plan as I waited for people to pass through entrances. I aimed to catch their silhouettes against the street art. Some photographers advise to have your camera on burst function so as to capture several pictures. In this way you capture the moment. However, I like to take in the surroundings and press the shutter button when I am ready. Yes I miss a few pictures but I am generally happy with what I get.
The neon lights throw up some strong colours as my pictures show. I took many more pictures before the daylight overcame the night. The buildings reverted to a grey colour and Monday daytime was beginning. The time had come to move on and find a hot cup of coffee to warm me up.
Postscript – This is another of my Digbeth picture series which are a popular read. Please check them out below.
Since the Bull was unveiled in a spectacular showpiece at the Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2022, the Birmingham public haven fallen in love with him. As soon as the opening ceremony was over, the Bull was brought to Centenary Square where thousands of people came to view him. His popularity was immense, and this soon created a new problem. What to do with Bully after the games had finished? There were many suggestions but no concrete solutions and before long the Bull was moved from the square to a lock up location in Ladywood. There he stayed underneath a tarpaulin sheet as Birmingham leaders decided what to do with him. The public learnt that a solution had been found but first the bull needed to be upgraded for his new location. Time moved on and then there was an announcement of a competition to find a name for the Bull. After a public vote, the name Ozzy was selected. We also learnt where he was to be housed. In the large atrium of New Street Station. Then in early July a space was set up followed by parts of Ozzy being delivered to the station over one night in July. Commuters woke up the next day to see the construction of Ozzy. First the body, then the head and horns.
Every photographer in Birmingham rushed to take pictures of Ozzy as he is being constructed. When I visited the feet were still missing although the rest of Ozzy is pieced together. I had forgotten the size of the Bull and the distinctive head is high into the Atrium. Someone has placed a white sheet over the head of Ozzy. Brummies are unsure why this has been done as it is not possible with a single sheet to hide the identity of the bull. However the sheet does give an air of mystery to the statue.
Enjoy these pictures and stay tuned for the unveiling of Ozzy in all his glory later this month. You may also wish to see two of my earlier posts which chronicle the history of Ozzy the Bull.
A year on and I noticed that the vegetation is starting to reclaim much of the area. The new pond…
There is a hidden gem close to Birmingham city centre and must be ranked as one of the places to visit. Martineau Gardens is a beautiful community garden just off Priory Road in the middle of Edgbaston. After getting off the 61/63 bus that leaves the city, cross the Bristol Road and make your way up the hill on Priory Road. After a short walk, Martineau Gardens is on your right. There is a wooden entrance hut that leads you into two and a half acres of beautiful gardens. Martineau is a mixture of traditional gardens and a woodland towards the back of the property. The hub of the gardens is the Pavilion, so named, as there were originally tennis courts here as part of the land. The building, which will be renovated in the coming year, is a welcoming centre for the gardens. There is the opportunity to sit out on the table and chairs and share a cuppa with the volunteers and other visitors.
IgersbirminghamUK run Instameets where we invite local photographers to a venue. We tag our pictures and share them both on Instagram and also with the venue who kindly allowed us to photograph their property. At the start of the meeting, we were met by Jenni Fyer, CEO of Martineau Gardens who gave us an introduction to the gardens. Jenni outlined the history of the place where it was once used by teachers to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Now it is a community garden and is maintained by volunteers. The gardens pride themselves on being a therapeutic environment of organically maintained land, close to the city centre. The environment helps the community and supports people from different backgrounds especially those with various special needs. Jenni invited us to roam around the gardens, which were just waking up from the winter months, to take as many photographs as possible and then to join her and the volunteers for a cuppa at the Pavilion. After the obligatory group photograph of the IgersbirminghamUK participants, we were then left free to wander around the grounds.
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I do love Instameets as it is a chance to catch up with old friends. Therefore there was much chatting with people before the real business of the visit; the photographing began. I made my way to the entrance and then into the formal gardens. There were spring flowers around and the buds were only just appearing on the trees. Next was the herb garden and the orchard. The sun was out making shadow play on the greenhouse glass and the wood of the garden huts. The shipwreck play area looked fun, and a mental note was made to bring my grandchildren back to see the place. Whilst the wildflower area was not yet up and running, I enjoyed taking pictures of the wheelbarrows, watering cans and the potted flowers. I then moved onto the woodland walk and was immediately surrounded by tall trees and foliage.
This part of the gardens is Designated a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC). Jenni Fryer had mentioned that this area is teaming with wildlife and is a welcome green corridor amongst the urban conurbation that surrounds the gardens. There was a pond that looked a great place for dragon and damsel flies over the summer months. Next along the path was a Sacred Circle for meeting on a common ground and then a collection of beehives. There was much activity in the hives so I did not get too close! I slowly wandered back as I found myself content just strolling through the gardens. There was the occasional sound of tennis balls against rackets as we were neighbouring onto the Edgbaston Priory Tennis Club but otherwise you could lose yourself in the environment.
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Upon returning to the Pavilion, one of the volunteers made me a lovely cuppa. Then there was time to chat talking about the photography and the gardens. Before saying my goodbyes, I purchased some apple and mango chutney from the shop. Something to remind me of the visit later.
I started off this blog saying that this is a hidden gem. It is no longer hidden to me and this will be a place to visit in the future with the family. Martineau Gardens is a place to visit to meditate, to unwind and let the stresses of life fall away. There is so much to enjoy and see.
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Finally thank you to all the volunteers and staff and thanks to Jenni Fryer for welcoming us and to Sarah Hill-Daniel at the gardens for arranging the date and timing of the IgersbirminghamUK visit.
Please follow these tags on Instagram to see more photographs by the talented people @IgersbirminghamUK.
#martineaugardens
#igersuk_meet_martineau
If you wish to discover more about the gardens then please visit the Martineau Gardens Website. There is also an informative leaflet plus map of the gardens.
A year on and I noticed that the vegetation is starting to reclaim much of the area. The new pond…
Oozells square in the westside of Birmingham is unremarkable other than the IKON gallery which is on one side of the square. The IKON is a highly acclaimed contemporary art venue and when you have finished looking over the latest exhibits, take a well earned rest in Yorks coffee shop. However in the months of March and April the square erupts with cherry blossom and becomes one of the most photographed squares in Birmingham. I also took many photographs. The square was featured in a BBC news and my photograph was included. I have also added a few more of my own in this post.
Further links include
The IKON gallery
Yorks Cafe
If you would like to see previous entries on this square then please visit
Blosson in Oozells Square
Cherry blossom experiments
