Tag: night photography

August 19th – Another late night return, this time after 11pm, and stopping in Walsall Wood to use the cashpoint I thought about how busy the little High Street was, despite the bad weather. Three pubs, a restaurant and takeaways were all clearly doing steady trade.

The night is always nice down here, and on a long, weary return, it was good to see.

I’ve worked 74 hours this week. I need a break.

August 18th – An exhausted return from work very, very late. Nearly finished now, but it’s been a hard week.

As always on a weary ride home, every light was red; but waiting at Rushall Square is never a chore at night – it’s beautiful. Something about the vehiole, sodiums and shop lights combines and is actually quite soothing.

It’s very rare I come home and fall into bed, but I did.

August 16th – No wildlife today, sadly; I had hoped to carry the seven days of wildlife challenge on further than the week, but I saw nothing of interest in that department today – at least, nothing that stayed around long enough to give good camera face. So I made do with the moon.

It was full and beautiful this evening, and what a night to look up at it and ponder the wonderful feat of travelling there, given the technology of the day.

The moon will never lose it’s romance.

March 29th – It never rains but it pours. After a period of quite grim ill health, things became a bit more complicated over Easter, and I’m beginning to wonder if life will ever return to normal. But of course, it will – it always does.

So it was into a wet, post-rain landscape that I slipped out into at dusk after a chaotic, frenetic day. Nothing was working, I was in some discomfort and I was exhausted. I was heading for Chasewater, and had looped up through Catshill Junction along saturated towpaths. In fading light, cold and with wet legs I decided to cut the expedition off at Chase Road and head back for Brownhills.

Some days you’re glad just to make it through in one piece.

March 27th – Despite the start of British summer time and the lighter nights, I still returned in darkness. Passing through Chasewater gave me chance for some classic local night shots – but best of all was the wee toad, sat on the canal towpath. I severed to avoid squishing it on  the way back. Thankfully, I missed…

Spring is definitely here. Is it safe to take the winter tyres off the bike yet?

March 22nd – A cockup. I took loads of photos today on the way to work, not realising I had the camera set in some horrid artistic mode and they all came out as blurry rubbish.

The only pictures that came out reasonably where these, where I’d picked a different mode – and being handheld, neither are very good, sadly.

I had to call in to Walsall Wood on the way home, and hopped on the canal at Hollanders Bridge. The night-cap from there was  gorgeous, as were the lights of Barrow Close. I just wish I’d captured them better.

Ah well, another day.

March 14th – A horrid return journey into an easterly wind was cold, protracted and unpleasant. I took a breather on Catshill Junction Bridge to catch my breath before heading into Brownhills. Only just dark, tonight it was shades of dark blue following a dull, overcast day.

I love this spot. It’s changed so much in the past 20 years or so.

March 2nd – Two very poor photos of Walsall Wood in a downpour. I was late back from work. It had rained most of the way home. It was cold, and the wind was brutal. I was dry under the waterproofs, though, and I just made a place I had to visit on the way back, so it wasn’t all bad.

Walsall Wood has a sort of soft, beautiful quality in the rain of a dark night. Villagey, yet urban. Energy and motion in the traffic, unstoppable, relentless, with somewhere to be, that isn’t here; yet it’s contrasted with the static streetlights, shop and pub glow and the son sheen of wet tarmac. 

I’d rather be at home. I’m still troubled by low energy, short breath and sinus hassle, but that’s improving; but the night was hostile and I’d rather be in the warm and dry.

So I ploughed home.

February 29th – On the return, I felt leaden. Clearly still not recovered, my stamina was non-existent and riding was hard, painful work. This cold has really got into my bones and joints and I ache.

Rounding the bend on the canal by Barrow Close in Walsall Wood I noted it was past 6pm and still not really dark, but the lights of the houses looked welcoming and warm in the half-light.

They made me want to be home and warm, and out of the cold and exertion – so I remounted and undertook the final slog home with grim, but renewed determination.

This cold can sod off.