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.
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.
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.
Early workers walking down Gibb StreetMama Roux’sXOYO
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.
Iconic DigbethYellow TongueOnly in Digbeth
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.
Shiny Digbeth
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 Green ManDJ GymChanging Street Art – this is Mike Skinner and the Streets by Robbie Jeffcott. Those eyes…..Window ShoppingBaked in BrickDetails on the railings.Details on the wallsBlinking of an eye on Floodgate Street
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.
Looking back along Gibb Street
Postscript – This is another of my Digbeth picture series which are a popular read. Please check them out below.
Looking back on my photographic year, 2023 was an exciting one and there were several achievements including making the Landscape Photographer of the Year book. Two pictures were featured and these are described in my blog. Therefore I decide to choose four pictures that summed up my activity over the year. I love sunrises and sunsets in the golden hour. I have included a few of my favourite locations including Moor Street Station, Digbeth (including the Custard factory), Normandy Hill in Houlton near Rugby and the Lake District. My photographs have strong themes in the areas of Cityscapes and Street Photography. I do like a good reflection and trying to be different with my pictures. Let us take a look at my selection of photographs.
Sunrise at Birmingham Moor Street offers many street photography opportunities. Arriving early to take a picture of the sunrise, I looked around for a good view. The first London train was about to leave and another commuter train was just leaving. This scene made me think of the KLF song ‘Train to Trancentral’. The man pushing the button to release the doors, the sunrise and the golden train in the distance all came together at once. A very fortunate capture at Moor Street Train Station. (Taken with my iPhone 15)
All aboard, all aboard, whoa.
Normandy Hill is near Houlton in Rugby. The area of Hillmorton is nearby and the canal runs along the foot of the hill. The place used to have wireless masts for Rugby radio. The masts have been removed and the remnants of the bases are all that remain. When the conditions are right the hill has spectacular sunrises and sunsets. There are also views of the surrounding Warwickshire countryside. On a barmy night in July, I set up my travel tripod for my Fujifilm X100V. My camera settings were f/11, s 1/250 ISO 160. The sun was setting low and was just on the horizon. I pressed the button and realised that I had capture three people and their dog passing through the picture. The result was pleasing with the line up of the men and the sun outlining the shaggy coat of the dog. The rays of the sun were captured too. The atmosphere of the shot provides a permanent reminder of all the pictures that I have taken on Normandy Hill.
The last rays of summer sun on Normandy Hill.
Our family summer holiday was at Lowfield House in Little Langdale. Arguably, this spot is the heart of the Lake District and is the starting point for several walks. A place I wished to visit was Cathedral Cave, which is a short 45 minute walk from Lowfield House. Cathedral Cave is an impressive chamber. As a former slate quary, the cave is atmospheric with an open window in the wall allowing light into the cavern. There is a large slate cylinder that appears to be supporting the ceiling. There is a pool of water to the back of the cave which provided many reflections allowing one to appreciate the grand space of the cavern. Needless to say, I, like many photographers who visit this place, just wanted to take lots of pictures. The picture of Jim, my son-in-law, at the mouth of the cave proved to be a popular post on Instagram. Taken with the iPhone13.
Jim standing at the entrance to Cathedral Cave. The surface water provided suitable reflections.
I spent a delightful Sunday afternoon wandering around Digbeth, Birmingham and came across @mr_h0spitalflip and his friends on the side steps of the Custard Factory. They kindly let me sit in and take a few pictures whilst they were skateboarding on the steps. I knew this was the best picture as soon as I viewed the result on the back of the camera. I was not using a burst on the shutter. Just one picture and I caught the skateboarder in the light doing the “Custard flip”. Taken with the Fujifilm X100v, ƒ/5.6, s 1/500, ISO 640.
The Custard flip
I also found my Top nine from Instagram and these show my most popular posts by the number of likes. The two UKLPOTY pictures feature heavily. There is a picture of Sandy and me. I was also pleased to see the blossom in Oozells square and my trip to the States feature in the high scores. All good fun!
My Top 9 Instagram posts in 2023.
Links to my Top 4 photographs of 2023. I realise that I do not have a blog about Normandy Hill and I shall write one up in 2024. I have also included my Top 4 ion 2022 for comparison.
London Times is a short series of photographic blogs that record a recent visit to London. See more links at the end of the blog.
Someone left a chair outside the Cheapside Road entrance to St Paul’s Tube station. I had already had a bit of fun doing some pictures on the approach to the Tube station when I came across this discarded chair. I assume it had been left or transported from one of the nearby restaurants. The chair was ignored by all the commuters entering or leaving the underground station. I had a wonderful 10 minutes just taking pictures of people who studiously went out of their way to ignore the chair that was in their way.
A lone chair sits outside on the pavement.People know the chair is there but do their best to avoid it.It was great to see how people just did not react.No matter how busy the station became, the chair just sat out the rush.The chair does not seem to mind the fact that it is being ignored.One of my earlier pictures as I was walking towards the tube station.
So this ends my brief tour of “London Times”. If you missed any of the others then here is the full list.
London Times is a short series of photographic blogs that record a recent visit to London. See more links at the end of the blog.
My appointment was at the Sandbox workspace, which was conveniently located near to the Millennium bridge. This London landmark is a photographic challenge. How do you take different pictures on this iconic bridge. The answer is that it is very easy to do so as people are passing over the bridge all the time creating their own photographic moments. I scouted around the underneath of the bridge and took a few pictures of tourists moving around above.
Approaching the Bridge.Tourists from above.Underneath the bridge.
Then I went to the south part where the two pedestrian walkways split and provide a pleasing symmetrical photograph. As I expected there were too many photographers in this area although taking photographs of photographers is a fun pastime.
Those photographers LOL.
On the bridge I took a few pictures and then I moved back to the picture sweet spot to try and take some more pictures. Again more photographers! It was time to cross the main part of the bridge and I took a cool panoramic view of the Thames towards Tower Bridge. Then I started to focus on St Paul’s Cathedral which was framed by the northern part of the millennium bridge. London always has something to photograph and you are never lost for subjects. Both the people and the buildings are super subjects and I hope you agree when you see my photographs.
The bridge is a popular crossing point.A panorama from the middle of the bridge.Framing St Paul’s Cathedral.Flowers are still around St Paul’s cathedral.
Here are more pictures from my “London Times” series.
I had a couple of days in London and this provided a wonderful opportunity to take pictures around the Capitol when there was downtime between meetings. I have created a series of blogs for you to enjoy which contain my photographic journey.
Looking towards the end of the canal and the heart of the area.
Before booking into the hotel, I went to Paddington station to see my highly commended picture of Floodgate Street in Digbeth. The picture was part of the travelling exhibition of selected pictures from the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year Competition. Paddington is adjacent to the canal basin and provides photographic opportunities of people, boats and buildings.
Boats moving on the Canal.
There were a few boats moving on the canal and people were leaving work. Several canal boats are now floating restaurants and as the sun was going down colourful neon lights were being turned on. The canal is familiar territory to me and I looked for new opportunities and the Paddington Central footbridge provided them. The bridge links with the Venice Walk via brightly lit tunnels. Always a good place for a camera.
Pedestrian Tunnel on Venice Walk.Another view of the Pedestrian Tunnel.Bridges – Paddington Central FootbridgeBridges – The Point Footbridge.Bridges – the Rolling Bridge.Bridges – under the A4206
I also ventured into Sheldon Square as the flash of colour caught my eye. The line of coloured panels provide a super background as people walk by, hurrying home after a long day’s work or taking time to reflect.
Reflecting after a long day at the office.
As dusk becomes firmly entrenched, the lights from the office buildings surrounding the canal provide numerous reflections on the water. The weather was cold but there was no wind and the water was very still. Many people are moving around, crossing bridges and their silhouettes contrast with the bright lights. The point bridge and rolling bridge are other places for good photographs. Soon it was time to move on as I had a dinner date to attend.
Skyscrapers around the basin.Close up of boats and offices.Christmas tree
You may be wondering about my visit to Paddington Station. I was delighted to find that I am in the travelling exhibition with my highly commended picture of Floodgate Street. Here I am besides my photograph.
Paddington Station with my picture from UKLPOTY
London Times is a short series of photographic blogs that record a recent visit to London. Please visit my other links
Amazingly, I have not written a blog about the German Christmas market in Birmingham. I have taken pictures of the Christmas markets but many of them are single photos on my social streams. My first observation is that the markets are set up way too early. The present one opened up on the 2nd November 2023. This is crazy yet when I visited the city centre a week after the opening, there were many visitors enjoying the early experience of Christmas. Over the years there is a pattern as the markets extend more and more. However, there was a grand reset in Christmas 2020 with the Pandemic but now the markets are back to their former self.
Centenary Square at Christmas.The big wheel in Centenary Square.
In Centenary square, there is the Big wheel, an ice skating rink and other spinning attractions. The pedestrian link to Victoria square is more subdued as it is private land although the restaurants in and around Chamberlain square are doing well.
I love this street photograph. A store called Filthy Fries! How do they arrive at such names.
The real noise and excitement starts in Victoria square and this is with you all the way down to the Bull Ring. Shops selling food and drink. The prices are very high considering there is standing room only. The shops also sell other items such as candles, jewellery and gifts you never knew you wanted. I expect most of these gifts will be put away or recycled after Christmas.
Christmas market in Victoria Square, Birmingham.A long exposure of the Carousel in Victoria Square.Looking down to New Street.
My purpose for going to the early Christmas market was to take pictures. Every photographer in Birmingham has to post a picture of the market on their Instagram account. I did not want to be left out so armed with my iPhone and x100v, I braved the crowds on a Thursday night. Taking pictures with the iPhone is straightforward although I hold onto it firmly as I do not want it snatched away from me. Taking a camera out and then putting it on a tripod does generate some attention so I used the tripod sparingly and looked for convenient surfaces to rest the camera.
Chosing candles.What the reindeer is looking at.Christmas decorations.Those gifts you never knew you needed.The Floozie enjoying the lights.Chocs galore.
My plan for photographs including taking pictures of spinning things including the beautiful carousel in Victoria Square. I was also keen to capture some of the atmosphere and fun that people were having by being around the market. Taking pictures is not easy as people get in the way and are not posing for you. Therefore at different places in the market, I grabbed what opportunity that I could and moved on. I also walked back from the Bull Ring via Gas Street basin which was less crowded and therefore easier for photographing.
Piccadilly ArcadeFather ChristmasHe is everywhere.
When I got home, I was initially disappointed with my pictures. I am always like this as I want every picture to be a winner. I know that is never the case and I was just hoping that I had captured some good ones. I am always surprised by the pictures that look good and were opportunistic rather than the ones that I had planned in my mind.
This is a feature every year.
So this is a snapshot of the Christmas market in Birmingham 2023. I am sure that I will look back on these in a few years time and cringe at them. There is still another Christmas market to open around the Birmingham Cathedral which happens to be more picturesque. Maybe some photographs of this market will feature in my future blog postings.
Signs in the market.
Walking back along the canal to Gas Street Basin, there was the opportunity to take some long exposure pictures. I liked this one of Stop Lock Bridge on the Old Birmingham Canal.
Such great news. My picture “Reflections in Floodgate Street” was highly commended in the 2003 UK Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. This year I had two pictures and I was also commended for my picture “Fog in Gas Street Basin“. Both pictures feature in the Cityscapes section of the competition. This is the second year running that I have made the UKLPOTY book and I am very pleased with my achievement. I have written a fuller account of the background of both pictures together with some photographic tips and reflections on entering Landscape Photography of the Year.
Reflections in Floodgate Street
A classic picture of early morning on Floodgate Street in Digbeth. Not many people are stirring at this time and the lights do not turn off until 15 mins before sunrise. These old industrial buildings are a mixture of small businesses during the day and lively nighttime venues at night. The area is also well known for its street art and many artists have put up murals on the walls. The street got its name from the use of two “floodgates” that were used to stop any flooding from the nearby river Rea. This area of Birmingham was known for its wells and springs hence the street name.
This early morning picture was taken during a chance visit to Digbeth, Birmingham. I took advantage of the rainswept streets which provided reflections of the old industrial buildings and street art. I love the warm streetlights contrasting against the blue hour sky.
Post production notes – Straightened, contrast, highlights and shadows adjusted: texture, vignette and unsharp mask filter applied, levels lifted
Taking pictures of Urban landscapes
Go low for the picture is always great advice, a smaller camera or phone allows you to do this. The low viewpoint with a slight upwards angle provides a different view of an everyday scene and gets the viewer’s attention. I will sit down or kneel to see the viewfinder, as phones and some older cameras do not have a tilt screen.
Reflections are always fascinating for the viewer and so look for windows, puddles or shiny surfaces. The time after a spell of rain is a good time for mirrored views. However, combining both the low viewpoint and water puddles may be challenging for the photographer and camera!
Fog in Gas Street Basin
Fog in Gas Street Basin, Birmingham, commended UKLPOTY 2023
On a foggy day in January, I was lucky to find myself at Gas street canal basin in Birmingham City Centre which is a popular place for photography. The fog had created a ghostly backdrop around the area. The water was very still providing a perfect reflection. The old buildings stood out and the flash of yellow strips on the canal boats provided some welcome colour in the fog. The modern hotel in the background is faded providing an interesting background canvas. The eyes are drawn to the trees in the centre of the photograph and their reflections in the water. If you look carefully, there is a lone person in the picture admiring the view. This was an opportunistic photograph as the fog rolled in changed the nature of the scene.
Post production notes. This was taken on my iPhone and there was adjustment of the highlights and shadows and small minor changes of contrast. Some dodging of the colours on the boats was done to lift them out of the fog.
More reflections on UKLPOTY 2023
My second successful year in the LPOTY competition and I realise which of my photographs are getting the love and why this is the case. I dream of being successful in the classic view category. Pictures of beautiful mountains, gorgeous light and a lead in that takes your eye into the picture and beyond. However it looks as if my skill set is photographing the city. I love nothing more than wandering around the streets with my Fujifilm x100v and my iPhone. Also the best time to be out and about is at daybreak or sunset. Why is this? The light is magical at these times of day. The trouble is that cities are very quiet in the morning and staying safe is important. At night they are crowded but the quieter spots are where the light dwells. Again staying safe at night is key.
Try to be different in your picture taking. Even just thinking of taking a different picture starts you thinking on how to photograph an urban scene. Often this may not work out and you can go home frustrated. It is easily said but do not despair as that next picture is just around the corner. Be ready for it and when you see the scene, grab the opportunity.
I also enjoy looking at other people’s pictures and also where possible watch how they take their photographs. Learning from others is important. Any advice helps and I always listen to what people say. I have two photography friends, who have taught me the following. First, exercise patience and wait for those opportunities to arrive as they will. Secondly always look out for the small things as they matter and you have to be ready for them.
The window dressing at Selfridges is always amazing and in October the windows were designed around phrases and images. The phrases were very catchy and if you placed people in front of them then they made for some fun street photography. As I was taking photographs, people did not look at me but rather the windows that were the subject of my pictures. Therefore I was able to take some candid photographs of people as they walked past. Enjoy this selection of the windows of Selfridges in Oxford Street.
Smell the streetsSheer wonder – certainly this lad thinks so.Unidentified Fashion Object.Ride on to the sunset. This guy is thinking about it.Too many mobile phones.Watching the buses.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
