January 3rd – I had to ip out to Screwfix at sunset, so again hopped on the canal. Nothing as interesting as the Goosanders, sadly, and having forgotten the camera, I chanced my arm with the phone at what was a pretty nice sunset.
Cameras on phones are getting better and better, despite the obvious limitations. I’m quite pleased with this.
December 21st – And so, on the way back to Brownhills, a familiar subject that was today in darkness due to the lack of moonlight. The canal was millpond still and there was little wind – a situation that looks about to change, with incoming intemperate weather threatening.
I can remember really, really cold Christmases – with snow on the ground, if not truly white – but we haven’t had one for a few years now.
I suppose s decent covering of snow this winter is too much to ask?
December 2nd – I finally got the effect I was after at Clayhanger bridge. Hard, sharp, and a night shot with plenty of contrast and not too orange. I haven’t post-processed this image in any way.
Now, let’s see if I can do the same for Church Hill in Wednesbury…
November 7th – I’m still not happy with the low light performance of the TZ-80. In lichfield I’d been using the Nikon, which seems to love the night, but this particular incarnation of the Panasonic compact seems very middling.
When you can get it right, as above, it’s not too bad, but the reflection of the street light is better than the light itself.
On the TZ70 if I munged with the aperture, I could get the hard sharpness I liked, but not on this one.
Something is obstructing me, but what? This was the best of 20 odd shots, most unusable mush. I suppose if it comes down to it, I could always read the manual…
I’ll crack it.
November 3rd – I hadn’t been up on the old Clayhanger railway bridge for a wile, and thought I’d try some long exposure shots. Sadly, the traffic wasn’t heavy enough to make it work well, but I had fun playing around.
I must get around to trying this somewhere busy, like the footbridge over Great Charles Street in Birmingham, or maybe Junction 9 of the M6 if I can find a good vantage point.
November 3rd – Oh well, I guess it’s time to rediscover night photography again.
I came back to Brownhills, and realised I’d forgotten to make a call in Clayhanger, so looped around. The classic view of Silver Street and the canal is always nice at night, but I’m not sure the TZ-80 is as good in low light as the TZ-70 was, or maybe I have to tweak a few settings. I like night urban shots to be hard and crisp mostly, but I can’t quite get what I’m after with this camera yet.
It’s a shame, really; when I played with the Nikon 9900 it was a great camera for most stuff, but the lack of manual focus made it difficult for night use.
My ideal camera would have Panasonic build quality, a Sony interface and Nikon optics. I guess it’ll never happen, though…
October 24th – Something out of the ordinary picked up by the ride cam as I hopped on the canal at Moxley on my way to Great Bridge on an errand at midday.
Riding the canals, you get used to seeing rats occasionally, but this small one was absolutely frantic to get somewhere safe, and repeatedly tried to jump over the wall, but each time failed.
I understand people not liking them, but they really are fascinating creatures.
October 22nd – Seeing my old friend, who’s still ill but better than the time I saw him in the spring, we talked about time, and waiting and how illness makes waiting a very variable thing.
During the conversation I reflected on that being the reason why I doggedly note and watch the yearly changes, and any season’s passage welcome or unwelcome, is time gained, even if ultimately lost.
Time’s arrow is sometimes your greatest friend, and sometimes your worst enemy. But time is everything, and one thing my friend taught me today was that time with those we like and love is valuable, whether a gained or lost.
As autumn closes in, both I and my friend look forward to a warm spring with the sun on our faces and open countryside, fine walks, a good pint in a decent pub, and the joy of time to pass.
Get well soon old friend. This journey, though mine alone, is still for you.
October 19th – Darlaston is at it’s best in autumn, and with the leaves turning, this is a great time to visit this humming little town and take in it’s unexpectedly great architecture and scenery.
Some of the best of Darlaston can be seen in it’s two parks – Victoria and King’s Hill, from which the glorious twin sisters of Wednesbury can be appreciated in all their glory.
It would be hard not to love this place.
October 13th – On the canal bank just above the new pond in Clayhanger, two large, flat stone blocks lay in the grass, as if they’ve just landed randomly. I bet few folk ever notice these, or wonder what they are, but they are the last physical evidence of the industrial past of this peaceful place.
The path that runs from here to the west of Clayhanger follows the line of an old mineral railway, serving Walsall Wood Colliery which used to be just the other side of the canal. The line crossed the cut here via an over bridge, all trace of which has gone.
Except for these capstones, which stood at either end of the bridge parapets.
A third is in the new pond, placed there as a stepping stone when the pool was created following the removal of the spoil heap that stood here for a few decades after the colliery closed. Like some post-industrial Brigaddon, it emerges in dry summers.
I’ve never found the missing fourth one, but I bet it’s around, somewhere.
They are all that remains, and how many ever realise the history they belie?
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