Instameets are friendly photographic get togethers where you meet like-minded people for a social chat and take pictures. The meetings are also held at fascinating venues around the West Midlands. My usual patch is IgersbirminghamUK or the Westmidlandsphotocollective. Both hold meetings at venues which provide a multitude of photographic opportunities. Igers_staffordshire is a group that hold Instameets around the Lichfield area. The venue for this meeting was the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The Arboretum occupies a large swathe of land just North of Lichfield and is well signposted off the A38. However, it is a place that I always pass by and think to myself that is somewhere to visit in the future. When Igers_staffordshire advertised the event then I quickly signed up. The meeting started in the car park which is one of the strategic places in the Arboretum. Whilst entry to the site is free, car parking is strictly controlled and must be prebooked. The entrance and the welcome buildings guide you through to the main body of the Arboretum. I was greeted by the organisers and it is easy to work out who the photographers are as you will not miss the tripods, backpacks and cameras on display. Once through the entrance we made our way to the most commanding monument which is the Armed Forces Memorial. It is not difficult to miss as it sits as a raised structure with an attractive circle of trees. We posed on the steps for the picture of the group and then started exploring.
The inside of the Armed Forces Memorial
You find yourself pulled towards the Armed Forces Memorial, up the steps and into the inner parts. It borrows heavily in architectural design from the Greeks and Romans. It is impressive, and it was here that I met Kenneth who is a volunteer at the National Memorial Arboretum. We got talking about the Arboretum and Kenneth outlined some of the major features about the place. He showed me where a shaft of sunlight shines through the gaps in the southern walls onto the central bronze wreath on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month #Armistaceday. Kenneth does two days volunteering and is out in all weathers, greeting visitors. His welcoming smile and enthusiasm help visitors to get the most from their visit. Kenneth is one of many volunteers who I met during my time at the Arboretum. I explained to Kenneth about my ‘100strangers’ project and he agreed to being photographed. This picture shows him standing in the centre of the #ArmedForcesMemorial near the central wreath with the #cenotaph in the background.
Kenneth, Volunteer
Next, I set off to visit the rest of the Arboretum. There were several memorials that I passed along the way including those to the Iraq war and The Polish War memorial. I did like the Irish Infantry Grove. The paving stones are set out with a map of Ireland. From there, I wandered into the trees and was taken with the numerous discs with messages on them. There is so much to take in and this blog only touches the surface. I posted several sets of pictures on Instagram.
Looking through and remembering
The first is a set of lines and colours that made an impression on me. The #shotatdawn memorial by artist #AndyDeComyn was particularly moving. Consisting of stakes in the ground representing the young men shot by firing squad. There are several other memorials captured here.
Stakes and shadows
Shot at Dawn Memorial
rows of crosses
The Armed Forces Memorial
Royal Navy Memorial
Lines and Colours
My other reflection from my visit was the numerous Connections in the Arboretum and this is the link for this series of photographs including pictures with permission of soldiers remembering people behind the names. The sun and the rain connect with the memorials to enhance their stories.
Afternoon sun shines on the Royal Navy Memorial
Remembering and reflecting
Reading the names
Water droplets
A shaft of light
Connections
It was a moving day out and I covered a fair amount of the Arboretum. There is still much more to see. These are the best of the pictures although there were many more to discover. Several of the memorials have been cleverly designed to catch the natural elements such as the sun and rain providing reflections and opportunities for carefully taken pictures that bring out the best in their design.
Royal Air Force Memorial
On the Eleventh hour….
Blue is the colour of the Sea
The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Memorial
A shaft of light
More lines in the Memorials
Finally a big thank you to @igers_staffordshire for organising this instameet. I also met such great fellow photographers. Follow #igersstaffordshire_nma for all the pictures taken by the group on the day.
The University of Birmingham has a major economic impact on Birmingham and the West Midlands region. The University educates students, is a major employer, a research leader in all sectors and a gateway bringing in global connections that benefit the city. Even though the University has a beautiful campus at Edgbaston, a physical footprint in the city centre has long been on the University’s wish list. The old Municipal Savings Bank began to look an interesting project. Especially with the location of the bank on the new look Centennial square.
Produced by the University of Birmingham
The former Municipal Bank is a Grade II listed building and has historical links with the University. Joseph Chamberlain was founder and first Chancellor of the University of Birmingham. Neville Chamberlain, the son of Joseph Chamberlain was behind the building of the Municipal Bank on Broad Street. It was first opened by Prince George in 1933 and has a long history of underpinning the wealth of an ambitious city. However, the bank closed at the turn of the century and the last 20 years has seen the building empty with no tenants. It was famously portrayed as the AC-12 base in the BBC series ‘Line of Duty’. The iconic safe deposit boxes in the vault were used in a Chanel advert amongst the various roles that the bank filled in these barren years. In 2018, the University negotiated a long lease of the building with Birmingham City Council and the renovations began.
Safety deposit boxes
Hard hats on at the entrance
The extent of the work to be done
The Board Room
Iconic view of the vaults
The Exchange being renovated in 2019
I was fortunate in my University of Birmingham role to see these renovations firsthand in October 2019 before the pandemic. During my visit, I took a series of pictures on my iPhone. I had no idea which room I was photographing, although I remember the vaults where the safe deposit boxes reside. They are so interesting to see. Rows and rows of metal doors with numbers on them. One can only begin to imagine what was contained within them. The building was being gutted and there was so much to do from floor to ceiling in each room.
Banking floor
Fast forward to October 2021. Hasan Patel who is part of Communications Team at the University of Birmingham invited me to coffee at the Exchange after his Marathon Run. (Follow Hasan on Twitter to learn how to sponsor him on his running diary). We spent an enjoyable couple of hours putting the world to right. Hasan introduced me to the University team at the Exchange and we visited several rooms in the building.
Is there any money in those boxes?
Symbols of the old Bank
Open the boxes
Open the boxes
On the balcony
View of the Hyatt from the top of the Exchange
A hook to hang out the washing
University meets the Bank
In the Vault
Look at all those boxes
Nothing in there!
Not long after my visit with Hasan, IgersBirminghamUK announced an Instameet at the Exchange. Immediately I signed up and went along. This Instameet is a friendly collection of photographers. We were given access to all areas including the Board room and the former bank managers office which I did not get to see on my first visit. The other interesting feature is the balcony where the bank manager opened the doors and looked out onto the banking floor to check that the bank was running smoothly. During the Instameet, this was a favourite spot for all the photographers.
Window View
View of the Hyatt from the top of the Exchange
Window view
External views around the Exchange
Whilst we were in the vault, we were also given access to a utility room where many of the safety deposit boxes were stored. Now many of the boxes are placed strategically around the building and are a feature of those rooms which are used as teaching spaces and meeting areas. This basement room had many of the old boxes and proved to be a fantastic place to take photographs. There were still some stickers remaining and on one of the boxes the notice stated that this box could only be opened in the presence of a solicitor. Once again one could only imagine what was kept in these boxes over the years.
View from the Banking floor to the Library
View out onto the Library and Big Wheel
Such a great location
We finished the tour and adjourned to the Distillery Pub next to the Roundhouse. This is another interesting place to visit and includes a wall mural of a canal horse painted by one my favourite street artists, Annatomix. The Roundhouse was used to care for the canal horses that pulled the boats and has been renovated as a historical place of interest. There is even one of the horse stables on view.
Birmingham Canal Network outside the Roundhouse
Roundhouse archway
Roundhouse buildings
Annatomix wall mural of a canal horse
A view of the Roundhouse
This was a day taking pictures of historical buildings that have been brought up to date in a city that is rediscovering its roots and moving forward. Thank you to the team at IgersBirminghamUK for organising the tour and The University of Birmingham for opening the Exchange for this Instameet.
I have also included a blending of the old and new photographs in two of the rooms to show how the building has been modernised between my two visits.
Before and After – the main lecture room.
Before and after – the Board Room
Pictures taken with iPhone 11 and 13, camera Fujifilm x100v
The breakfast table conversation went like this, “Why are you going out to take picture of buildings?” “It is a photo meeting organised by the West Midlands Photo collective and Space.play“, I replied. “We will be taking pictures of concrete buildings on and around the Hagley road in Birmingham”. Stunned silence followed by “Well good Luck to that venture.”
Luckily I knew it was going to be great Sunday. The meeting point was in the centre of Five Ways roundabout. Already a large number of photographers were there and several familiar faces. The West Midlands Photocollective organisers, Jim and Sarah and Dave from Space.play got everyone together. They set about explaining the game we were taking part in. A game? LOL No one said anything about a game when I signed up. As it unfolded everyone realised, It was a well thought out idea for a photo walk. I was really looking forward to taking the pictures along the route. An added bonus was the networking with new people. Seeing people I had not seen for some time was also good as well. Time has certainly raced onwards since the year of the pandemic.
Explaining how the day will work.
The game instructions
How did the game work? We were asked to take pictures on our photographic walk. Each participant received a pack with 4 cards. One contained the details of the game and what we were expected to do. The other three cards were set out as playing cards. The name of the building and a map of how to get there from the last building was on each card. They went from Ace to 10 with the Jack, Queen and King. We had to work out with the help of other players how to find all the buildings and as a team work our way through the course. For example my cards were Ace of spades, 5 of spades and the 10 of clubs. These represented the following buildings, Tricorn House, Chamber of Commerce and the Central Travelodge. I needed to find the other 10 buildings. Immediately, a group of us came together and we had all the cards except a number 7. We surmised we would find that on the route, so off we went. Looking back I wish I had concentrated more and looked at what other people’s cards were. There was a good number of people, all in groups as we made our way to the first concrete building.
My three cards
1 – Tricorn House
This three pointed building is a very large concrete building with one side facing the Hagley Road. I had a card for this one and I used it with both the West Midlands bicycle hire rack and also with my lensball. It is a concrete delight but difficult to photograph as there is so much of it. I swapped my only good card the Ace of Spades for the 2 of Diamonds, Cobalt Square. Guess someone was going to get lucky with their Poker scoring game. I just wanted to see another card!
My first card and Tricorn HouseNot sure if this worked but there is concrete about!The front of the houseThis makes it look so important
2 – Cobalt Square
I did feel sorry for this building as it was not wearing well. The steps leading up the building were breaking down and it did not really have any unique features to make it memorable. The name is interesting but it did not lead to any any thing Cobalt related in the architectural design. Looking on social media, I saw that I missed the car park and that had an amazing ceiling. Must remember to look around more.
I swapped my Ace for 2 of Diamonds – probably not a good idea 🙂
Looked up at Concrete
Cobalt Square
Concrete problems
3 – 54 Hagley Road
Now I am guessing the next two buildings as I was just following the people on the route. 54, Hagley Road is big and looks a monster concrete building. The security guard was very confused about what was happening. As we were taking pictures, he came out to see what we were doing. I explained about the nature of the event and what we were aiming to achieve. Even with the explanation, he was none the wiser but just said OK. I gave this one a bit of the once over in black and white. It does have a bit of character about it.
Taken just before being questioned by securityFrontal Attack Camera Attack
4 – Lyndon House
You would be excused if you missed this building which is in the shadows of 54, Hagley Road. Sharp edges, tall, glass and rectangular in shape. Moving on swiftly…
Sharp and pointy
5 – Chamber of Commerce
Now this is a place I know and visit on a regular basis. I also had the card for it so it was great to be able to photograph this building. I do know from inside that it is a dated building so my photographs probably reflect this aspect. Someone had left a window open and it made a nice contrast to the regular arrangement of the design.
5 of Spades for the ChamberSomeone left a window openToo much glass is good for you
Following pictures of the Chamber of Commerce, the group I was with walked down Greenfield Crescent. This a street that I don’t normally walk or drive down. It looked neatly swept and could have been a film set it was so pretty in appearance. The owner of Lux Gallery which is newly opened, came out to met us and invited us into the gallery and his photographic study at No 13. Many of us went in and were impressed with what we saw. An unexpected bonus of the walk.
Walking down the Crescent
6 – 12 Calthorpe Road
This is the old HBSC banking offices. It is sadly neglected being made ready for redevelopment. I was fascinated about the Blue Plaque for Washington Irvine the American essayist who lived on the road between 1819 and 1824. It would be lovely to have a time machine and look backwards and forwards to what happens to all these areas over time. Sadly the machine is stuck on today and we just see decay of a brutalist concrete building.
The Blue Plaque remembersTimes are difficult
8 – Five Ways House
This building was out of sync and I blame myself for following everyone else! This is such a big concrete building and it is so long. This is the home of Department for Work and Pensions and I tried a panorama shot but failed attempting it. I just had to try and show the sheer enormity of the building with my regular picture. It is so faceless yet stands there, taking up a commanding position on Islington Row Middleway. The building wants to make an impression but one can debate what form this takes.
That is a long building wish I had brought my wide angled lens
7 – MAKE UK – the Manufacturers organisation
It was decision time and I split up from the group that I was with as I wanted to go back and check out this concrete building. I am glad that I did as I loved the place and would have been most upset if I had missed it. Just to the side of the entrance there is a wall of diamond holes that makes it very intriguing. So many photo opportunities as well. I got my lensball out here and had a field day. Enjoy the pictures.
Eye in the WallFace in the WallNature and Concrete
9 – Hampton Inn
I am really struggling now as I have become isolated on route but I had an idea from seeing other people’s cards where we should be going. The next few concrete buildings are hotels on Broad Street starting with the Hampton Inn which I hope is on the list. Just a functional hotel on Broad street. It looks after all the partygoers at the weekend and business people during the week. The building reflects this no nonsense approach.
Hampton concrete
Entrance to Hampton
10 – Central Travelodge
Next up is the Travelodge and I know this one is correct as I have the card. The Travelodge is starting to show its age and the facade is crumbling. I remember when it was built. there was excitement on Broad street about the hotels and nightlife. The Travelodge was part of the new beginning. Over the years there has been a shift in the Birmingham scene from Broad Street to the Eastside and Digbeth. The hotel reflects this shift. Maybe the tram will bring about a new lease of life to this side of town. We wait and see.
Travelodge – 10 of SpadesMoody Concrete
Jack – Jury’s Inn
Behind the Travelodge is the Jury’s Inn which must have asked for a double helping of Concrete when it was built as it has spilled over to the car park. There is such a repetitive feel to the outside structure which I hope my black and white picture captures. I have not stayed in any of these hotels but I have been into the foyer of Jury’s and even been to a Christmas party here. My memories were that it was comfortable and inviting. In contrast, the outside is not that inviting.
Concrete repetitionPlease be quiet for the concrete
Queen – Quayside Tower
Rosies nightclub and those pretend concrete designs. Not sure what they are tying to say but they are Ugly – hold on the pub/restaurant is called Cayote Ugly do they know something already. The concrete designs seem to be telling a story or are designed about something deep and meaningful. It would be interesting to know their history. Meanwhile here are a few pictures of them.
Concrete designsUgly – surely not
King – The Rep
I got this totally wrong and wished I had stayed with someone in the group to check what I was doing. After the Queen stop, I looked up and thought that the concrete King was the International Convention Centre – Wrong – very wrong it was the Rep. So I missed this photo opportunity but i did get a lot of good pictures of the ICC! I could look in my back catalogue and find a picture of the Rep! I am annoyed as I realise that this means I miss out on the Spaceplay prize.
No the King was not the ICC it was the Birmingham Rep. Its behind you!
BUT I just want to say to all those reading this that I had a fantastic time in spite of getting one totally wrong (there may even be others in the blog but not to worry). These photo-meetings are a great opportunity to improve your photography, meet new people and get involved in projects that you would never have thought about doing. So thank you to WestMidlandsPhotoCollective and Space.Play for your organisation. Everyone who goes on these walkabouts are friendly and helpful as well. Sorry I could not meet you all in the pub after the event but I was needed back home. I am so looking forward to the next meeting that gets organised.
Finally reflections on the day. Concrete is King ! (and so is Queen, Jack, 10 to Ace).
I am sure there are some word puns on Diamonds, Clubs, Spades and Hearts. Here goes! There is always money in concrete (Diamonds) and then a building gets built from the ground upwards (Spades). What was once loved (Hearts) falls out of favour with time and there are fights amongst developers (Clubs) to build bigger better concrete buildings to replace what has gone before.
Concrete is King!
***** All pictures taken either with my FijiFilm x100v or the iPhone13
Epilogue Here is a picture of the final Love of Concrete building taken after the event. This is now a complete set of playing cards for the Blog.
The Photography show turned out to be a great event. I was worried prior to the event as what it may be like especially as it had been put back after a few false starts due to Covid19. The show was held in Halls 1 and 2 at the NEC and when you walked in you noticed that the stalls were set more apart than normal providing a feeling of space. There were wide walkways and amble space to pass people.
Sunday was my first day and it appeared relatively quiet. This gave me the opportunity to linger at several stands and return to take several looks at the cameras on display. I had not booked into any talks, and those that I did attend for did not live up to their titles. The quality of the PowerPoints was surprisingly poor. One talk that I did enjoy on the Sunday was by Claire Luxton. Her artwork was spectacular with wonderful attention to detail. The way she produced the photographs involved a great deal of planning. She was also a very enthusiastic speaker, and I enjoyed her presentation style.
Models at the Fujifilm stand
On the stands, I handled several cameras, fell in love the Canon R5 but it is out of my price range and unlikely to be a camera that I would use that much to justify the price. I liked the new Z fc series from Nikon with its retro design but it would have to do well to be a better buy than my Fujifilm X100V. The Nikon is an attractive camera and as the person who was demonstrating the camera moved it around, the dials caught the light and it did look very attractive. There were also some very nice Fujifilm cameras that I was able to pick up and try out. The Cewe book stand display was lovely to browse through and I will use them for my 365 printed project.
Walls of Pictures
during the show I met up with Photography friends Martin Kelly and Ian Lewis. We found a quiet spot and did a recording of the Photo show. It was different undertaking a live recording and not having to do a zoom. After it was finished, I went and looked at the action area where there were displays of Bike jumping, juggling and breakdancing. Once again my FujiFilm camera did a great job. The evening finished with a few drinks in a local pub and then a get together meal at a local hotel.
Rankin with some of his admirers
The action arena at the show. Juggling.
Wedding Photography at the Nikon stand
Claire Luxton on the Canon Stand
Taking pictures at the Canon Stand
Bike Jumping
On Monday I was back at the show, this time to take part in a Digital Camera magazine walkabout. I had been long listed in a Garden flower competition on the Digital Camera Facebook page. Although I was not a winner, Niall Hampton the editor of the magazine inquired who was going to the Photography show. I mentioned that I would be there so he dropped me an email and I was selected for a walkabout around the NEC taking pictures for a feature in the magazine. I will cover this more in a future blog.
Walking around the National Exhibition Centre
Whilst I was waiting, I took the opportunity to walk around the lake and was taken in by the attractiveness of the place. It did surprise me that such natural beauty existed within the concrete jungle of the NEC. I also did a walkabout in the NEC itself covering the skywalk to the far reaches of the Exhibition Centre. I have some examples of the pictures that I took.
Lone figure
lookig up
Colours in the Airstream
Resorts world
Man out of Time
Resorts World on the Lake
Abstract on Airstream
Billboards and water
Metal Shapes
Resorts world and reflections
Yes this is the NEC
All Monday’s pictures were done with my Canon D5 with the 24-105 lens except one picture that was taken with my iPhone. This one picture made the picture of the day on BBC Midlands today. In summary the Photography show was worthwhile, I enjoyed the two days as each was different in what I saw and participated in. There were a few big names missing but the ones that were there such as Canon and Nikon more than made up for it.
From my social media feeds, you would think that the whole of Birmingham was at the Hi Vis Festival. The date was released with much anticipation and then the BBC Midlands today programme ratcheted up the excitement several notches more by featuring Panda of Graffiti artist talking about the festival. Big Artist names were released and social media was overflowing with comments about the weekend activities.
n_4_t_4 and his astral traveller. Loving the blue colours and the reflections
The festival was held over the Saturday and Sunday in September 2021. I could only make the Saturday which meant that I would be viewing much of the artwork in its early stages. Still that means another visit later in the month to see the finished artwork. Visiting Digbeth always provides photographic opportunities and the Hi Vis festival was no exception. On arrival my first stop was at Milk street where a few artists were working. Surprisingly one of the bouncers at the local club asked why I was taking pictures. I must have looked suspicious! I moved onto Floodgate street – so many artists out painting the walls. People walking around, hen parties, loud noisy cars cruising and street artists. Many of them were intent on what they were creating and were happy to have their photos taken. The street was full of cars but they made for great reflections.
Moving onto Gibb street over the gangway that spans the river Rea. More people plus music and generally great vibes. There was so much to describe and taking pictures with the camera was on overload. Skateboarders provided a gritty backdrop to the arches. Seeing the artists close up and watching them work allowed you to get a good perspective of their approach. Watching @cryola1 paint a vibrant portrait was a highlight.
Recognise the character
Colour riot
Painting the walls
Cryola1 and her dramatic mural
Artists with facecoverings
Looking down on you
Skateboarding under the arches
Some pictures from the Hi-Vis Festival
As you walk into Gibb street, you enter the heart of the Custard Factory and boundless energy is pumped around the cafes and shops. Weddings are taking place at the Old Library and people out enjoying the sunshine. I walked around the arches onto Heath Mill Lane and caught a picture of Panda on his scooter! Thanks to Panda and his team bringing together such variety of street art onto the streets. On Digbeth High Street, there were many more artists painting walls and billboards. Just great to see them in action. I moved back into Floodgate street and saw other well known local artists such as n4t4 and Snub 23 painting. I know I have not credited all of the street artists but I can add names if requested. There was a focus of activity down Little Ann street and there were several artists working including I.am.sprite with her mural of Tiny Roar.
I.am.sprite with Tiny Roar
Ladders and even mechanised platforms were being used to ensure that the painting quality was enhanced. I find it amazing that the street artists are able to keep the bigger picture in mind whilst painting the smaller details. The Pop Art nature of the pictures is a colour frenzy and stand out against the old factories that are a feature of the Digbeth architecture.
Dynamic spraying
A family get together
Snub 23 and his tall mural.
Silver skeleton
Panda on his scooter
Support the NHS
Tree art
Discussions on the Art
Car reflections
Attention to detail
More images from the FestivalHi Vis festival by plague
Overall the walkaround was very enjoyable, I met several friends, people were friendly and the atmosphere lifted the spirits. There will be a post script on the Hi Vis Festival and all the finished pieces of street art when I get the chance to get down there again. It you are interested in street art then there are a few other blog posts on the street art that I have done including Digbeth Street Art and Digbeth, Digbeth. There is also some pictures of the Bristol scene which I visited in 2020. As you can see, it is a fascinating subject.
Postscript – Digbeth High Street and Selfridges
As I moved back to the car, I thought to myself, “let’s spend 5 to 10 minutes looking around Digbeth High Street” which will include a few pictures of Selfridges in its high visibility cladding. The high street is making way for the tram so it is being dug up. The traffic was stationary and there were pink reflections in the car windows. I was unable to capture the scene well and made do with a couple of pictures of Selfridges.
This amazing exhibition of sculptures pays tribute to the sterling efforts of the NHS and key workers during the pandemic. The 51 sculptures, each with their own unique take on the days of the pandemic, is on tour around the country. The first stop was Chamberlain Square Birmingham. Several artists came together to illustrate each sculpture with a particular theme. The overall creative ambassador was Dame Zandra Rhodes and there were many different art organisations collaborating on this public art project. Much of the information is on the Gratitude web site.
The sculptures from the Gratitude public art.
We had tickets for the August Bank Holiday. Arriving in the square, the sculptures are placed towards the back. They are arranged in rows and have a mirrored backdrop. The challenge was to take photographs that no one else had taken. I had previously looked on social media and seen all the different variations. I enjoyed the story telling aspect on each Sculpture. I want to say statues but that would not do justice to the explosion of art that is on view. They are fun to wander around and see people’s reaction.
Faces of Lockdown or “The Boris Johnson Sculpture”
Claps for the NHS
Creative resilience
Examples of the different themes on the sculptures.
The Faces of Lockdown referred to as the Boris Johnson statue is an immediate favourite although there are many others included Hans inspired by the Clap for the NHS and my personal favourite Creative Resilience which features a dancer, and her stare is penetrating, grabbing your attention.So here is my photographic record of Gratitude and I have put a caption with each picture to provide a background to the experience of seeing the sculptures. All pictures were taken with my Fujifilm x100v
A hand sanitiser
Looking onto Birmingham
Being viewed
A sculpture against the backdrop of Chamberlain square
Many visitors spent time reading the stories at the base of the sculptures
Instameets are a great way of meeting fellow Igers photographers. In the virtual world it is difficult to discover the person behind the handle. There is nothing better than an Instameet to bring people together and share photographic stories. There have been few opportunities to venture out on photography meetings during the lockdown period. Now the restrictions are eased, it is possible to hold such popular get togethers again. Igersbirmingham has been running for many years and the latest team put together the successful IgersbirminghamUK group. The UK tag is so that we are not confused with our sister city in the USA 🙂
Participants in the #igersbirminghamUK #Instameet
@James_never_Jim briefing the participants
The meeting was held when the Moseley Farmer’s market opened up for the first time since the easing of Lockdown. The meeting also gave everyone the chance to visit the park and pool which opens up at the time of the market. The start and finish were at the Cuban Embassy pub on Wake Green Road. Two of the IgersbirminghamUK team, @nickywarwickshire and @james_never_Jim greeted us on the pavement outside the Embassy. James set out the plans for the morning and the team had prepared a pamphlet for the Moseley Instameet. There was a brief history of the market, Moseley Park and Pool together with a map. The all-important hashtags were printed out for sharing our pictures. After all the introductions and a catch up with old and new friends, it was time to explore the market.
Three yellow jackets
Pip’s Sauces
Making a choice with Fowler’s cheese store
Coffee is served
Some stores are more popular than others
Fully laden with the veg
Moseley village is said to be one of the most popular places to live in the country and it has lots of energy. The market was bustling, with people queuing up for bread, cakes and other many foodie goodies. In the triangle next to the junction of the crossing most of the stalls were food orientated. Taking place at the same time is the Moseley Arts Market which is on the opposite side lining up along the Alcester Road. There were several craft stalls, which included jewellery, paintings, photography, books etc. The coffee shops were doing well as people chatted and watched the world go by.
Browsing the Artwork in the Market
Even the alleyways are done up with flowers
The Moseley Interchange Statue
The Arts market is on the other side of the road with the entry to the park.
Then we walked into Moseley Park. Last week, I remarked that I had not been up the Malvern Hills and this week I find myself visiting a new area of Birmingham. Having driven along Salisbury Road to work, I have passed this place countless times before, so I was very surprised to find this hidden oasis. There are several outbuildings including tennis courts, artwork from Lucy McLauchlin and a 200-year-old Icehouse. It did rain but luckily there was some tree cover, and the passing shower did not spoil the walk around the pool. A very quiet and peaceful place to visit.
Moseley Park and PoolSheltering from the rainMoseley Pool
It was a good contrast for the photography meeting. On one hand there was the hustle and bustle of the Farmers market with the Art market providing an alternative experience on the High Street. Then there was the quiet period of reflection around the pool and the park. I did not have my telephoto lens with me as there was a heron who was looking for fish. There were several other good opportunities for wildlife photography.
Enjoying the peace and quiet
Two hours sped by, and it was time to say goodbye and head home. However the lure of the market pulled me back in and I came away with some nice writing books for the grandchildren, a range of Pip’s sauces for the Sandy to use at the next BBQ and two gingerbread men. My present was an evening editing and putting together the Instameet story. I have missed the IgersbirminghamUK meetings taking place in and around the City. Now the COVID19 restrictions are removed, I look forward to many more. A big thank you to the IgersbirminghamUK team for organising the meeting and good to see so many people taking part. Please follow the @IgersbirminghamUK team on Instagram and keep a look out not only for their Instameets but also the next Moseley Farmer’s and Art’s markets that take place.
Hashtags for the Instameet were #igbuk_meet_moseley and #igersBirminghamUK Please look them up on Instagram for some more amazing pictures.
Grafitti seen around Moseley
Colour work by Lucy McLauchlin
Photography approach
I took my Fujifilm x100v to the meeting and this allowed me to me ready for chatting with fellow photographers but also able to catch candid shots. Being with other photographers allows you to relax more as you take the photographs. Even then I was still a bit apprehensive with my shots! I also like to see what other people see and then photograph. Even on the reviewing of the pictures under #igbuk_meet_moseley meeting tag, I see some “knockout” photos and think if only I had taken that one! That is the fun of the Instameet, seeing how others take a picture. My editing was to go Black and White for the Farmer’s market and then colour for the Park and the Pool. I noticed that the logo for the Art’s market had blues and reds in the logo. It opened up the opportunity for some selective colouring included a bit of yellow. Did I have the right camera with me? Yes I did! Should I have brought other cameras with me? Yes I could have done but the truth is I am happy with the pictures that are published here.
Queensway is a busy arterial road in and out of Birmingham so there is always a high volume of traffic thundering along the tarmac. With my telephoto lens and 24 to 70 mm lens, I went about taking different pictures of an area that is already very familiar to me. New building projects are always happening in the city centre and the area between the Cathedral and the Canal was an old factory site. It has been repurposed into city dwelling flats that are being built close to the canal.
All change along the canal
Skyline Icons
The area is also a magnet for different kinds of people and as I was taking pictures, I was hassled for money, so I quickly moved on. It is something I am wary of when I am in the quieter parts of town. I know that I do have to be careful of my own safety. Still the lure of taking a few photographs around the buildings on either side of Queensway won through. I took pictures of St Chad’s Cathedral and also with my telephoto lens up past the Snow Hill buildings. After that I made my way into town for a lunch time meeting.
St Chad’s Queensway
Broken bike
Parking on the top floor of Selfridges Car Park opposite the store provided skyline pictures of both the City and Digbeth, and the skyline bridge linking the two is always fun for a picture or two. I love the new covering on the Selfridges which is being put in place whilst they replace the discs on the outside. The covering is designed by Osman Yousefzada,who is a multi-disciplinary artist working in association with the IKON gallery. the pink and black geometric shapes are in contrast with the grey architecture.
View of the City May 2021
View down to St Martins
Colour to the left of me, Discs to the right, here I am
Queue outside Zara
Walkway to Selfridges
View from Selfridges car park
It was a day of sunshine and showers and whilst I was outside there was a terrific downpour.
Selfridges reflections
This then led to the bonus of several puddles for a bit of reflective photography. The puddles around Selfridges are still there and lend themselves to some nice reflections of the building as it is being renovated
Birmingham Tram
Quick Crossing
Photographing the Electric Cinema
Birmingham Tram
On my way to New Street, there were other interesting images to capture including the queue outside Zara and the photographing of the Electric Cinema. I lingered around the reflective roof of the entrance to New Street Station. I also took a few pictures of the trams passing through which is something you have to do when in Birmingham.
There are many lovely Christmas trees around Birmingham this year. They are more prominent as they are not competing with other decorations or events where there are crowds of people such as the German Market. However, they do look lonely as the numbers of people in the City centre are down and the Christmas trees are left to look after themselves. I have taken pictures of those trees I have seen on my travels including the one in Knowle where I live. Merry Christmas Everyone and hope you have a lovely time over the next few days.
Christmas Tree – Victoria Square – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Paul’s Church – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Great Western Arcade – BirminghamChristmas Tree – The Bullring – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Phillip’s Square – BirminghamChristmas Tree – St Phillip’s Cathedral – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Mailbox – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Mailbox – BirminghamChristmas Tree – Knowle – Birmingham
The days before Christmas are a time of waiting and getting ready. It is a strange time this year and the weather is not helping the mood much either. Whilst the rain has left the ground waterlogged, it has led to some lovely puddles lying around. These provide excellent reflections when I am out and about with my camera. This series of photographs are from my visit to Umberslade Park. There is a dramatic tree lined drive that provides varied opportunities for pictures. It was very wet and there were some rather large puddles which led to some good reflections in the water.
Reflections in the waterBlack and white tree line
It is possible to get some nice symmetrical views with the trees lined up down into a hollow. There is a bridge where the Stratford upon Avon train line sits. It is possible with timing to frame the picture so that there are people standing underneath the bridge, whilst looking down into the hollow.
Umberslade Park – trees and railway bridgeLooking up at the tree line
My recent upgrade of the Dxo Nik processing software allows me to play with River Efex Pro. Therefore many of these photographs have been processed into black and white which fits the sombre weather of the day. The walk is nice and easy as you can park at the Tanworth in Arden village entrance and then walk down towards the bridge then onto the Children’s farm. After passing the farm, I walked straight up the hill to the fringes of the Umberslade Park.
Up the hill at Umberslade Park
This part I had not discovered before and there are two pillars which are possible remnants of gates. From here there are good views of the Warwickshire countryside from the elevated part of the park.
Views of the Warwickshire countryside
Walking back, I decided to vary the pictures by using my Lensball. It worked well in all the puddles and gave some interesting views. Hope you enjoy the pictures and I will return when the leaves are back on the trees. I suspect it will also be a good place to visit when there is fog and mist around.
Lensball reflections at UmbersladeUnder the bridge with a selfie in a Lensball.
