night photography – Page 29 – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

#365daysofbiking Into the black:

October 13th – A dreadful, wet and dull day during which I got absolutely none of the things done I wanted to. High winds and rain meant I was hemmed in and my mood deteriorated.

Slipping out purely from necessity in the evening to get shopping and a takeaway, I forgot half of what I needed and the takeaway I’d planned as a pick me up wasn’t available.

A somnambulant Brownhills, even at the early hour of 7pm didn’t help.

This autumn is mad. One minute it’s sun and shirtsleeves, the next it’s like a typhoon.

This does nothing for my mood.

365daysofbiking I am traffic:

October 8th – A snatched photo on the way home in the dark. This is a normal commute at the normal kind of time and I’ll have to get used to this now. Rushall Square is always kind of beautiful at night. Even when traffic free, it appears busy with traffic signals, street and shop light mingling.

These commutes are the hardest of all, the first in unusual darkness. But their urban beauty is hard to ignore.

Ah well, down the hatch…

#365daysofbiking I trip through your wires:

September 29th – At Crestacre, on the top of Springhill overlooking Sandhills and Brownhills, the sky was a gorgeous combination of red, orange and blue, and set off the skyline of Brownhills beautifully, even if that did pretty much just consist of Humphries House.

I was intrigued by the medium voltage electric lines in the foreground, and the set of jumper insulators on the pole’s left. I’ve never noticed them before, and wonder why they’re there?

#365daysofbiking Pink light:

September 27th – Coming home in the almost dark again, the light over Clayhanger Bridge and the canal was very pink, and very beautiful.

It’s a constant source of amazement to me that the onset of the night can be so damned beautiful.

#365daysofbiking Soul or food?

September 4th – Calling in at the Co-op in the old Spring Cottage pub in Shelfield on a late commute home, deciding what takeaway to get. Chips, pizza, Indian or something for the soul?

I settled on a curry.

#365daysofbiking Hello darkness my old friend

August 26th – it was a dreadful, wet day and I still wasn’t well. I was busy at home with things that had needed doing for ages, and I slipped out after dark for a spin around a dripping, sodden town.

I hate this weekend, every year; it’s OK if the weather’s good and you can ride, but if it’s grey and horrible it’s so depressing. It always feels like the end of summer, even if it’s nowhere near.

Riding was actually good, and the somnambulant town was quiet in the gathering night. With the new houses, Church Road is probably the most atmospheric it’s been for years, and Coppice lane wears it’s loneliness like an old jacket.

Still can’t get a night photo of Morris I’m happy with, though…

August 25th – I loped back from Alvecote through Seckington, Clifton, Darlaston and Whittington. It was a lovely evening ride marred only by my stomach troubles.

At Haunton, the beautiful little Catholic church there remains a hidden gem, the rows of graves of nuns from the local convent still sobering and very sad. Here I noted cyclamen, another sign of Autumn, and darkness fell what seemed to be cruelly early bit with a gorgeous orange moon.

Autumn is tapping me on the shoulder now…

June 23rd – I have developed a strong liking for Canon cameras, through the trusty G7X which has been my weapon of choice since Christmas. The G1X is larger, more awkward to use but the things it’s capable of are clear, they question being can I gain the nous to exploit it?

Also on test I have a Sony RX100 mark VI – an altogether different proposition. I’ve always liked Sony’s user interface, but the boxy nature of this small camera feels awkward so far, but not had much chance to play yet. The images seem nice.

Cameras fascinate me, and as a means of showing folk just how beautiful our area is they cannot be beaten. Even at night, Brownhills can be stunning…

June 16th – Always nice to meet a hog going about it’s business and this lovely one was near the Fullelove Memorial Shelter at the foot of Brownhills Parade.

Healthy and very large, it was far too busy to pass the time of day and scuffled off into the night and away from my attention.

Uplifting.

June 16th – A lost day with bike repairs when everything went wrong. Slipping out on a test ride as darkness fell, I hit Silver Street and Catshill Junction, and realised I’d forgotten just how much the G7X camera loves the twilight.

A dreadful day, but a bit of a ride in the glorious even cool was just what I needed.