Octyober 31st – I tried to get a shot tonight of the spectacularly beautiful Four Oaks Church, which is stunningly lit at night, but my photos were horrid. The Four Oaks Pub itself, however, fared better. Night photography is a very black art and I still haven’t got to the bottom of it. Use of flat surfaces and self timer is a must, although a Gorillapod is handy. This shot was taken with the Gorillapod wrapped round the bike crossbar whilst leaning against a tree.
October 28th – In contrast, doubling back over Springhill and Shire Oak down into Walsall Wood, I stopped to admire the lights southwest towards Walsall. Somehow, I didn’t quite capture what I wanted here, but this view is iconic to me, and maybe a camera can’t do it justice. I’ve admired the lights stretching out before me here on many an occasion, and find it engaging and captivating, yet I think it’s a view not many ever notice.
October 24th -At the other end of the day, the evening was chilly and clear. It was dark by 6:10, and as I crossed the Anchor Bridge into Brownhills, I couldn’t resist this shot of the canal near Lindon Road. I love the contrast between the vehicle lights, water and trees. This is a classic Brownhills view, and one all Brownhillians will know and love.
October 21st – I love night photography, but I’m not terribly good at it. I love the way familiar places change totally at night. The senior citizen’s flats opposite Holland Park and the fuel tanks of the Tesco depot on the Pelsall Road don’t really register as aesthetically pleasing in daytime – interesting, but unremarkable. Shroud them in darkness and discharge light and they come alive. I think I’m starting to get the hang of this winter thing at last.
October 16th – I found myself cycling after dark tonight. This will happen almost daily as the nights draw in over the winter. Good lights – front and rear – are essential for being seen, and also to see by. I have a Hope Vision 4 on the front, and this is my field of view with it on medium output. It’s a good LED light which has seen a lot of use, and enables me to spot night time hazards before it’s too late. These vary from potholes to puddles and even animals like foxes, pheasants, rabbits and badgers. Riding at night is a visceral experience, but exhausting as the concentration required is huge.
October 6th – A late return from Telford gave me another chance to shoot Walsall in the dark. The weather had been awful, and Walsall was largely cold, wet and deserted. Spotting this view from the ramp on Walsall Station, I couldn’t resist it. Station Street is still a little bit of ‘old’ Walsall; despite the pedestrianisation and new buildings, I imagine this is a lot like Walsall before the town planners wrecked it.
August 6th – an afternoon visit to a good friend in Walsall turned into an early hours night ride home. It seems ages since I last did this. Flowing liquid through the streets at 1am was a delight and very, very exhilerating. Walsall Wood was eerily quiet, with only the waiting taxis showing any sign of life. I love this time of day. Must do it more often.
June 30th – Unusually in mid summer, a night ride. Returning from a drink in Rushall, I returned via Green Lane, Walsall Wood, to see if there were any owls, badgers, bats or deer about. Plenty of bats, but other fauna evaded me. The Black Cock bridge is a notorious feature of the area formerly known as Bullens Heath, being steep, rickety and narrow. It looks even more forbidding at night.
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 