The streets of Brighton rock

by Damien Walmsley 12/06/2024 12/06/2024

Brighton, Street Photography, June, 2024

I was fortunate to visit Brighton as part of a conference. My hotel was on the seafront and in between sessions, I was able to head out with my camera and take pictures. The promenade is great for pictures, as with care and respect, it is possible to get some interesting street photos. The Lanes is also a good place for street photography. They are narrow and patches of light are everywhere. Once again people are accepting of what seems to be tourists taking pictures. However one person did show their displeasure at my camera being pointed in their direction whilst another passerby complimented me on my Fujifilm. As I mentioned earlier, take care and try not to harass people. Here are a few pictures taken on the streets suing my stay in Brighton. I did not hear any sounds such as a Brian May Queen guitar solo whilst I was photographing!

Enjoy this blog? Then you might like to see Edinburgh Street Photography.

Edinburgh street photography

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From Square to Park – an IgersbirminghamUK instameet

by Damien Walmsley 09/06/2024 10/06/2024

Square to Park, IgersbirminghamUK Instameet walk, May 2024

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.

Visiting Bournville Village Trust with IgersbirminghamUK

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London Times: A canal, a basin, a river and a wharf

by Damien Walmsley 26/05/2024 26/05/2024

On the Regent’s Canal, sitting outside having lunch at the Ragged museum and life is good. The sun is shining and sitting back watching people rowing on the Regent’s canal. This spot in Stepney is a favourite place of mine for photographs. On the bridge with its spikey railings, one has a wonderful view of Canary Wharf. The juxtaposition of old versus new is quite dramatic. Before sitting down for lunch with Peter who was accompanying me on this recent photographic walk, I took a picture down towards Canary Wharf and posted it on BBC Weather watchers. The picture was featured on the lunchtime news and by then I knew then it was going to be a good day.

Limehouse Basin is always active and with the DLR trains passing overhead and the buses and traffic nearby. the place is buzzing. We walked around the basin taking pictures of the sights. At one point as Peter was talking, I managed to get his attention and we looked down towards the lock gates. There was a heron patiently waiting for their catch of the day. The spot has water rushing in from the basin and this was the place to fish. Herons are beautiful creatures but lethal predators and several fish were caught whilst we were watching the bird. The Limehouse basin has everything you wish for in photography. There are reflections, symmetry and colours around the canal basin and we lingered in the area for a time.

The basin links with the Thames and the path through the town houses leads to the Canary Wharf estate. The tide was out and the river bank was accessible so I went down to the water’s edge and then looked back. There was a great view of the tall skyscrapers reaching for the sky overlooking the Thames. These high rise buildings reminded me of New Age sentinels that are keeping watch on everyone.

The private owners of Canary Wharf have put much effort in promoting artwork around the site. This is much better than having to look upwards as there is an awful lot of skyscrapers. Whilst some of the architecture did look interesting, there is an overwhelming feeling that the steel and glass is very repetitious. One of the high points was the “captivated by colour” tunnel designed by Camille Walala which proved to be a great place to take pictures of people. I stood centrally and lifted by camera up to get some good views of the tunnel. A group of lads came through and had a great time acting up for the camera.

Walking through the estate there were several reflections of the buildings in the water that provided good pictures. I did look up at the occasional skyscraper did catch my attention as seen by my pictures. Our final destination was a favourite pub of mine, the Gun. The pub is on the banks of the Thames overlooking the O2 arena. There is a lot of history attached to this Grade II building not least that Horatio Nelson secretly met his lover Lady Emma Hamilton when he was in London. We sat down in the outside Gin area and compared notes on our pictures. The view over the O2 arena has changed since I last visited with ugly blocks of flats suddenly appearing and obscuring the view. A long day walking and taking photographs and yet another chapter to my London Times. Finally a picture of Alfie and Bill who were sitting next to us and asked us for a picture of the two of them. Whilst I had a train to catch, Peter stayed on for the golden hour which is always good with the light catching the glass and water.

Hope you enjoyed this blog and there are more “London Times” Blog entries and you can start with the one below.

London times – taking in the streets of Islington and Shoreditch

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Street sights in Silicon Spa

by Damien Walmsley 19/05/2024 19/05/2024

Silicon Spa Street sights, Leamington Spa, May 2024.

Leamington Spa has streets of white tall elegant buildings. All are fine examples of Regency architecture. Away from the Regency style avenues, buildings in the old town have become canvases for stunning street art several courtesy of the Brink Leamington Mural festival. The train station is a good starting point for exploring the streets of Leamington being close to the old town and the Grand Union canal. On the corner of Crown Terrace and the High Street, a mural advertising the Brink contemporary arts community is displayed. The cartoon character, Gru supervillain turned secret agent, greets you as your first introduction to the artwork that follows. Street art is always fun to photograph but ensuring the artist is always credited can be a challenge. Therefore if I have missed anyone out, I apologise and refer you onto the Brink Contemporary Arts links including a map of the art work and their Instagram page.

The street mural next to the rail arches on Clement street is an attention grabber and at the other end near the canal is the Leamington Spa mural. We identified the Micro Pug, a small pub next to the canal, as a good place to visit and started a circular walk back to the pub. Part of our route would take in the Lady of Shrubland Street. This mural reflects the Victorian architecture of nearby Shrubland Street Primary School and was created by Tim Robottam. I have used filters for the colours and a Flickr friend to pose for the picture. The old part of Leamington has streets with character and this mural enhances the look of the area . Near to the mural stands the Green Man pub where the Lenny Henry TV series “Three Little Birds” was filmed.

The circular route back to pub took in the murals around the disused factory area which may be approached via Eagle Recreational Park. The murals line up alongside the Grand Union Canal and the path leads to steps and a footbridge taking you over the canal. As you go up the steps a glance to left reveals the stunning art by the artist N4t4. The canal was busy and a narrowboat passing by the graffiti strewn factory was an added bonus. We headed back to the Micro Pug for a drink and to plan the later part of the day.

We took a general walk through the Regency half of the town. Jephson gardens was looking good in the sun with people enjoying the fine weather. The usual “honey spot” pictures of Jephson Gardens, the Parade and Clarendon Square were taken before finally it was time to go home.

https://damienwalmsley.com/leamington-street-art/ — Bridge over the River Leam

I have completed another chapter in my photographic blogs which feature Leamington Spa. My last blog picks up many of the other murals that are present in the town. Finally why the moniker Silicon Spa? The town has exploded in the digital world and is a hub for computer game developers and other computer software programs. The streets maybe lined with code but the artistic community is keeping up by painting the walls with colours.

Finally the “we” and “my Flickr Friend” is JohnBrum69 who kindly guided me around the streets of Leamington.

Leamington Street Art

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Imaging Dublin with my camera

by Damien Walmsley 17/04/2024 17/04/2024

There is always new sights in Dublin even though I have been away for 6 years. The opportunity arose as a conference was held in Dublin and I jumped at the chance to attend. Lisa, my PhD student was presenting and as it happens I gave a presentation on behalf of a colleague who could not make it to the conference. Our conference hotel was in the Liberties and I had not explored this area of Dublin so much in my past visits. I was staying at the Aloft hotel which had some good views over the city from the 7th floor bar.

The weather was a mix of sunshine and showers which seems to be the story of our weather for the last 18 months. Dublin City is great for street photography especially around the Temple Bar area. There are so many people taking selfies of each other that no-one seems to care about one more camera on the streets. I also took in Trinity College, Dublin Castle and a few other sites. Trinity was holding a concert and so many of the picturesque views were not possible. Also they have erected a large red box which is called the Book of Kells experience. They are remodelling the old library and how the Book of Kells is viewed, however the red box is an eyesore.

Whilst in the Temple Bar area, I discovered Love Lane and this hidden gem had lots to photograph. The tiles and messages were great to see and read. The artwork was conceived and installed by Anna Doran. I loved reading all the messages on the tiles and there were even lyrics from one of my favourite bands, Thin Lizzy. I looked up the lyrics to Dublin written by Phil Lynott. The last verse is quite poignant especially as Derby Square was an alleyway off Werburgh Street near to where I stayed.

And at sea with flowing hair
I’d think of Dublin
Of Grafton Street and Derby Square
And those for whom I really care and you

Crampton Court street. Art installation to be credited

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This was also a bittersweet photo experience as this is my last time using the FujiFilm x100v. The camera has been by my side for the last 4 years and I am now moving on to its successor. The camera has served me well as many of the pictures in this post testify.

I have pictures from my 2018 visit for you to see and compare. Following this there is a link to the Dublin Liberties Distillery.

Photographing Dublin

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London times – taking in the streets of Islington and Shoreditch

by Damien Walmsley 03/04/2024 04/04/2024

Walking the streets of Shoreditch, London, March 2024

London is an ideal place for urban photography as it offers so many different places that offer variety. There are several large-scale cityscape vistas which sit with the smaller scale scenes taking in street art and street photography. The start of my recent photo walk with colleague Peter Thompson was the Angel, Islington and from here we accessed the Regent’s canal. A link to this part of my photo walk is below. Leaving the canal we moved around Shoreditch taking in some of the street art and catching people interacting with their urban surroundings. Architecture was another focus of my lens. Finally we finished off at Horizon22 which is also covered in a separate blog entry. So sit back and be prepared for a roller coaster of pictures from my walk in Shoreditch. (All pictures taken on my Fujifilm x100v)

Two churches and one bridge
Start at Birmingham Cathedral and take pictures inside then move down church street towards the pedestrian bridge over Queensway then make our way up Bennett's hill to St Paul's church and pictures inside the church there. I will see if we can get access into both places. What do you think? Based on the following.

Andy Street says. "I’m pledging to launch an international architectural competition to build a NEW BRIDGE connecting the Jewellery Quarter & Colmore Row . The link between two of Brum’s best areas isn’t good enough, we have to deliver an accessible link that celebrates the city’s heritage."
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/competition-fix-rickety-old-city-28913191 — Little Red Riding Hood.

You made it to here and your reward are links to my other recent London Times postings.

London Times – The London Horizon from Horizon22

Walking the Regent’s Canal – the Shoreditch stretch

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London Times – The London Horizon from Horizon22

by Damien Walmsley 28/03/2024 29/03/2024

Horizon22, Bishopsgate. London, March 2024

I have been up the Shard and visited the Monument. Both buildings have their charm and give unparalleled views of the London skyline. I have seen Westminster and beyond from the London Eye where your excitement builds as the wheel slowly turns. Eeventually when you reach the pinnacle of the journey, you have a super view of the Houses of Parliament and the Southbank where cars and trains move around like they are part of a model village. There are many others that I have been fortunate to visit over the years and all provide an assortment of bird eye views of London. Do I need to visit another high-rise viewing platform?

My recent visit to London was to undertake a planned photowalk organised by my photo-colleague Peter Thompson, that would take in the Regent’s canal and Shoreditch. We covered most of the itinerary during the day. We were nearing the finish and about to reward ourselves with a cup of tea before heading off for our trains home. We had walked the streets and towpaths of London and my feet were hurting. I was weary. Peter Thmpson suggested Horizon 42 as our final place to visit before that much needed cup of tea. I was not sure what to expect from another high rise viewing platform. Visiting the viewing platform is free but demand for tickets on the Internet is high. Arriving at the entrance door to the building, the sign display indicated that tickets were available. A quick visit of the Horizon42 web site on my iPhone followed by downloading of the tickets, and we were through security and taking the ear popping lift to the summit.

The Horizon22 viewing platform is simple but effectively designed. There are split level floors and there is little to no décor on the white painted walls. This maximises the light reflections and creates few distractions when taking and reviewing your picture taking. Looking down from the upper platform, I noticed how the sun streams into the area creating shadows. People are free to move around the spacious area and interact with the large windows that are present. The day I went the weather was clear and the London landmarks were easy to spot. The viewing platform looks out over Tower Bridge and the Shard. I was able to see Canary Wharf and other places quite clearly. I had my polarising lens cover on my Fujifilm x100v which minimised but did not completely eliminate the reflections in the glass from the strong sunlight. In spite of this my pictures turned out well and I appreciated the view in between using my camera.

I enjoyed my visit to Horizon22, the experience was good and I found the attendants to be pleasant and helpful. I was not allowed to take my mini tripod up to the top but the security ensured that it was carefully looked after and I picked it up on my exit.

There is a photography bonus in the plaza as you exit the building. You are able to look up to the top of the building which makes for a good picture composition.

Would I recommend going up Horizon22? Definitely! The skyscraper is probably a better experience than the Shard which requires the purchase of tickets. In comparison Horizon22 is completely free and a link to the website is below.

https://horizon22.co.uk

Having read my blog then you may find my account of 103 Colmore row in Birmingham interesting. Another viewing platform in yet another skyscraper.

The popular key – 103 Colmore Row

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Walking the Regent’s Canal – the Shoreditch stretch

by Damien Walmsley 24/03/2024 24/03/2024

Regent's Canal, Shoreditch section, March 2024

Emerging from a tunnel under Islington, the Regent’s canal begins its journey through Shoreditch. The canal is wide with a spacious towpath. Many runners and pedestrians take advantage of the scenic waterway as it passes through the east of London. There are many narrowboats along the way each with their interesting names and individual colours.

Several roads pass over the canal allowing views up and down the waterway. Iron arched bridges spanning the canal, rumble as commuter trains pass over them. Old industrial buildings sit on either side of the canal and many are converted to city living whilst others wait for progress to overtake them. There are cafes, pubs and restaurants with people sitting at outside tables taking advantage of the mild spring weather. Along the way there are small recesses around the bridges that have been made into communal gardens. I particularly liked the bird boxes put up on the canal bridge wall. For the photographer there are lines, reflections and opportunities for street photography. The buildings offer a range of architectural styles and the boats often spring surprises with the way that people have either painted them or the objects that they have collected on their travels.

Yellow was a theme of my walk. I just seemed to find lots of yellow objects as you will see. They were either single, in twos or multiple!

My walk started at the Colebrooke Row entrance in Islington and finished at Queensbrooke Road turning around to go back to the A10. There were so many pictures and here is a final finish to my pictures featuring one or two of the eating establishments on this stretch of the canal.

This is just one of many photographic walks that I have taken on the Regent’s canal in London. I have mapped different sections of the canal as it leaves Paddington basin on its long journey across north London to Lime House Basin. There are many parts still to discover whilst revisiting those that have already been photographed. I have added some further links below and I wish to thank Peter Thompson for showing me this part of the canal. Please visit Peter’s Website for some amazing travel photography.

For further photography of Regent’s Canal

Walking the Regent’s Canal – Queen Mary University of London to the river Thames.

Walking Regent’s Canal

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Disco powers the beating heart of Birmingham

by Damien Walmsley 22/03/2024 22/03/2024

Our beating heart, Snow Hill Square, Birmingham, March 2024

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.

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.

More information on the Beating heart designed by Studio Vertigo and the Colmore Business District.

Light Is Coming: Our Beating Heart

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Birmingham goes green for St Patrick’s Day

by Damien Walmsley 18/03/2024 19/03/2024

St Patrick's Day Parade, Digbeth, Birmingham, March 17th, 2024

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

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Tag Archives: Street Photography