This hill is the remnant of a glacier and has a prominent view of the nearby village of Crick and the surrounding Northamptonshire country side. I have visited the hill before as Sunset and captured a beautiful scene. On a recent visit to my daughter, I took the opportunity to capture the sunrise. Whilst there were no clouds in the sky the rising sun was still beautiful and I was able to frame the sun in the beacon. Whilst I was on the beacon there were several walkers who passed through for a chat. The subsequent light was beautiful and made a perfect start up for the rest of the day.
The view of Crick Village from Cracks HillThe Grand Union Canal next to Cracks HillThe canal bridge that leads onto Cracks Hill
A forecast of fog followed by a sunny day, sent me down to Hay Wood for a morning of photographs. I took my tripod and my Canon D5. Setting up the camera (Canon 5D) for the pictures I took 5 pictures of the scene by bracketing with 5 pictures at -2 EV, -1EV, 0 +1 EV and +2 EV. The five pictures were blended in Photoshop to give a HDR output. Comments on the pictures posted on social media were that the scenes took on a “painterly” look. This is the successful look that I was hoping to achieve.
Hay wood and the light lights up the pathRays of light filter through into the wood.A line up of trees in Hay WoodShooting at the sun and looking for a reflection from water in the field.
Selfridges is always on my list as a building to photograph. It has featured in many of my picture books over the years. I have even written a blog about the building which includes several of my pictures. The building is striking with the discs spread over an amorphous design. I love the building and it has come to be one of the iconic images of the City. I also like shopping in the store as the interior design is appealing but that is another story. If you want to know more, there are several good sources of information about the design and history of the architectural design.
Sunset fire over Selfridges and look closely some discs are missingMissing disc highlighted by the sunrise
In 2020, problems with the attachment of the discs to the building began to surface and this is evident in my pictures. A decision was made by Selfridges to undertake the refurbishment and replacement of all the discs on the building. There are 15,000 discs and it will take some time to replace them. The original makers of the discs no longer exist and new constructors were required. The story may be followed up in the news media when in November 2020, the official reports of the replacement began.
The Scaffolding going up followed by the Infinity pattern 1
The Infinity pattern 1 will protect the workers replacing the discs
The canvas covers all of the building
It was during Lockdown #2 that scaffolding began to go up around the store. So as to protect the construction workers and the scaffolding, an eye-catching temporary skin has been put in place. The striking art structure is called “Infinity pattern 1” and is designed by Birmingham born artist and interdisciplinary designer, Osman Yousefzada. It is intended to be a “message of hope” to the people of Birmingham. The design was drawn up in conjunction with the IKON Gallery. The colours are striking and are best viewed in the sunlight which picks up the shades of red. The installation is temporary as the replacement of all the discs will be completed in time for the Commonwealth games in 2022. Therefore whilst it is on view, I encourage you to wander down to Birmingham and see Osman’s creation. The visit will be worthwhile.
Taken from the walkway linking the store to the car park
There is even a walkway underneath where you catch the buses
Contrasts with the work around the City
The fully covered building
These photographs show how Osman’s artwork interacts with the City and the people. The pictures tell the story of the loss of the discs, the placement of the scaffolding and the final structure. There is merchandise in the store that feature the Infinity Pattern 1 on them. The colours and the design pattern lend themselves to pictures and I like the picture with my daughter looking out over Birmingham with the Infinity Pattern 1 behind her.
My daughter looks out over the street below.A favourite Birmingham viewpoint. This time with Osman’s Infinity Pattern 1.
I am always on the lookout for different places to visit in my locality. Reviewing local tags on Instagram pages highlights the beauty of the surrounding area and reveals a range of places to visit. Recently, I was given the opportunity of selecting a picture for the #igerscoventry #igerswarwickshire Instagram site. A black and white picture of Tysoe Windmill in South Warwickshire caught my eye. This was a place that I had not heard of before and the picture got my vote. Immediately I set about researching the windmill and looking at pictures that other photographers had taken. It looked interesting, and I planned a morning sunrise whilst we were enjoying good September weather.
A foggy start
Getting up early is not so difficult in September but there was the problem with the national fuel shortage. Luckily the 24-hour garage near to us had petrol and I was able to set off. The conditions were initially clear and then when I left the M40 it became very foggy as I travelled through Kineton village. I was excited as the conditions were shaping up to be excellent for the sunrise. I passed through the villages of Tysoe and then saw familiar landmarks from my Google maps research. I found the country lane and parked up the car. The fog was swirling around with the sun occasionally showing through. The Windmill is situated on a high hill. My approach on the public footpath took me up some wooden steps, many of which were broken. I did not see the windmill until I was almost at the top. The fog was still around and a picture of spiders’ webs on the gate with the windmill in the background set the scene. The picture also did well on my social media. Looking back down the hill, the fog was lying in pockets on the landscape. There was that lovely saturation of the sky that happens before the Sun is in the sky. Sunrise was nearly upon me. I followed the footpath around the south side of the hill before entering via a gate onto the hilltop with the Windmill.
Spiders’ webs at the entrance to the WindmillLooking at the early morning landscape prior to sunrise
The restored windmill has a commanding presence. The structure has weathered brickwork and is rather tubby looking around the middle. It has a wooden box where the Windmill mechanism protrudes away from the sales. I have done a deconstructed view of the windmill showing all my various observations.
Different views of the Tysoe Windmill
Back to the sunrise. It was lovely to see and whilst there were no clouds in the sky to provide any colour variations, the light was still beautiful. I took plenty of pictures which included the long shadows of the trees, spiders’ webs highlighted by the morning moisture and landscapes showing the last remnants of the foggy conditions. There was no one else around bar the cattle in the fields and the crows flying around. Then the sun became much stronger, and the conditions slowly changed. Reluctantly I made my way down the hill and back to the car. There were still a couple more pictures to take before I was back on the road home. Next time I will visit in the evening and see how the sunset shapes up but until then I hope you enjoy these pictures.
Sunrise at Tysoe WindmillLandscape view from the hillTysoe Windmill and its sails
So many photographers talk about their 3.30am starts, getting up early so that they are able to catch the sunrise. This got me thinking that it was time I looked for a good place to visit for a sunrise with a difference. Amateur photographer had a recent feature on places to visit in the UK whilst interesting, they were a long road trip away, so I searched on the Internet for more suggestions closer to home. On my search, a 2016 AP article came up from Stu Meech who lives near Charlecote park, a National Trust property in Stratford upon Avon. What a great read and Stu advises where to park and how to access the public footpath in the park. So I got ready, packed the gear and went to bed early. I woke up before the alarm went off at 3.30am and got dressed. The dog took a while to settle down as I had woken him up, but I eventually got out of the house but silly me, I made the decision to go down on the M42 and M40. It was the fastest route, but I had not factored in night time roadworks. Eventually I got off the motorway and then the misty wonderland was all around me. The village of Barford looked marooned by an eerie white carpet which was flowing around the old bridge. I nearly stopped but Charlecote awaited.
The early morning mist in Charlecote ParkMist and a sunrise in Charlecote Park
Passing through the village of Charlecote, eventual I came across the lay-by described in the article about 50 metres away from the West Gate to the park. Time 4.35am and all looking good so far. Once through the gate, there is a recent sign that informs you that you must rigidly stick to the footpath and not to enter other parts of the park. You may only do so if you have registered with reception (which opens at 9.00am). Not possible this early in the morning so sticking to the public footpath is the only option. Everywhere I look the park has a beautiful carpet of mist. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement and a herd of the resident fallow deer have picked up the noise that I am making. Do I stay here, do I take pictures of the deer or do I move on? Moving on has to be the best option and I eventually come to a hollow where the path opens up to show the beautiful Charlecote House.
Sunrise through the treesCharlecote House in the mist
The sun is impatient and already the beams of light are pressing through the mist. I find a good spot as the intensity of the sun increases. Excitement rises. Do I put a filter on such as my half grad filter. Wide or telephoto lens? Decisions, decisions. Settling down I switch my lens and filters as I see sunshine hitting the tops of the trees. Then it starts to lower gradually becoming stronger and stronger. I place the sun behind a tree, close down the aperture for a potential starburst and take pictures. The light is magical. Whilst this is going on, there is a procession of deer and goats passing through my line of sight. There is too much to take in and I take as many pictures as I possibly can. My kit bag falls over spilling lenses etc on the dewy grass but luckily, no damage done (I thought). It was about 6:00am and I had been taking pictures since sunrise at 4.45am.
A misty scene in Black and White
I moved further along the path and then looked over to some trees and saw the deer frolicking in the mist. Telephoto lens on and more pictures. One of the pictures of a deer in the mist got a big reaction on my social media. Reflecting I should have brought my 100 to 400mm lens but then I could have brought the kitchen sink as well! Photographers are never happy.
Morning mist and deer in Charlecote Park
My next steps were to follow the footpath towards the village of Charlecote. Everything was very quiet in the village and entrance gates to the park were locked. The church was catching the sun and there were some super photos to take which normally I miss when you are rushing to park and get to the house during a day visit.
A black and white path with sun and mist.
Gargoyle on the Gates
St Leonard’s Church
First poppies of the season
Snapshots of Charlecote Village
Then it was time to slowly retrace my steps back to the car. There were a few more photographs but the mist was gone, having been burnt away by the sun. The time 7.00am and the day was starting. An enjoyable drive back home through Stratford and Henley in Arden. The only drawback was that I left my lens hood in the park. It was broken and loose on the camera so no regrets. Leaving bits behind is a photographer’s lot in life but what I took with me was some wonderful pictures of the park.
Deer in the mist
Goats wandering through
The Residents of Charlecote Park
Did you enjoy this article. Then please follow these links for other articles of taking pictures in the mist and fog. Please comment if you liked it too! The Fog creates a Black and White Landscape describes a walk in the fog with my camera Mist at Packwood is about a misty morning at this local National Trust Property
…..and if you go remember to stick to the footpath.
Thursday 5th November was the start of Lockdown #2. As I pass via town on my way to work, I took the opportunity of getting my camera out to record events on this particular day. I was near to the Bull Ring and as luck would have it the sunrise was spectacular with a pinky orange tint to the clouds. I was never in Birmingham for the last lockdown so I wanted to capture the atmosphere of this event. First there were people around, not many but I suspect more that there were in March/April. There were more pigeons than people and i am not sure if it was my imagination but there was a feeling of acceptance to the new restrictions. It was quiet and people moved briskly through the area.
Sunrise over SelfridgesPeople going to work oblivious of the sunrise.The Bull is still thereSingle Figures move through the empty passageways
My pictures were around the Christmas tree outside St Martin’s Church, up to Selfridges and then past the Bull and down onto New Street. I myself did not linger very much as I was very conspicuous with my Canon D5 camera. Whilst I love my IPhone camera, the time is coming to invest in a new compact camera that does not draw attention.
Empty platforms at New StreetReflections in the passagewaysCatching the tramOn their way to work
On my way back I saw two young people by Selfridges. The pictures show some form of tension between them and the surroundings, especially the picture that is looking upwards towards them. Finally I also saw that the scaffolding is going up around Selfridges and there will be some new photographic opportunities of the specially designed covering going up.
Waiting and watching (buy a copy)Waiting and watching
Now I am back in a work routine, I take the opportunity to park in the city around 7am and stay until 8am just before the car parking charging begins. I set myself an area to walk around and aim to come away with 4 to 5 pictures that I can use over the coming days. These may be for my 365 project or pictures that I can post onto Twitter and Instagram. Gas street basin is a changing place and there is always something to photography during a walk on the tow paths. On this visit, it was very still and quiet and there was a hint of mist. The water in the canal was so still that it provided perfect reflections for my photography. I had my trusty Canon 5D mark VI and my ‘go to’ lens EF24-70mm with me. Initially I did not think I would get particularly good photographs but then as I got down low I started to see the photographic possibilities.
The still waters reflect the buildings of Gas Street Basin.Showing the new versus the old in BirminghamGolden buildings in the sunrise
With the reflections of the buildings, I saw that there were many different views. I took around 20 to 30 pictures and then carefully selected around 6 photographs. A selection of 4 posted on Twitter took off with many likes. At the last count it was over 20 thousand views. I see so many excellent pictures of Birmingham and I am not here to say that mine are any better. These pictures are my own personal view of the area and I am pleased that they make people happy.
Venturing into Brindley Place for the reflections of the canal waters
The village of Kardamena was not far from the hotel where we stayed for Natasha and Rob’s wedding. It is a small resort with an attractive harbour and a big heart. I was very impressed with the place. It has many backstreets which are pleasant to stroll through and are relatively cool in the midday sun. The harbour front contains many bars and restaurants which come alive in the evening. Every morning, I ran into Kardamena and took many iPhone pictures which often included the sunrise. This did depend on whether I got up in time.
A breakfast table in the sunA small Church on the Road that I ran past every morning.Church and seaBoat in the harbour
The light on the Island is best in the early morning when the first rays break though over the waters. At night the sun sets behind a small mountain ridge but some of the last rays of the day still make for a pleasant picture. In the town we ate at several restaurants and the food was always tasty and delicious. It was also good to drink Retsina again which I know is an acquired taste but it brings back memories of my time Greek island hoping when I was a student. These are some of the pictures that I took which are all on my iPhone. It was not practical to bring the grown up camera out on either a run or in the evening when alcohol was flowing. However I know that I will visit Kos again taking my cameras to catch the beautiful light.
Sunrise at Malibu BeachQuiet streets of KardamenaBike in the sunMain ChurchGreek MezeBoats lined up in the harbourThat boat again on the final day of the holiday
The final picture is not in Kos but taken at the Sunset Taverna in Zia on the mountains. It was an adventurous journey in the mini bus up and down the steep mountain roads from Kardamena to Zia but as the picture shows is was worth it for the sunset. This was taken with my Canon 5D with two pictures stitched together.
The months of August are hot during the day and often very muggy at night. We have been through a spell of very hot weather and experienced some dramatic thunderstorms at night. Unfortunately I slept through the worse ones even though I had my camera set up to take some pictures. The next day I was up early and when I got to the park, I was not disappointed as there was a mist over the area. There were were also layers of colours present. What was remarkable was the continual change as the sun rose higher burning off the mist. The mist provides opportunities for rays of sunbreaking through the clouds to be highlighted. With my trusty iPhone I was able to take several photographs of the scene. These were immediately given some post processing via Snapspeed and then uploaded onto the BBC weather site. When I got back home all the pictures were run through Lightroom and then put up on Twitter and Instagram. I received a great deal of acclaim and lovely comments on the pictures and also featured no BBC Midlands weather.
Knowle Park after the storms with a lone dog walkerMagical mist, Sun and lightThe clouds were very dramaticThis picture was shown on BBC Midlands weatherThis picture was popular on Instagram
There is a sense of achievement when BBC England select your picture to be included in the England’s Big Picture Gallery. This is the second one selected this year. It had quite a reaction on social media amassing lots of likes, if that is a good indication these days 🙂
This picture is taken during my exercise walk in Knowle, Solihull. It had been raining the night before leaving some puddles on the path. I bent down and dipped my iPhone into the puddle and got this reflection of the trees in front of me illuminated by the Sunrise.
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