It's Christmas time...
And that means one thing, The Frankfurt German Market has hit Birmingham! The market divides people, a lot of people love it for it's fantastic range of food, drink and bric-a-brac, whilst others hate the crowds, the congestion and the general hassle of trying to get through the markets. Personally, I love the markets as it provides some fantastic photographic opportunities. Every year I rush to markets in the hope of grabbing an image that really stands out.
However, this is where the problem begins. As many of our Facebook feeds and Instagram accounts will testify, everybody gets the same shots! Everybody with a camera phone will get a shot of the Carousel, the market stools and of course, the big wheel! I think this is great as I love to see people taking photos but it does mean us 'photographers' have to try a bit harder! In general, we will try to make our images stand out by either adding Black & White, reflections or creating a long exposure to blur out things like the big wheel.
A great place to get some market shots from is the Library of Birmingham's 'Secret Garden' and if you time it for a sunset, then you can get some really great results. This year I want to challenge myself though and not just go for the more obvious shots so I will be trying to hunt down different angles, using different techniques and avoiding beer before shooting! Keep an eye on my Facebook page to see the results and most importantly of all, have fun at the markets!
Capturing 'The Shot' All you need is luck!
It's no secret that a lot of photography is, as Henri Cartier-Bresson famously said, is about 'the decisive moment'. That means that split second when everything just falls into place and the subject is in exactly the right spot - that is when you hit the shutter button. Now I'm sure the intellectuals will tell me I'm wrong but that's my impression and that's what works for me.
What probably isn't as well known to those out side of the 'professional' circles is that a lot of photography is just down to pure luck. Now don't get me wrong, I am not bad-mouthing professionals, you still need to be in the right place, at the right time and obviously, holding a camera ready to go! But there is an element outside of the control of the photographer.
I was very fortunate to have a little spare time to go to the Library of Birmingham and was pretty much alone when a guy with a carrier bag and camera, lazily strolled passed me and along the rain soaked 'Secret Garden' terrace. Without thinking, I lifted my new Fuji XPro1 to my face and fired off a few frames. I thought nothing more of it but when I got home and 'developed' the images in Lightroom, I was very pleased with the results. The image has a classic look and a lot of satisfying elements such as the leading lines and the separation between the guys foot and the ground showing motion. A very pleasing shot if I do say so myself.
The next day, Birmingham was covered by a miserable grey cloud that did nothing but rain relentlessly. However, as I passed by my bedroom window I noticed a sliver of sunlight on an adjacent building and took my chances, I ran out into the rain with the XPro1 in the hope of capturing a pleasing sunset.
I headed to the nearest 'high point' which happened to be the Library of Birmingham. I impatiently caught the lift up to the seventh floor 'Secret Garden' and once again walked out onto the rain soaked terrace expecting to be alone. However, once again I caught a guy nonchalantly strolling in the same spot. I once again fired away and caught a similarly pleasing image. So why am I telling you this? Simply to show that it is not always down to planning (though I am a big believer in 'fail to plan, plan to fail') but a large dose of 'luck' always helps!
Autumn hits St Paul's Square
Like a lot of people, I think Autumn is my favourite season. I love the colours, the leaves turning to golden oranges and browns, the low sun illuminating the early mornings and the cool crisp air. It really is a special time of year. It also helps if you're lucky enough to live by quite a few trees that shed there leaves and create a carpet of colour all around them.
St Paul's Square in Birmingham is one of those places and it is beautiful at this time of year. So when I woke up earlier this week and saw the sun was out, I decided to grab my camera, run out and try to capture some of it's beauty. Autumn is a photographers dream but it doesn't last long so get out there and get snapping!
