BrownhillsBob

November 27th – The sunset was also good at the old railway bridge over the canal near the old cement works in Brownhills. This is an odd bridge, and now conveys national cycle route 5 from the canal below to the former level crossing at Engine Lane. It has odd, reduced level parapets and a very scant guard rail, but has been well-known to generations of Brownhills Kids. Here, looking west, it could have easily been a summer evening; not a soul about and just the sound of ducks and coots in the reeds. A peaceful spot.

November 27th – today, I have a cold and didn’t feel too much like exerting myself. I finally forced myself out as the daylight was dying, and after a surprisingly energetic thrash over the common, I headed north over Chasewater. The moon – not quite new, I think, but quite slender – and clear air made for a decent sunset. It’s been a long time since I went round Chasewater in the dark, and I forgot how exhilarating and beautiful it could be.

November 26th – Now, this has snagged my interest. Spinning out through Lichfield after lunch, I cycled down Wheel Lane. I’ve never noticed these two dramatic, intricate semis before; there has to be a story here. I don’t think they’re as old as one might think; those chimney pots and chimneys look inter-war to me, yet the apparent timber frame looks old. I just love them; the one on the right looks to have been repointed recently – that must have been an intricate job.

Anyone know anything about them?

November 26th – Passing through Lichfield for lunch, I spotted this unusual shot across the rooftops from the car park at the rear of Bakers Lane. Lichfield is such a photographed city that sometimes it can be hard to find an original angle. I like this one, because it shows how busy the roofline of the city is, and how, from many angles downtown, St. Mary’s dwarfs the cathedral. I would imagine that realisation has annoyed the odd lofty cleric from time to time…

November 26th – The unseasonably warm weather is providing some unexpected surprises, one of the most visible of which is the profusion of fungi still appearing on a daily basis. The fly agaric by the canal at Newtown, in Brownhills, are still in fine fettle and throwing up new caps daily, while the blumells near Shenstone Park look fresh and tasty. Alonside these are a whole host of others – polypores, brackets, puffballs, ceps and caps. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a good year for the mycology.

November 25th – Sadly, I took some photos this morning that weren’t good enough to use, so today, I just have these I took at Rushall Church on the way home from work. There’s been a church here since 1220; the current one – The Parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel – being built around 1856, with the elegant, thin spire added later in place of an older, square one that was thought to have been centuries old. It’s a gorgeous church, tucked away in the side streets off the Lichfield Road in an almost rural location; at night it’s beautifully lit and brilliantly atmospheric, with the busy, crowded churchyard adding to the atmosphere. At 6pm I was undisturbed and the church and surrounding streets eerily quiet. A hidden gem.

November 24th – Tonight, as I came from Walsall Station (always go home with the wind behind you if possible), I noticed the Christmas lights had been switched on. This is a long way from last year, when council leader Mike ‘Blofeld’ Bird was making a big show that there was no budget for Christmas, before u-turning and passing around the upturned flat cap of councillor Anthony Harris and begging enough from business to pay for a tree. It seems our leader has realised austerity is not a vote winner, as this year there’s a full timetable of events planned. The switch on this year seemed to involve a crowd of happy young kids singing round the tree, which does look rather decent in front of the Crossing at St. Pauls. So much better than the lamp-post based wigwam Amey took the piss out of the town with for a few years…

November 24th – Spotted this odd scooter today parked up in Telford near the office blocks by the railway station. I’ve not seen anything like it before, and don’t recognise the logo, but then, I’m not a motorcyclist. I have no idea why this scooter has been designed this way – cornering must be really odd. I studied it for quite some time, but am still none the wiser. Anyone have any ideas?

Hello, I’ve just come across your blog and I love your work. I’ve just started a night photography project at college and wondered if you had any tips or tricks I could use? Thanks x

Hell, I’m no photographer… just found out what to do through trial and error.

You need a stable surface or tripod – I use a gorilla pod, or any flat surface available. Use the camera on self-timer so that pressing the button won’t shake the camera. Shutter priority and open the exposure time right up. That’s all I do.

I take lots of pictures and experiment a lot too. I discard about 95% of what I take, and try different angles and settings, even different image aspect ratios.

Just keep playing, but be bold and don’t be impatient.

Best wishes

Bob

November 23rd – Conversely, at sunset I was in Telford with six minutes before my train came in. I spotted this sunset skyline and just had to crack out the camera and gorillapod. Telford – as many will be aware – is not a place I’m terribly fond of, but on occasions, it throws up surprising beauty. It was again warm and clear, and the urban lighting and harsh surfaces made for an oddly iridescent scene. Magical.