The Saturday Review #Blackcountry
The sun came out a little bit on Tuesday, so we went out to take some photographs. This is Farley Park in Great Bridge. I’ll be using more pictures that I took on Tuesday for my weekly photography lesson on Wednesday. (more…)
The review: carousels
Christmas is over and although we didn’t have a White Christmas, Boxing Day gave us a little snow. The street light isn’t working in the street outside my house, so it was very dark when I took this photo. Aren’t digital cameras marvellous? (more…)
Boxing Day: more Frying Pan photos
I hope everyone is enjoying Christmas. It hasn’t been a white Christmas here, but it is getting colder; it was freezing outside when I woke this morning. Today’s photo was taken in 2011. I think we had snow quite early that year. (more…)
The Sunday Ramble: challenging
Christmas is nearly here and it looks like being ‘challenging’. Challenging is the word the politicians and other politically correct people say when they don’t have a bloody clue. There are people with greater life challenges. (more…)
Frying Pan Charity Bike Ride
I’ve been photographing events like the Party in the Park, Carnival and the Fun Day recently. People often tell me they didn’t know about the event and so didn’t go to it! So I’ll tell you about this charity bike ride at the Frying Pan in Darlaston in advance. It’s today, 9th August 2014 at the Frying Pan in Darlaston starting at 10am. (more…)
Darlaston Fun Day
I photographed Darlaston Fun Day in King’s Hill Park yesterday. I didn’t have to go far for this one, I could hear the PA system from my garden. It rained before I even set out and so I was expecting poor light and more rain. (more…)
The Review: Darlaston Culture
I had an interesting week. Royal Bank of Scotland reported that their profits had doubled in the first quarter which made me a little money and the government lots of money, as a major shareholder. I also reviewed a little art exhibition in Darlaston library. This photo doesn’t do the picture justice. (more…)
Photography: Black Country Events
I was asked to photograph a horse owners event here in the Black Country on Sunday. I need more practice with bad weather at events. I did the Christmas lights when it was freezing and I’ve done indoor and I’ve come to conclusion if the light is bad, get close up! (more…)
The Review: The Vine, Darlaston
I have been trying to photograph local events recently and publicise them, but I also wanted to publicise local businesses. The more people spend money in the local community, the more it will thrive. I passed by The Vine pub in Darlaston and decided to stop and photograph it on the way back. (more…)
Photography | More editing
I took this photo on Sunday. I don’t usually add a frame to my pictures, but I did quite a lot of editing on this on. I even put those corner decorations on it. I parked my car a little awkwardly to take this picture because I wanted to rest the camera on the car door.
Photography | Victorian buildings
There are still a lot of Victorian buildings in this area and they are worth photographing. I remember walking down this street many years ago on Christmas Eve. I could hear the Salvation Army band playing Christmas carols around the corner. It felt like I was travelling through time to the England of Charles Dickens. Darlaston is still quite Dickensian… (more…)
Darlaston | preserving images of industrial history
I have started photographing old buildings so we have some nostalgic reminders in years to come of our industrial past. I suppose even modern buildings will be interesting, they don’t last like they used to. I found this factory interesting and there are other buildings, like the fire station, that are interesting too. This was in Darlaston in the West Midlands, otherwise affectionately known as Darlo!
Photographing and preserving history
There can be many reasons for taking photographs. It can be to create art, for nostalgic reasons, to preserve history or just for the fun of it.
Art in Darlo and Walsall
Darlaston, otherwise known as Darlo, is part of Walsall; but doesn’t seem to always be remembered by the council when they are spending money. There is a ‘new’ art gallery in Walsall that aspires to hosting the Turner prize, but the work of local artists in Darlo went on display in the library. I went to review it and took a few pictures. These are the watercolours. I thought most of them were good.
Does Walsall need a summer exhibition?
The weather was stormy this week, but seems to be picking up for the weekend. For some people the economy seems to be picking up too.
Population, parking and Darlo
Bonjour! I’ve just found out, I have a couple of readers in France, so I thought I would say hello. For the benefit of my overseas readers, I’ll remind you all that I live in the heart of England. The Black Country is a just North of Birmingham and includes the City of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall and Sandwell. (more…)
Am I happy? Oh, yeah.
According to the ONS, we are now much happier, cheered up by the Olympics and the Jubilee last year. Married couples are happier than single people, apparently. I can imagine some graduate researcher knocking the door of an unmarried mother in the Black Country and asking if she’s happy, just after she’d applied the Anusol to her latest tattoo.
Walsall on the telly
Last Friday, I upset a reader with my post about the benefit system. That programme was on TV again last night. I thought it didn’t do justice to anyone involved. Most of them seemed to be playing to the camera. The media studies graduate was trying work as a carer. Why not pair him up with a television or radio presenter? That was what he has a degree in.
Wednesbury carnival photographs
I went to Wednesbury carnival on Saturday. I took quite a lot of photographs and met up with family members. I think local events are important for community spirit and they benefit the local economy. There were other events around the Black Country at other parks.
Shows and carnivals
Today’s title conflicts a little with today’s picture. That’s Brunswick Park in Wednesbury, setting for today’s carnival. Darlaston has a ‘Party in the Park’ in Victoria park and some things going on in King Street. Wolverhampton has their show on all weekend in West park. So there is lots to do today.
Its carnival time!
The carnival is on in the park on Saturday (13th July). It’s a beautiful park and we have beautiful weather this year too. Brunswick Park is a Victorian park and close to Junction 9 of the M6, not that we want outsiders coming. It’s unfortunate that the car park isn’t open or bigger for that matter.
Only in the Black Country
The Birmingham Black Country half marathon was run yeserday morning. They were running down the tow path of the canal. It was a time trial, it’s a bit difficult to run a marathon on a tow path; not too much room to spread out. Someone went in the canal last time trying to overtake! The run went through Sheepwash nature reserve past the balancing lake. At least it’s a bit scenic and a pub at the finish line… (more…)
Neodigital Art | Artistic editing
Darlaston is a local town with quite a few Victorian buildings, so we wandered around there a couple of years ago taking a few photos. These pictures can be edited and the ‘modern’ things taken out to give the picture a real Victorian look.
Neodigital Art | bleak winter
Yes, I have taken some new pictures this week. It was dark and depressing and I had to use a slow speed on my camera. I decided to explore a little, driving through narrow streets, I thought I might be able to photograph interesting buildings for a change. I ended up at this canal and so made the best of it.
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