Since the Bull was unveiled in a spectacular showpiece at the Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2022, the Birmingham public haven fallen in love with him. As soon as the opening ceremony was over, the Bull was brought to Centenary Square where thousands of people came to view him. His popularity was immense, and this soon created a new problem. What to do with Bully after the games had finished? There were many suggestions but no concrete solutions and before long the Bull was moved from the square to a lock up location in Ladywood. There he stayed underneath a tarpaulin sheet as Birmingham leaders decided what to do with him. The public learnt that a solution had been found but first the bull needed to be upgraded for his new location. Time moved on and then there was an announcement of a competition to find a name for the Bull. After a public vote, the name Ozzy was selected. We also learnt where he was to be housed. In the large atrium of New Street Station. Then in early July a space was set up followed by parts of Ozzy being delivered to the station over one night in July. Commuters woke up the next day to see the construction of Ozzy. First the body, then the head and horns.
Every photographer in Birmingham rushed to take pictures of Ozzy as he is being constructed. When I visited the feet were still missing although the rest of Ozzy is pieced together. I had forgotten the size of the Bull and the distinctive head is high into the Atrium. Someone has placed a white sheet over the head of Ozzy. Brummies are unsure why this has been done as it is not possible with a single sheet to hide the identity of the bull. However the sheet does give an air of mystery to the statue.
Enjoy these pictures and stay tuned for the unveiling of Ozzy in all his glory later this month. You may also wish to see two of my earlier posts which chronicle the history of Ozzy the Bull.
Maxstoke Castle is very distinctive built in red brick with all the requirements for being a castle on the checklist. There are walls and towers with a large moat circling the building. Inside there are living quarters and gardens. Maxstoke is said to be very unusual because the castle is still the same as when it was built in 1345. During the English Civil War the castle was used as a garrison by the Parliamentary troops and did not sustain any damage. Situated near to Coleshill in the green belt between Birmingham and Coventry, Maxstoke castle is now privately owned. I learnt that there is a strong connection between Maxstoke and Packwood house which happened when there was a marriage between the two families in the 18th Century. Most of the information about the castle can be gleaned from the internet. However what really fascinated me was the majestic appearance of the castle and I was very keen to photograph the place.
The castle opens up for one day a year for local charities which this year were the Coleshill Parish Church restoration project and the National Gardens Scheme. The day was very hot and when we arrived, there were queues outside the entrance. We were advised to return in 20 minutes so we took time to stroll around nearby Shustoke reservoir. When we came back to the entrance, we were initially worried that we would not get in again but lucky the gates opened. The entrance to the castle is very photogenic as the trees lead you to the castle and the view opens up to show the grand architecture. I moved to the left and found a view which captured the reflections of the castle in the moat with the water lilies creating a foreground feature. Once we had stocked up with drinking water and cake, we began exploring. My grandson immediately noticed the damsel files and dragonflies darting around the edges of the moat. There was a lady painting the castle in watercolours and I am not sure how she kept her concentration with all the questions from passersby. Inside the castle, there was a chance to see the various treasures in the house but the queue was long and there will always be next year to prioritise this when visiting. Instead we wandered around the castle admiring the gardens and the views.
There were many people at the castle and there was an eye catching group of Seam Punks who were dressed in bright clothes. They just love having their photograph taken with the castle as a backdrop. I enjoyed the day even though the sun was strong creating difficult shadows for the camera.
View of the moatClimbing roses on the castle walls.Queues for the house tours.Noah holding a Steampunk ogre (pic by Katie Morgan)
On the way out, there was a display of MG cars from a local owners club. The two yellow MGs looked amazing although the others did not disappoint.
Noah, my grandson with Teddy Bear and a red MG.MG sports carMG sports car decked out with Union Jacks.
If you like my pictures and blog then keep a look out for the open day next year. The castle is worth visiting and as mentioned the entrance fee helps several local charities. As a family, we enjoyed the day and my grandson loved seeing the damsel flies, pretending to live in the castle and seeing the sports cars. He even got to hold one of the Steampunk ogres!
Visitors to the castle.The long entrance driveway to Maxstoke Castle.
You may wish to read my visit to Kenilworth Castle which is not so far away and owned by English Heritage.
When the dental hospital was on St Chad’s Queensway, one of the places I was always walking past was the lock-up cells on Steelhouse lane. The Police Station was active and the cells in the lockup were still being used till 2016. There was always lots of activity around there with police vans and officers moving around sometimes in large numbers. Now the building has been renovated and reopened as the West Midlands Police Museum. The entrance to the Children’s hospital is now the busiest place on the street and several of the buildings are being turned into Luxury flats.
Coleridge passage and the side view of the MuseumOne of the many passage ways inside the museum with the cells on the left.
Having seen several photographs of the inside of the building, this has been on my list of a place to visit for some time. The opportunity arose when a group of friends organised a visit and I looked forward to exploring the inside of the building. The museum is the former site of the West Midlands Police Lockups that were used to temporarily hold prisoners whilst they were being tried at the Law Courts next door. The prison has a long and colourful history and many people from different backgrounds passed through the cell doors. With the popularity of the Peaky Blinders BBC series, such sites have generated a high level of public interest. In fact the term Peaky Blinders covers many of the gangs that roamed Victorian Birmingham in the 1890s. Needless to say the museum features the Peaky Blinders in their displays and you can learn more about the gangs that roamed Birmingham which were kept in check by a robust police force.
The sparse contents of a cell.The medical cellThe cell door with viewing latch.
The museum covers three floors and when you enter the building you are immediately drawn to the metal walkways and the cell doors placed along the side of the building. There is a large skylight in the roof which allows the light to filter in all the way down to the lower levels. The play of the light on the whitewashed walls was fascinating and the metal railings and floor created interesting patterns that were immediately captured by my camera. I had brought my trusty Fujifilm x100v and it proved a useful camera in the tight areas of the prison. There were several favourite pictures which revolved around the cells. There were interesting stories everywhere including the toilets inside the cell with the cisterns outside so as to prevent prisoners self harming with the chains.
The toilet in the corner…….the flush on the outside.
The passage way from the lockup to the Law courts was another favourite. I imagined how it must have been when it was in full use as a lockup. Overall I was really fascinated on how the light fell into the prison. Even though the place must have been a difficult place with the smells and the noise, there is also a warmth to the building. The museum features those brave police officers who were harmed whilst undertaking the “line of duty”. There are references to police animals and the highway patrol officers. The presence of a birching stool reminds you of how far we have come in society over a short space of time. In the talk that was given by Peter one of the volunteers, I learnt that the lockup had a matron who oversaw the domestic requirements of the prisoners such as medical care. There were plenty of stories to be told.
A police horse surveys the basement floor of the lockup.Former police motorbikes take centre stage on the top floor.An old “Tardis” design police box on the upper floor of the lockup.Recruitment to the force.The mugshots of previous inmates held in the LockupHelen Taylor, the Museum manager with the background of the steel stairs and floors behind her.
The museum is managed by Helen Taylor and her informative staff, some of whom are former police officers who worked in the lock ups. The staff brought the museum to life and ensured that all questions were answered and made sure we enjoyed our visit. The pictures provide a glimpse into the museum and I know that evening tours are often arranged but for me the light coming into the prison at midday was fascinating. I will certainly revisit at a later date.
Here are some references to the prison including their website
The alarm went at 3.30am and it was time to haul myself out of bed. I was going on a journey of 50 minutes to a field in Bewdley, Worcestershire. There were reports of poppies in the field near to Blackstone nature reserve. Sunrise was at 4:54am so I needed to get there promptly. I met up with an old friend and work colleague who I had not seen for several years. He was there armed with his camera ready to take pictures. The place was very quiet and the weather was on the chilly side. There was more cloud cover than my app “Clear Outside” was indicating. Will there be a good sunrise? Time to find out as we crossed the road and set off for the poppy field.
Social Media had left instructions of how to get to the field. This was from the Poppy and Flower finder Facebook page.
“Park at the (Blackstone) picnic site, walk across the road as there is no vehicular access. Follow the path to just under the old railway bridge and take the path on the right by the bridge and it’s there.”
The poppies were there in their glory and I spent the next two hours taking pictures in the field. The sunrise was fleeting although I was able to get a starburst as the rays broke through the treeline.
Poppy panorama.Poppy landscape.
I took many pictures with one or two more memorable ones. Blue cornflowers added a blue dash to the red sea of poppies. There were some pops of white from cow parsley who were unsuccessfully trying to compete with the poppies.
Red poppy, blue cornflowerA dash of white in the red.
I was starting to get cold standing out in the field and the cloud cover had smothered the sunshine. It was time to say good byes to the field and to my friend and head home to process the pictures. The early start to the day was memorable and I hope you enjoy the pictures that I selected.
Red on GreenPoppy flowersPoppy flower ridge.
Postscript – I learnt on social media that the farmer was out on his tractor and mowed the field that evening. Presumably he was fed up with all the photographers and other sightseers. The action set social media into meltdown as people vented their frustrations as they realised that would not be able to experience the field. I am not here to judge the action of the farmer who owned the land, I was just pleased that I had seen the poppy field in its prime.
The red sea.
I have been fortunate over the last few years to see several fields. In 2020, I visited the fields in Minworth, near Sutton Coldfield. The next year I was pleased that a poppy field turned up in Leamington Spa which was close to me. Last year, the field was in Churchill, Kidderminster and again was a beautiful summer experience. I have documented my poppy field travels below.
This was my first Birmingham Pride parade. I am not sure why I had not been before, and I suspect that I thought that it would be somewhat predictable. Far from it. The whole parade was a wonderful colourful spectacle with so many happy people around. These happy people were not worried about having their photograph taken either, which makes the event a photographer’s dream. Birmingham at the weekend has become a busy place. More so for the weekend of Birmingham Pride as there were many Coventry City supporters around making their way to Wembley. From Moor Street to Centenary square, there were street events starting up connected to the Pride Festival. The atmosphere was electric.
Pride car.Welcome to Birmingham Pride.Birmingham Hospice.Paul and his VW camper.Pink is the word.Colourful.
The day was going to be a warm one and already the sun was strong with no clouds in the sky. I had brought along my polarising lens as I was anticipating strong shadows with the bright light. In Centenary square, people were already congregating and the Exchange which is now part of the University of Birmingham was one of several meeting points. There were several colleagues from both the University and the dental hospital and people were looking forward to marching in the parade. The police and the fire service were taking part and both vehicles and people were already decorated with rainbows and colourful signs. Birmingham Hospice had a float and they said this was the first time they had taken part. Many other well-known companies and institutions were lining up their vehicles. Some of the decorations were very imaginative. I met Paul who was taking part by driving his prized possession. His VW camper was adorned with rainbow decorations, and he was happy to pose in front of the vehicle. As you see, I crouched down to get a dramatic picture. There were several other colourful people that I took portraits of in the square. As it was getting close to the start of the parade, I made my way down to the Town Hall to get a good vantage point of the parade as it headed towards New Street.
The head and heart of the procession.These tapestries tell a story.Detail of the Pride tapestries It’s a sin.The pride possession.There were so many colourful flags.Everyone was very keen to have their photograph taken with the flag.Rainbow umbrella.Passing by Victoria Square.
The next hour consisted of picture taking in one location and then moving swiftly forward to take more pictures further along the route. I was told by a friend that the turning point at the end of New Street at Waterstones Book shop was a good place for pictures. When I got there, I cheekily went into Waterstones and made my way up to the second floor. It was relatively quiet and so I placed myself behind the lift, where you could look out over the New Street junction. I got some good pictures of the parade from this vantage point.
Going down New Street.The view of the flag from Waterstones Bookshop.The Pride DrumsThe lead bus.
After several more pictures, I then moved to the walkway that overlooked Moor Street Station. This was a good lookout on the parade as it went under the tunnel towards New Street. I moved around the road between the Primark store and Moor Street station taking many more pictures. I caught up with the University of Birmingham participants. There were also many dancers, free chocolate from the Cadburys float and people who were just happy to be photographed. The Drag Queens were very interactive with the crowd and very entertaining.
The University of Birmingham.The Guild of Students of the University of Birmingham.The NHS and pride.IKEA were there.The sign says it all.It was a hot day, I am just saying this as you look at this colourful dress.Just look at me.Pride people with Selfridges in the background.
By now I was getting tired and I was needed back home. All the pictures that I had taken had to be processed and as I found out later, I had taken quite a lot. The time had been well spent. Sorry about the large number of photographs and you will be saturated with colour but that was the story of the Birmingham Pride Parade.
Reflections – the colourful parade is a great celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in the City of Birmingham. I was so pleased to experience the atmosphere and see all the people who took part. A big thank you for those who let me take their photographs for this blog.
The Pride flag in the Underpass leading to New Street.Being interviewed.Everyone wanted to be photographed.Everyone was getting into the spirit.Proud.
More details of Birmingham Pride Festival can be found here.
As the weather improves and spring is well established, there are lots more opportunities to photograph gardens. One of the best gardens to visit in Birmingham is Winterbourne House. This Edwardian house and garden have a captivating charm. The House was originally owned by the Nettlefold family and has a long history. The House and Gardens are owned by the University of Birmingham. The house has been restored to what it would have been like at the time of the Nettlefold family. The gardens that surround the house are an example of Edwardian living and several acres are planned out to take advantage of the lay of the land. There are several areas including the walled garden, a lime walk, a rhododendron walk and a glass house area. At the furthest end of the garden is the Japanese bridge and sandstone rock garden. All through the gardens is the influence of the Edwardian approach to design and then there are quirky structures created by the University of Birmingham during its ownership.
The Gardens
The classic view of the Edwardian house from the Nut walk.The Japanese garden bridge in Black and White.A place to rest and admire the garden.The bluebell walk adjacent to Winterbourne.
Glass Houses and Alpine Garden
Flowers in the glasshouse. (Trailing ice plant)Golden Barrel cactus.Thread agaveCacti symmetry (Old Lady Cactus)Cacti Shapes (Euphorbia)Spiny pincushion Cactus.Old Man Cactus
Winterbourne House
The house has been restored and the rooms reflect how an Edwardian family will have lived their lives in the building. There was ample opportunity to view the bedrooms and admire the collections of belongings including children’s toys.
View from a window.Edwardian ToysThe maids roomA mirrored viewThe main room in the house.Top of the stairs
More views around the Gardens
ColoursColoursColoursRhododendronsColours in the water of the sandstone rock pools.Detail in the greenhousePathway to the garden.
There were around 20 IgersbirminghamUK photographers and we all enjoyed taking the photographs and also meeting each other to have a chat and catch up on the world of photography. Many of us met at the terrace for a cup of tea and a chat before moving on to the rest of the weekend. These are a selection of my pictures and I would encourage you to view other photographers pictures which are posted on Instagram.
Follow the tags #igersbirminghamUk, #igbUk_meet_winterbourne and #winterbourneHG.
I have two other posts on Winterbourne one written before the Pandemic and the other when the house reopened after the Lockdowns. They give more insights into this wonderful place in Edgbaston.
You may have heard the news that there was a Coronation taking place in May. An event that has never happened for 70 years. The excitement was everywhere and it was not difficult to get caught up in what was happening over the weekend. My village Knowle is very active and keen to promote community based events. The place is very friendly and since moving here from the North West nearly 40 years ago, there has always been a community get together around major events. For the Coronation weekend the plan was to close the High Street for a day and let the community reclaim the streets. This event took place last year with the Queen’s platinum Jubilee and plans to repeat this successful venture were made for the King’s Coronation.
Crowds on the High Street.Market Stalls.Take a look at this flavour.The Mayor of Solihull learning that King Charles may have arrived.Judy the village crier.
Visit Knowle were the champions of this Royal Coronation High Street celebration. As I walked the dog around early on the Bank Holiday Monday, the High Street was already closed and the contractors were putting up the stands and the stage. The weather forecast was not great and there were a few drops or rain around. I returned to the High Street at 11.30am to find it crowded and the party in full swing. The stalls were doing great business and many of the shops were open as well. The Mayor of Solihull was present plus a guest cardboard cutout of Charles III. The stage was in regular occupancy with all acts getting in a rendition of God Save the King somewhere in their routine. The idea of throwing a football into a toilet bowl attracted a lot of attention plus there were many other things to do. I did not get chance to go up the Knowle Church Tower or visit the inside display. There was just too much going on. Many people posted photographs and searching through the local social media sites confirms the success of the Celebrations and shows events that I missed.
Are you ready for “God save the King”?The stage is the big draw for the crowds.The Church grounds are being put to good use.We have toilets and we have balls. What games shall we play?My aim is true.Let’s do some stargazing.Which way?Stamps in a shop window.Time for a cuppa.This cup of tea is most welcome.If there are no cars, then let’s sail a boat down the High Street.Someone in the picture is not happy!Knitted Camilla to knitted Charles, “How many times have we been photographed today”
I spent a good hour and a bit wandering around, meeting people I knew and enjoying taking photographs of the fesitvities. Oh and did I mention the weather? Well there was no rain when I visited and it held off for most of the day. How would we cope if there had been sunshine?
A painted flag.
Epilogue – I won a basketball shirt in the basketball raffle winning a black top and red vest. A good result of the day. Pictures to follow.
You may like to see how the High Street looked last year during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
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.
My challenge for this week’s 52 weeks project was black and white photography. As I was in Birmingham for my research work, I took the opportunity to wander the streets of the city looking for pictures of buildings. Armed with my trusty Fujifilm x100v, I stepped off the bus at the O2 arena stop. On the opposite side of the road, there are new high raised buildings going up. All are aimed at the residential market. These skyscrapers are going up all over and the city looks unfinished or going places depending on which way you think.
28 floors with 154 residential apartments being built on Essex street.
My next stop was the square area of buildings that house the Holiday Inn, 3 Arena central and the Alpha Tower. Many shapes, angles and lines as the tall buildings are all clustered together. The Library of Birmingham and the Town Hall were also the subjects of my study on black and white architecture. Finally the rain, which had been falling heavily all day, got the better of me and soaked through, I headed towards Snow Hill Station for my train home. I still managed to get a few pictures of the Snow Hill skyscrapers.
The edge of the Alpha Tower.Clustering of building lines.HSBC between the buildings No touchingLooking down Beak St to the Raddison BluThe Radisson Blu in Black and White!Surreal reflections of the Library of Birmingham.Tram stop in front of the Town Hall.Tram passing by the Snow Hill Buildings.Three SnowHill
My processing was a mixture of simple black and white or enhanced work with Silver Efex. The results were interesting and I was surprised that I captured so many buildings in different ways. I reflected all this was done without the need to photograph those iconic Birmingham buildings of the BT Tower, the Rotunda or the Cube. I will probably give the ones that I missed the black and white treatment another time. Meanwhile enjoy the ones that I have in this blog.
A conversation outside Birmingham Town hall.
If you enjoyed this blog then how about a splash of colour with your architecture.
Using a ring flash in dentistry was second nature. Having learnt how to photograph the teeth and other structures around the mouth, macro was second nature. There were two good mentors to my macro photography. A medical photographer at Wordsley hospital. I can not remember her name and Wordsley hospital is no more. However she instilled a discipline and love of macro photography. Then there was Mike Sharland at Birmingham Dental School. He set up your camera and showed you how to gently rock back and forth using manual focus. The settings were Manual Flash half a second, aperture f/22, shutter speed 1/200s and an ISO 100. These are your go to settings and then you can experiment from here.
Close up of a wild Daffodil.Wild DaffodilsHellebores.
Gardens are just great places for macro weather you want to photograph flowers or insects such as bees and butterflies. I dusted off my macro lens with ring flash and wandered around the garden. For this series of photographs, I find the way that the subject is illuminated and the background is dark attractive. There is little in the way of distracting background around. Hope you enjoy these photographs of flowers. By the way, if you are like me and do not know the name of the flowers then there is a very good app, PictureThis, that takes a picture and hey presto the name of the flower is revealed.
Daffodils and HyacinthsCommon Hyacinth.Grape hyacinth.Forget me not (Siberian bugloss)
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