Tag: night photography

#365daysofbiking Surrendering to the darkness

October 27th – Of course, at 2am the winter started for me: The clocks went back an hour for another winter, and soon, my commutes to and from work will be mostly in darkness.

I hate the awful ritual of condemning ourself to the negative and depressing early evening darkness, but as a nation we seem hidebound to it.

However, it hadn’t been a bad day and I headed out to see if the sunset would be as spectacular as the day before – it was, in it’s own way.

Autumn has come to The Parade which is now looking gorgeous, and Chasewater was serene and gorgeous as night fell indecently soon. My return along the canal with a good companion was more fun in the dark than I expected, and low light photography was experimented with.

Mostly, the darkness can be bearable if you stop fighting it.

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#365daysofbiking The hiss of wet tarmac

October 25th – I seemed to have been cycling on water all day – the rain barely abated until evening. Returning from an errand in Stonnall, I stopped at Shire Oak to record conditions.

It had been raining all day. Everything was sodden. The forecast for the weekend didn’t look much better. We seem to have had a wet autumn (I’m not sure if we actually have or not, to be fair).

After a few good, dry days it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a few more, would it?

Ah well, down the hatch. I wiped the rain off my face, got back on the bike and coasted back home into Brownhills, listing to the hiss of my wheels on the wet tarmac.

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#365daysofbiking The stars in autumn

October 24th – I recently tried CLayhanger Bridge photos with the latest iPhone, to see what one of my favourite low-light subjects was like using that method: I found it impressive, but harsh.

I later realised I’d not really had much of a go with my current camera, a Canon G5X Mark II.

Since I was returning after dark, I thought I’d give it a go, extra lighting courtesy of the bike front light.

You can’t beat a real camera.

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#365daysofbiking Explorations

October 3rd – I drove to work and rode home – sadly I chose a really, really unpleasant evening to do so. Again, drizzle and a punishing headwind – but at least the town looked beautiful in the glistening, dripping night.

I decided to quickly try the camera and the phone for a comparison.

Top, the iPhone 11 Pro Max in night mode, which since a beta firmware upgrade on Wednesday evening seems a whole bunch better. It’s not as hyperreal, but is still very strange, but beautiful I think.

My preference is still to the warmth of the Canon G5X, below, which is altogether mellower without losing detail.

Further explorations to come, I think.

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#365daysofbiking Suckback

September 30th – The first commute in darkness and bad weather of the autumn is always a shock, and this one was dreadful.

The Suck – the name for the gradually darkening, dangerous and unpleasant evening commutes up until Christmas – is a harrowing time.

A combination of bad weather, drivers unused to otherwise familiar journeys now in darkness and lack of patience make for a psychologically and physically difficult time to be on a bike.

It had taken a good ten minutes longer to grind home – and I was still a good way away. I was wet, cold and had a number of very close passes despite lights and hi-vis.

If I could just fast forward to Christmas when the light creeps back and people have settled down, that would be great cheers.

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#365daysofbiking City of ghosts

September 28th – The shopping and other errands in Lichfield took longer than anticipated and I ended up returning after dark, but it’s always nice to catch Lichfield in the dusk.

My friend was keen to practise their low light camera skills and it was truly a pleasure to try the old haunts and muses. I always love how the people in these images look almost insubstantial.

There’s a much better photo in the cathedral walk artwork but we didn’t stumble upon it – one for another night.

That old underpays – site of many an 1980s band publicity photo – is still captivating in it’s otherworldliness.

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#365daysofbiking Slightly unreal

September 23nd – Another late night at work and there was little for it but to grab a takeaway on the way home – and thin pickings on a Monday meant calling in at Walsall Wood.

The rain had been back and I managed to tuck the homeward commute in-between periods of rain.

I thought I’d give the phone a chance to display it’s prowess with it’s lauded night mode on St John’s Church, Walsall Wood.

Oh my goodness.

This is odd. I’m not sure if I like it. There’s a lot – and awful lot – of HDR there. It seems almost unnaturally sharp. But it’s visually stunning. I have no idea what to make of this at all.

Close up the quality is not great, I have to say. These images were ever destined for social media though, and I’m being way too critical.

But blimey, there’s a thing to experiment with…

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#365daysofbiking The boys with the black stuff

September 13th – A day working from home, and I didn’t get out until late, so I went to investigate the road resurfacing taking place overnight between Ogley Road and Anchor Bridge on the High Street.

These operations always make for great night photos and I find the combination of lights, busy, coordinated people, noise and huge machinery being carefully marshalled captivating.

I wasn’t disappointed. The elegance of that curve of road plantings into the tipper truck is superb, too. Felt sorry for those living nearby with the noise, though – especially the elderly folk in Knaves Court. But still, has to be done.

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#365daysofbiking Iron man

September 8th – Returning to Brownhills, I passed Morris, the Brownhills Miner, standing sentry as he has done for over a decade now.

I love Morris. I think most everyone does. It’s not the history for me so much as the technical achievement of his method of creation and the sheer skill in the metalwork.

A fine piece of art, and a tour de force of engineering for it’s creator, John McKenna.

And also, my beacon of home. This Iron Man is definitely a hometown hero.

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#365daysofbiking The night comes in

September 8th – Time at last for a ride out on a very pleasant, but distinctly autumnal Sunday afternoon. I headed for the Chase and Brocton Field, descending into Sherbrook Valley, then over to Milford for the restorative power of a Wimpy burger and chips.

On a whim, instead of heading back to Rugeley, I chose to return across the Chase up Abraham’s Valley and over the old ranges, and back through Hednesford in the gathering night.

The forest was as splendid as it always is is, and far less lonely than one would expect, with the sounds of deer, owls and other creatures scuttling around, it’s really quite busy.

A lovely ride reminding me that the nights really are closing in fast now.

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