Camera or iPhone? It's all just Apples and Oranges...
You've probably noticed by now that I'm a fairly active member of Birmingham's photographic community. However, this isn't so that I can turn up and talk about myself! I genuinely use every meet up as an excuse to try something new and see if I can actually learn something. So when the wonderfully talented Kris Askey announced that he was partnering with Apple to do a photo-walk around Birmingham, I was definitely in!
The focus of the day was to capture 'Ordinary Life' in Birmingham and with Kris leading the way, that is exactly what we tried to do. After meeting at Apple's very impressive store on New Street, Kris shared some fantastic tips and advice before hitting the streets. Being an Apple event, the focus was on shooting with iPhones and being a 6s owner, I had no excuse not to!
The weather had brightened up outside and we made our way along Corporation Street, trying to capture the ordinary. Shooting with a phone instantly set me a few challenges, not least of all was trying to look discreet! Holding a phone at head height and virtually chasing old ladies down the street was never a good approach, so I tried a little sneaky shooting instead.
The next biggest challenge was 'seeing' a shot. I love 'people watching' and this is effectively what we were doing. Kris had shared some great tips on composition and framing techniques and as we all got warmed up, it was clear that he knew what he was talking about as shots slowly started to appear. It's amazing how these little scenes play out each day and we barely even notice, learning how to 'see' them and even anticipate them is definitely a skill!
I found myself missing my zoom lens and as Kris rightly taught us to 'zoom with our feet' - I found that I needed to be more confident in actually getting close enough to people to frame a shot the way that I wanted. Going out of your comfort zone like this is a real challenge but this is where the real 'learning' happens. We made our way around Victoria Square, down to New Street Station and back to the Apple store.
The group then had some time to edit the photos and once again, Kris and the guys from Apple were on hand to share tips and techniques. The group (around 15 of us) took turns to share our images on the big screen and discuss why we shot what we shot. The shots were incredible and also incredibly diverse, yet each one perfectly capturing one of Birmingham's little moments, never to be captured again.
Looking back at the images, I was really impressed with the results achieved by the iPhone. I normally carry a little 'compact camera' on a day-to-day basis but looking at the results achieved by everyone, this almost becomes pointless as the phones can definitely hold their own. Looking at little closer at the final images (100% crop!) I don't think I'll be throwing my DSLR out of the window just yet, but for capturing a quick image, I will definitely be reaching for my phone more often! After all, the best camera is the one you have with you at the time!
You can find out how Kris shot the day HERE and be sure to follow him on his social channels to see more of his brilliant Street and Portrait work and in particular, his upcoming exhibition which will be a must-see!
Sunrise? I think I mist it...
Someone once said something quite profound about 'best-laid plans' and after planning an early morning sunrise shoot for the weekend, it suddenly rang true. The Friday had been one of those beautiful Winter's days where it was sunny, yet with a definite chill in the air to keep you on your toes! After checking my weather apps, Saturday look good around sunrise and when a couple friends asked if I would be up for an early morning shoot, the answer was a resounding 'Yes'.
Sunrise above Birmingham New Street Station from Grand Central
We planned on meeting on top of the Grand Central car park to get a shot looking back across New Street Stations spectacular roof, beyond the Rotunda and out towards where the sun would rise from. We agreed to meet at 7.30am and I got there for about 7.25, a good 40 minutes before sunrise. I started grabbing some images to capture the warm oranges and purples in the morning sky but couldn't help notice the big band of cloud across the horizon- a photographer's nightmare!
By 7.35am when Fraser, Jon and Martin met me on the top floor, the sky had lost all of it's colour and had been covered by a thick blanket of low cloud - it had literally changed that quickly! What had been intended as a nice glorious sunrise had now become a dull, grey washout. However, determined not to waste our early start, we planned on walking along the canals to Gas Street Basin in the hope of capturing some atmospheric images.
One of the biggest challenges with photography is the weather, learning to adapt to different situations is essential and we could easily have called it all off and gone for a fry-up, which was a mighty tempting idea indeed. When we reached Gas Street Basin, it was well worth our perseverance. The mist added a new layer of interest, by obscuring many of the buildings in the distance and adding emphasis to the things in the foreground.
Another added bonus to shooting at that time of day is how quiet it is, with the occasional jogger or dog-walking breaking the silence as they come by. The absence of people makes for a nice image but finding a solitary figure emerging from the mist makes for a very nice image indeed. We made our way around past the ICC, Barclay Card Arena and round to the Birmingham Canal Old Line. It always amazes me how a few minutes walking can seemingly transport you out of the City Centre and into a typical 'rural' image, if you look beyond the maisonettes and concrete walls that line the edges of the canal.
We made our way back through the ICC, passed the library and spent a few minutes capturing images by the 'Paradise' development. A solitary man in a hat made for a great street image as he crossed the path behind the Paradise development and must have felt like a celebrity as we all rushed to take his picture, shutters firing away. Breakfast was calling though so we decided to head back towards Grand Central and grab some food on the way.
Victoria emerging from the fog in Victoria Square, Birmingham
There was just time for one final shot and probably my favourite from the day as we passed Victoria Square and saw Victoria herself standing proud with the Council House shrouded in fog behind her. The image looks very nostalgic and if it were not for the crane in the background, it looks like it could have been taken a hundred years ago. As we devoured our breakfast we flicked through our cameras and were generally pretty pleased with the outcome. It just goes to show that a little perseverence can often pay off.
Birmingham's Growing Photography Community
One of the biggest challenges in photography is that it really helps if you are a 'people person'. Whether you are just shooting for fun or if you want to make a serious career from it, at some point you are going to need to interact with clients, contractors and the general public. This can be a real challenge and if you are a little shy, like me, it can be a real barrier!
Birmingham Skyline + Photographers = Instameet!
Photography is naturally a solitary pursuit and that suits the introvert down to the ground. However, if you want anyone to see your images and get feedback, you need to start interacting with people. Friends and family will always tell you that your pictures are the best thing since sliced bread. This is dangerous, I lived off these kind of compliments for way too long and only when I got some honest 'they're a bit rubbish' feedback, did I really get my act together and try to improve!
So what if there was some amazing way that like-minded people could get together and discuss images, share tips and generally chat about photography? Well they do exist, in fact, Birmingham is awash with them! We are fortunate to live in a city that has a strong creative sector which celebrates local talent and actively aims to assist those that want to learn. Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter are creative hot spots where you can't walk down the street without tripping over new trendy start-ups.
Instagram has changed the photographic landscape and done more than just make photography accessible to the masses, it has made it a genuinely 'cool' activity. More people than ever are understanding the subtle rules behind creating an image rather than merely 'taking a snap'! Even the major players on social media (Birmingham Updates, IChooseBirmingham, Independent Birmingham, Brumpic etc.) actively promote local talent and regularly share some amazing pictures of our city from the local photographic community.
All of this sounds great but there is one final bonus, the real 'cherry on top' which is that 99% of people I have met, are genuinely nice people. Many of these people, I now class as close friends and enjoy socialising with (even when we leave the cameras at home!). I was at an 'Instameet' organised by IgersBirmingham at the weekend and it was genuinely amazing to meet up with people that I haven't seen in a while and also get to know a few people who were attending for the first time.
We are very lucky to live in a city that celebrates creativity and the photography community is incredible. Everyday there are new names springing up and providing spectacular new ways of seeing our city and the suburbs. Whether you are just starting out with photography or an old-hand, I would strongly suggest getting involved in one (or more) of the local groups (Instagram is a good place to start) and sharing your experiences with like minded people. If you're really unlucky, you may even bump into me at one!
A Photographic trip to Edgbaston Reservoir
After randomly bumping into Fraser McGee of IgersBirmingham fame, we soon got talking about shooting at this time of year and in particular, how nice it is being out on a cool, crisp morning and the quality of light during the winter months. Before we knew it, plans were forming to head to Edgbaston Reservoir, a spot that we both wanted to shoot to make the most of the late winter sunrise.
Edgbaston Reservoir at Sunrise, Birmingham
Fraser, who had been planning to meet another local photography celebrity, Kris Askey, invited Kris along to join us. This was a great bonus as I personally had always been a fan of Kris’ work so it was great to have him along. 7.45am the next morning, we met and headed for the reservoir. The signs were promising even from the car journey over as the sky was lit with a warm glow from the slowly rising sun.
When we arrived, the ground was frozen solid and particularly slippery under foot. The car park was on the same side of the reservoir that the sun would rise so we needed to make our way around to the opposite side to get the magical 'sunrise and building reflections’ shots that you may have seen before. However, what struck us first was how little water there was in the actual reservoir. It looked about 20ft lower than average and I personally, have no idea why but it did come as a surprise.
After making our way out around the edge of the water, keeping a keen eye on the out trajectory and position of the sun, we started grabbing shots. One of the best tips that I can give you when shooting is always check behind you, as sometimes the best shot is not always in front of you. This was certainly true on this particular morning as I tried to avoid the ‘obvious’ reflections shots and look for something different.
Photography can be a fairly solitary affair and certainly when shooting street or urban landscapes, it is not uncommon to spend hours on your own walking the streets. It made a great change to have other photographers to share ideas with, point out different potential shots and generally just chat with.
Fraser, founder of IgersBirmingham will probably be well known to many of you, but Fraser is also a very talented photographer himself when he’s not busy running Birmingham’s leading Instagram community. Fraser set about composing vertical images to suit his Instagram feed and the results were obviously great. Anyone that has seen his latest images of his honeymoon in New Zealand will appreciate his love for landscape photography and his eye for a pleasing composition.
Kris on the other hand, is more renowned for his portraiture and street photography, so it was a pleasure to have a fresh set of eyes on a popular spot. Kris, when not filming Fraser and I for his ‘Stories’, set about challenging himself to a bit of ‘nature’ photography and instantly got into his rhythm and started firing out great shots. It was great to watch a photographer who is more at home in a different discipline adapt his style and see how he approached a new challenge. I think the results speak for themselves and prove how versatile he is.
We made our way around the reservoir, stopping to capture the long shadows cast by the trees on the edges of the reservoir and even making the time to grab the occasional cheeky shot of each other – it is funny watching the positions and poses that photographers get into when they are fully immersed in ‘getting the shot’.
As we came to the end of our walk, the absurdly low water levels made it possible to grab some shots that would never normally be possible. We made our way back to the car and packed away our gear. It was great to have a little company on what would otherwise be a focused yes solitary walk. It was great to share ideas on composition, editing styles and also talk about workflow and storage in general.
I would strongly suggest finding local companions that you feel comfortable going out and shooting with and like in Kris’ case, share the opportunity to go and try your hand at different genres of photography that you may normally overlook. One way to do this is to be part of an active community such as IgersBirmingham, who I am happy to call many of it’s members personal friends. It really goes to show that trying something new and the community within photography, in particular in Birmingham, really are the hidden benefits of our chosen pastime.
Frosty morning on the banks of Edgbaston Reservoir, Birmingham
You can find out more about Fraser & Kris at their respective websites.
IgersBirmingham - www.igersbirmingham.co.uk
Kris Askey - www.krisaskey.com
Goodbye 2016, Hello 2017
As the year slowly comes to an end, it is always natural to look back and see how your year has been and what you have achieved. My 2016 and has been busy and overall, very productive.
I am pleased to say that I have worked with a number of new clients and formed some great relationships along the way. My Automotive work has kept me busy but I have definitely noticed a shift towards my Birmingham/Landscape work as the year went on, something that I am sure will continue in 2017.
I have seen my work develop over the year, I hope for the better and have enjoyed new challenges with new clients that have taken me well and truly outside of my comfort zone. I have also had a bit of a surge in print sales, which is hugely satisfying as I don’t believe an image is ever truly complete until it is hanging on a wall – more of that in a future blog post though.
I also held an exhibition in Bullring and even though it came to a rather abrupt end, it was still a special moment to see my images in such a prominent place in the heart of the City. I have had my images turned into works of art and sold for many thousands of pounds and went on to (finally) produce my own calendar, thanks again to all that have purchased one!
2016 has really been the first year that I have started to feel that I am finding my way in what is a very challenging industry. None of which, would be possible without the support that I receive from friends, family and all of those that follow me on social media, in one form or another. To all of you, I am truly thankful.
I would also like to thank all of the clients that I have worked with (obviously) and all of the Birmingham related folk who have shown me a lot of support of the year including Birmingham Updates, IChoosebirmingham, Brumpic, Independent Birmingham, IgersBirmingham, Bullring, Vincent-Van-Doodle and countless others, thank you all.
Special thanks also goes out to the huge community of photographers in Birmingham that are an endless source of inspiration and motivation. Many of which I am proud to call my friends and to all of you, I wish you a successful 2017 (not too successful though, I’ve still got to eat!).
Finally, looking to 2017, I have some outrageously large plans including monthly workshops, a video series, regular newsletters, tutorials, more exhibitions, hopefully some new clients and obviously, the continuous stream of images of my beloved Birmingham. However, more about those in the new year. For now, thank you all for your help, support and motivation and I wish each and every one of you an amazing 2017!