IgersbirminghamUK organised a walk around Spaghetti Junction on a warm Saturday afternoon at the beginning of August. For this blog entry, I have 24 frames which is the number of a roll of film. These pictures were taken with either my iPhone or Fujifilm x100vi. The stories and sights under the motorway are always changing and always surprising. Enjoy this photo essay.
Figures
People move around the complex concrete structures. They look apologetic for their presence as the concrete really does enjoy its own company.
Figure in the subwayA walk home with the noise of cars above.
Cyclists
People move quickly on the towpath nobody wants to stay too long as they may get lost in the concrete.
Cyclist between the pillars.There is light in the dark that guides the cyclist.
Pillars
The main feature of the concrete structures is the pillars. Reaching to the sky they hold the roads in place. If the pillars disappear then there so will the roads.
Reaching for the skyThe height of the pillars dwarfs the people who dare wander next to them.The cathedral pillars of Salford circus.Gaps between the Pillars.
So easy to lose your way under the motorway.There is signage to help.Colourful signs break through the concrete monotones.A scrawled sign lets you know where you are.
Traces of humanity
There are examples that humans have passed through the area.
Real MagicBirmingham, EnglandA smashing time.Walk this way
Nature fights back
Nature is slowly eroding the concrete jungle. Trees and greenery have established themselves amongst the pillars.
Greenery lines the paths.Trees in the sunlight.Concrete vs nature standoff.
I hope you enjoyed this photo essay of my recent visits to Spaghetti Junction. If you ever have the chance to visit the area then do take up the opportunity. There are regular tours that take in Aston Reservoir and the more interesting parts of the canal network. The interchange does become very quiet at the weekends. During the week, there is construction activity focused on maintaining the pillars that are essential to holding the motorway network together. The highs and lows of a visit around the Gravelley Hill interchange are illustrated below. The highlights include the wonders of the construction and architecture. The lows are the faceless nature of the area which has areas that are not particularly inviting.
The classical view of the pillars lined up along the river Rea.Barbed wire and undistinguished areas of the Junction.
Are you wanting to read more about Spaghetti Junction then here are more of my visits about what lies beneath the M6. I recommend starting with this blog post that sets the scene for my photo essay.
Sixteen-acre ward has been a project that I started in March 2021, and I have visited the area at regular intervals since. The wood was in the news, when the initial plans for the HS2 line revealed that it would cut into the wood. Therefore, trees were felled, and an old ancient pond was duplicated in a new location nearby. This new pond has signage and chains to protect this nature venture. Over the years, the landscape around the wood has changed drastically. This is my fourth visit to the wood. As with the previous ones, I was interested to see if anything had changed since my visit last year.
The new pond is covered with vegetation. No entry to the pond.A crane rears its headOvergrown
Fortunately, my drive to Berkswell village was not difficult as the HS2 works will close access to various roads around the area at a moment’s notice. I parked my car near to St Mary’s Church, Berkswell, and walked along the boardwalk. There is a footpath that runs up the hill over a farmer’s field. This footpath meets up and follows the HS2 route I reached the part of the HS2 track which passes by Sixteen-acre wood and goes onto meet Kenilworth Rd.
The landscape has really changed.Drainage and fencesNot a place for swimming.
A year on and I noticed that the vegetation is starting to reclaim much of the area. The new pond is thriving although it could do with some trees around the parameter. Meanwhile the old pond has not given up and there is still life around an old tree has collapsed into the water. Walking down the designated footpath there is a sharp contrast. On the left side beyond the steel fence the large land moving vehicles were resting as it was a Sunday, a day of rest. The earth had been moved into heaps of brown soil and there were lines of plastic pipes lined up for draining the water. On the right-hand side, the wood looked in a sorry state. Some of the vegetation is recovering but there are still scars around the knocked down trees. Some of the trees looked like scarecrows contrasting against the bleak sky. What did catch my eye was the number of butterflies and dragonflies that were present. Nature is slowly attempting to get back to its feet after being interrupted by the HS2 works.
The old pond looks out at the new landscape.The trees look bare.Crows fly above the trees.We are still here.DragonfliesNew places to restButterflies
These pictures show the amount of construction that is happening as the pace of building is now moving quickly. In the midst of this construction, there were some beautiful butterflies and I must have seen around 10 different types of insects. There was a hoard of dragonflies that are living in the stagnant water created around the HS2 trenches. Someone once told me not to worry about HS2 as everything will grow back once the viaducts that are planned are completed. I wait to see if this will be true as the scars in the land look very deep. I now have my 4th entry into my 16 acre wood project and I will return next year to see what progress has happened and whether nature is coping with the changes forced on the landscape.
HS2 construction is gathering pace.Earth moving equipment waiting for Monday morning.The stagnant water has encouraged the growth of the dragonfly population. The wood is to the left of the picture.
Black and white landscapes appear to be one of my specialities. I do not necessarily look for them but they seem to find me. I was very pleased to receive an honourable mention in the MonoVisions 2024 international photographic competition. This was a picture taken in Wychwood Wood which is local to me and surprisingly not a place that I have visited until recently. The tree trunks in the picture remind me of two people dancing. Whilst the trees are not able to shout, they can twist and turn. Full details of the competition and the honourable mention are on the web site. I was successful in the Monovisions landscape category in 2001 and 2003.
Exploring Birmingham in the early morning is a great pastime and the city opens up for many different photographic opportunities. One morning in July, I moved towards the law courts with no particular plan other than to take some street photography pictures. My eye always finds something that looks different and as I looked down towards Birmingham Crown Court and the Maclaren building, I noticed a metallic structure in the form of a triangle. I set off to investigate. I discovered a new square amongst all the newly built office blocks and student residences.
The metal branches reach out to the surrounding buildings.There is little colour in the square.A solitary figure walks up the steps
The architecture of the square may simply be described as brutal. Lots of concrete pavements and to one side, someone has “planted” three metallic trees with pointed branches that reach up to the sky seeking a sun above the concrete. This is a wonderful place for photography and I took many pictures with both my iPhone and Fujifilm x100vi camera. People stop in the square, taking a seat whilst waiting for their bus to arrive on the Priory Queensway. There is a restaurant on one side of the square that may look out of place but a search on the web shows that it has received good reviews. There is a bleak passageway that leads onto the Masshouse residential buildings. These flats were built around 10 years ago but are now looking a touch tired. A lone Palestinian flag hangs from one of the building balconies. The metal triangle that first caught my eye, is some form of decorative cover which adds to all the sharp angles and hard brutal feel to the square.
A lone Palestinian flag hangs from one of the balconies on Masshouse.The metal triangular structure that caught my eye.An abstract image of the metal branches.
In summary another brutalist concrete jungle with the ironic touch of metal trees. The square makes for great photographic opportunities although I am not sure I would wish to live and work in the area.
Web link – if you like concrete then you will enjoy this blog entry.
Woodland photography is one of my interests as there are several woods near to me that I love wandering around taking photographs with my camera. The skills that are involved with taking such pictures, I have learnt by trial and error. However, my technique is rather low key and much of what I do is point the camera and take pictures that look appealing. The opportunity to learn woodland photography skills arose after a chance meeting at the Photography Show with Miffyohara. Miffy is a classically trained photographer who has a great love of woodland photography. We talked about a photography walk and the place Miffy chose to start my woodland photography journey was Hagley Park next to the Clent Hills.
The outlines of these branches make a pleasing geometric shape.A window created by the tree branches.Two walkers passing through the woods.I included the path which is partially covered with blossom so as to lead to the light.
The park has 350 acres of Worcestershire countryside to explore with an abundance of woodland. When I arrived, I realised that a tripod was essential. Never go anywhere without your tripod. This was my first lesson of the day. Fortunately the light was good and the sun was breaking through the clouds. During our visit, the sun was diffused by cloud cover although occasionally there were long periods of sunshine. Therefore we waited for these patches of light to illuminate the woodland. Similar to wildlife photography, a calm, non-hurried approach is required. This is so difficult for me as I do tend to rush around. For the first 30 minutes, we observed and photographed one tree. We slowly walked around the tree, looking at how the sun fell on the branches and leaves. I learnt about “windows” created by tree branches that open your photographs in a similar way to framing. This aspect of woodland photography is appealing to me as I enjoy taking a picture within a picture. I found the opportunity to place people into the scene although I acknowledge this is not what woodland photography is about! The bluebells were in full bloom and offered splashes of blue throughout the day. Another learning point was the avoidance of man-made structures in the photograph and therefore paths which allow a leading line were not considered but I did occasionally break the rules. Therefore I used the branches and arrangement of the trees to lead the eye.
A tree of interest that tells a story.A view of Hagley castle framed by a tree.The imposing Hagley castle.
Hagley Park has a circular route that takes in several follies that were placed by previous owners to add a pleasing spectacle to the eye. The structures follow classical architectural designs as may be seen in my photographs. The current ideas of the park keepers are to reduce the prominence of these follies and allow the woodland views to take centre stage. The first folly we came across was Hagley castle which is designed to resemble a small ruined medieval castle. The castle is an imposing structure over this part of the park and whilst it was fenced off, it was still possible to view the architecture. Leaving the castle, the path dipped steeply down towards the stream that passed through the south of the park. On our way there were several interesting trees worthy of photographing. We climbed back up and then came upon Milton’s seat which gave beautiful views of Hagley Hall and the surrounding Worcestershire countryside. This was a place where one could linger and let time pass you by. The light was good and it was possible to view the hills in the distance.
A tree with personality.Fungi patterns on a dead tree.More patterns created by the fungi.Milton’s seat with a view that takes in Hagley Hall and the mountains in the distance.The woman in the red jacket had to be photographed.
Our next point of interest was the Palladian bridge which is very photogenic. You are spoilt with the different compositions that arise from the bridge and the surrounding woodland. The bridge is at the head of the lake and set in a valley of trees. There are reflections in the lake and the lay of the land offers both high and lower-level interpretations of the scene. I settled for an eye level view taking in the reflection and the setting of the bridge along the lake. Processing the picture in black and white provides balance and allows blending between the man-made structure and the woods. The bridge is at the start of three lakes which lead upwards to the classically styled Rotunda. On the way past the lakes, there is a memorial to the English poet William Shenstone in the form of an urn. Again I was drawn into photographing the urn and the Rotunda amidst the woodland trees. There were also other interesting trees to take in and photograph.
The Palladian Bridge in Black and WhiteThe view over the lake.Shenstone’s UrnA window onto the Rotunda.The Rotunda blending into the surroundings.
On returning to the café, we discussed our photographs and then discussed how to process the pictures. Whilst proficient at Lightroom, I do need to revisit Photoshop and use the layers function to bring out features in my photographs. Once again this is all part of the learning process.
Details from a fallen tree.
Woodland photography is a genre to visit. I learnt how to look at woodland scenes, and carefully pick out areas of interest. The need to slow down and take in your surroundings allows you to seek out new photographic scenes that you would miss if you just walked through the park. By slowing down, you are also able to look at how the light falls on the woodland. Looking for windows and diagonals in the branches of the trees helps your woodland photography stand out. This walk was during the day and the woodland would naturally light up during the golden hours. I will look for future opportunities to pursue this genre of photography especially at the start and end of the day.
Tree texturesRushes
At the start, we talked to Alex one of the Park Rangers who gave us insight into the care of the park. Alex also agreed to be part of my 100 strangers project that is nearing completion. Here is a picture of Alex leaning against one of the Park Ranger trucks.
Alex a park ranger at Hagley Park.
A final thank you to Miffyohara who was an excellent teacher and guided me through the skills required for woodland photography. In our discussions, subjects ranged from composition of woodland scene to a debate on giving titles to our pictures. The sharpening of my observational skills was one outcome of the day. The final word goes to Hagley Park which is a must visit location and will appeal to everyone not just photographers.
An iPhone picture of an interesting tree and thank you to Miffyohara for showing me the beauty of trees.
If you wish to see more of my previous woodland photography then I have added a link below. I will revisit Hay Wood with a different eye to my compositions.
The bluebell season is here and is earlier than normal. Usually the flowers are in full bloom around the May Bank holiday weekend. This year their arrival appears to be 1 to 2 weeks early. A blue carpet of bluebells is always stunning especially when set against the backdrop of the woodland. This year I went to Hay Wood as a fellow photographer had taken a picture of the blue carpets of flowers and the scene looked stunning.
The blue carpet of bluebells.
Hay Wood is part of Forestry England and is a small wood which is near to Baddesley Clinton. The latter is an outstanding National Trust property which is always lovely to visit. We are fortunate to have Hay Wood nearby. The bluebells appear on specific patches to the east and west parts of the woodland. The easterly display was at its peak and even though I was there around midday, the light was wonderful. The new shoots of green leaves glistened in the sun and the bluebells contrasted against the trees rising upwards.
Light and shadows highlighting the scene.Bluebells around the trees.
The bluebells to the west of the wood looked beautiful and they were still flowering. More photographs of the blue carpet were taken. The western part of the wood has a public footpath that links with St Michael’s church that is adjacent to the Baddesley Clinton estate. I visited the church as there is the opportunity to take a picture of the bluebells in the foreground and the church providing the background interest.
A solitary bluebell plant with a backdrop of green and blue.Old tree trunks add interest to the scene.Muddy paths led to the bluebells.St Michael’s Church, Baddesley Clinton with bluebells.
All these pictures were taken with my Fujifilm x100vi and I bracketed the exposure of the pictures. The 3 photographs were merged with the HDR function in Lightroom. Some adjustments of the shadows and highlights plus dodging and burning were made.
If you enjoyed these pictures of the bluebells then please follow the links below to see previous entries in my blog.
Thanksgiving is a special time in America. Having enjoyed our visit to Washington State, we made the decision to repeat our time there this year. Last year, we stayed in a Cabin on the foothills of Mount Rainier but my in-laws have now moved south to an area around Riffe lake. Their house is idyllic nestled into the deep evergreen forest of Washington. The house is equal distance between Mount Rainier and St Helens. The nearest town, Mossyrock, is 20 minutes away and further provisions require another 20-to-30-minute journey. Their residence is adjacent to Riffe Lake a large reservoir which curves around the valley. The reservoir was created in the 1960’s by Tacoma Power and there are several submerged villages under the water.
The View of Riffe Lake from the road view point near to MossyrockDeep in the Evergreen forest around Riffe lake.
The area has many features that are brilliant for photography. In 2017, the authorities lowered the reservoir level by 30 feet as there were worries that a seismic event in an area with several active volcanoes could lead to catastrophic flooding. Consequently the shoreline has exposed many trees that were cut down to make way for the original reservoir. The remnants of the tree trunks are stripped down and the roots are exposed. When exploring the shoreline these cut down trees look like alien beings which are ready to walk away. The word triffids comes to mind as one moves around the lake shore getting close up to these tree trunks.
Walking down to the Lake Shore.The exposed roots and tree trunks on the shores of Riffe Lake.This tree and roots looks like it is on the move!The landscape is eerie and looks very strange.Walking around the tree trunks.This provides a sense of scale of the trees.Overlooking Riffe lake
Adjacent to Riffe Lack is Swofford Pond which is an oasis for fishing and wildlife. The road passes the shores of the pond and provides a scenic view of the area. On one side there is a bank from the start of green mountain and forms a scenic border to the surrounds of the pond. Everyday I passed by Swofford Pond and everyday I grew to love the area even more.
Swofford Pond is adjacent to Riffe Lake.An autumnal tree looks out over Swofford Pond.A storm passing through the area of Swofford Pond.
Riffe lake feeds into Mayfield Lake which in turn is another reservoir. This lake has several camping areas and the main boating town of Mayfield is at the southern head of the water. Whilst a popular boating resort in the summer months, during the winter the place is deserted which adds a degree of charm with the piers empty of boats. In Mayfield there is an island providing views up the lake with a miniature lighthouse that must be popular in the summer months.
A view over Mayfield Lake.Empty jetties waiting for the summer months.A lighthouse on the lake island at Mayfield island.A very quiet, Mayfield village during the winter months.Another view over the lake.
The reservoirs and the pond around Mossybank are picturesque and there are many trails to explore. I will be back again to enjoy another view of the area. Whilst I was visiting, there were many residents that I came across whilst I was traveling around the area.
A Texas Longhorn we met on our daily commute. Love those horns.An inquisitive song sparrow.
This is my second visit to Washington for Thanksgiving and I post a picture of my sister and brother in law together with Sandy enjoying our Turkey dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving 2023
If you are interested to read about my previous visit to Washington on 2022 then please follow the link below.
Who doesn’t love the sight of bluebells gently swaying in the breeze. Many of our ancient woodlands are at risk by the creeping threat of development and that is why I support the annual Bluebell Wood Fundraising Open Day in the Heart of England Forest. Conserving our woodlands for future generations is very much a priority. Great Alne Woodland is just off Spurnal Lane, and is a part of a Natural Burial Ground. The ancient wood has a stunning display of bluebells at the end of April and is open to visitors for two days.
A typical woodland scene with bluebells.Bluebell carpet running up the hill.Bluebells gather around a fallen tree.Bluebells with a scattering of white bluebell flowers.
My daughter loves visiting this quiet and picturesque woodland and there are so many good photographic opportunities. I brought along my camera equipment and found that the early morning light was perfect. The contrast of blue and green is a joy to see and photograph. My lensball was also put to good use for a few pictures. A useful photographic tip for maximising the benefit of your lensball is to use your macro lens for the pictures. This technique works a treat.
Using my lensball in the bluebell forest.
My 52 week project challenge was bokeh and the bluebells provided several opportunities to focus on the flowers with a wide open lens (f/2.8). This throws the background out of focus producing lovely Bokeh.
A bluebell with a blue background.
During my visit to the woodland, I met Toby, who is the organiser of this charity event. He kindly agreed to have his picture taken and be part of my 100 strangers project which is slowly moving forward on my Flickr pages.
This is Toby who organises the Bluebell charity walk.
The organisation of the day is excellent. The walk starts in the car park and takes you through the woodland with some well positioned spots for those important selfies. I noticed that the event is becoming more popular but via the use of ticketing, our family took part in the walk and did not meet many other people. For a short time, the woodland was ours to enjoy and we were able to take in the sights of those beautiful bluebells. My grandson loves the place as you can see from the following pictures.
A boy and his dog.A portrait in the bluebell forest.
The snow came in March and for many it was wonderful to see. The snow fell midweek and the majority of schools stayed open. Not much time to get the slides out for some toboganning. The snow was great for taking photographs. In the evening rush hour through the village, I found that my iPhone enabled me to get some atmospheric pictures. Headlamps and snow flurries against the old buildings is a good mix for composition.
Early evening snowfall in the Village.
In the morning, the scenery was bright and white. More snow had fallen overnight and I went out again with my camera. The trick with snow pictures is to crank up the exposure compensation so as to counteract the camera wanting to underexpose. On the iPhone the Camera+ app allows you to adjust the exposure setting. Several of the pictures in the Nature area of the park worked really well.
The park with a blanket of snow.Knowle park in the Snow.Framed by the snow.The outlines of trees I the snowSnow on the bushesPath through the Nature Reserve.Christmas card scenes in the village.
I also took some pictures of the High Street. We have a red letter box and telephone kiosk. The colours set against the white snow work really well. I was also very lucky that several villagers decided to wear red that morning. The colour co-ordination made for some very good pictures that proved very popular on my social media feed.
Knowle Church with snowVisit Knowle sign covered in snow.The red colours stand out in the snow.More snow scenes in Knowle
I hope you enjoyed these pictures and now let us hope that spring returns in the following weeks.
A lone tree covered in snow.
Here are some pictures from 2017. Looking back, I should have done some better adjusting of the exposure settings but even so they show the village show bound
When the weather forecaster says there will be fog in the morning then I listen carefully. Fog and mist always add atmosphere to a picture. However, the big decision is where to go to get those great pictures in the fog. Several places sprung to mind but I went for the simplest which is to stay near home. The area you know well is always the best. There is a golf course near me, Copt Health, which provides spectacular sunrises as the rising sun creates patterns amongst the trees. The fog dimmed the sun and in turn provided some great atmospheric picture opportunities. I have featured my top five pictures which are all edited in black and white.
All the pictures were taken with the Fujifilm x100v and the pictures were edited with Silver Efex.
A tree captures the sunrise in the fogThis group of trees can just be made outThe rising sun between the trees.A temporary pool created by the recent rainfall reflects the sunrise.
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