Dammo

@dammo.bsky.social

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Photography, music and living.

The Adam Plaza tunnel has been photographed so many times. Whenever I am in Canary Wharf then I have to see this art work by Camille Walala. On this visit, I was fortunate that this woman stood central in the tunnel, took a photograph and then started walking towards her friend.
Bubble bees on the lavender outside our house.
Just when you think you've taken every possible photograph of the Selfridges Birmingham building, another one comes along. The Beorma tower is nearing completion on the opposite side of the road from Selfridges. The skyscraper creates a new set of reflections in the glass around the Selfridges balcony entrance. The wide-angle lens of the iPhone 17, combined with the ability to place it close to the reflective surface, creates unique views of the sky, clouds, and the two buildings.
The colourful wildflower fields. Taken at the Confetti Fields, Wick near Pershore.
I always love taking pictures of these creatures. No wonder they are called Beautiful Demoiselle.
The wildflowers are running riot and some beautiful displays. This close up of a daisy wildflower display singles out on flower after the rain. Taken at Baddesley Clinton National Trust property.
Preston Bagot is an area of Warwickshire close to Henley-in-Ardent. Characterised by rolling hills and stunning countryside, the area is best accessed by bike. This upwards view of a barn was taken on the downward part of a grassy bike path. The minimalistic landscape takes on the appearance of a painting.
I cycled up to a viewpoint near to Birmingham Airport where you are able to look down the runway. I had my telephoto lens with me allowing me to get a close up of this beast of an A380 airplane taking off.
The leaves on the poppy in the garden looked very dramatic in the sun. The crumpled delicate leaves are a perfect surround for the dark central features of the flower.
This appears to be a rather grand ballroom with an elaborate ceiling with a garden growing on a wall. Take another look! We may be looking down from the top balcony of the Library of Birmingham. I will let you decide which one it is.
Darwin Forest on the Matlock Moors and is part of the Darwin Forest Holiday Park. I went with the family for a midweek break. There is very easy access to the forest which is managed in conjunction with ForestryUK. This picture was taken with my Fujifilm x100vi. Gentle evening light filtered through the trees, illuminating the mossy woodland floor. I spent hours walking through this beautiful and peaceful landscape during our holiday in this part of the world.
I saw this shop window from the number 139 bus on my way to Pall Mall. I went back to photogrpah the shop window with my iPhone. The passer-by's add to the surreal mood of the street photography.
I would love time to slow down during the spring months. Then we could take in all the changes that happen before the summer. This is Wychwood wood a small hidden woodland in Knowle, Solihull. Wychwood is a wet Alder woodland. The trees thrive in the wet damp conditions. Every spring the wild garlic springs to life and creates a beautiful white carpet around the trees.
Walking along the South Bank, I noticed people on the balcony of the Royal National Theatre. They created a striking counterpoint to the strong lines of the building’s Brutalist architecture. The black and white treatment adds drama to the sky, which appears lighter around the silhouettes of the figures.
St Paul's church in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter looking lovely in the spring sunshine. I am not such a fan of the large office block in the background. Such buildings are difficult to blend into a picture but the trees do a good job. There is a nice open feel to the square framed by the trees.
So uplifting to see the bluebells arriving and this is early. Such beautiful light shining on the blue carpet.
Walking along the canal towards Brindley Place, the towpath runs alongside a patterned brick wall. The low morning sun casts long shadows from the lamppost across its surface. I took this photograph from the opposite side of the canal, a location I often revisit to capture this interplay of light and shadow. A pedestrian entered the scene at just the right moment, adding a human element to the composition. The warm tones of the wall give the impression of reflecting the early sunlight.
The Craven Arms is situated on the corner of Blucher Street and Gough Street and has been renovated to show off much of its former splendour. The pub was opened by Holder's Ales. Holder's Brewery was based in Aston and was purchased by M&B in 1919. The signage above the Craven Arms on more recent photographs state that the pub was established in 1838. The pub is now owned by Black Country Ales who have maintained the look and feel of this old pub. We stopped for drink before seeing Sigrid in concert at the O2 Academy. Picture taken with my iPhone17 and used exposure compensation to adjust for the bright lights.
Tuesday night was full of driving horizontal rain. You would have second thoughts about being out and about. Feeling inspired after a talk at the University of Birmingham on Therapeutic Photography by Neil Gibson, I walked around the brightly lit campus. The lights in the buildings created super patterns and I spent a good hour taking pictures. I enjoyed this zig zag stairwell at the Teaching and Learning block. I found so much to photograph in the rain and you can read more on my blog. https://damienwalmsley.com/reflections-after-dark-birmingham-campus-rain/
The old canal lies quietly sleeping while nature changes around it. Afternoon sunlight creates delicate lines across the water. The canal is part of the Swift Valley Nature Reserve in Rugby. Overgrown vegetation around the canal has recently been cleared, revealing a fresh view of the old bridge spanning the water. Rugby has many disused canals in the area that have become havens for nature and wildlife. This photograph shows a disused arm of the Oxford Canal. Taken with an iPhone and captured in Apple RAW.
Selfridges, Birmingham, is a fascinating building to photograph. Over the years I have taken many pictures and seen other people's photographs. There is always one more photograph that has not been taken. My idea was to try ICM which is not an easy genre for me. I understand the technique but I find it difficult to see the finished result. The geometry of the discs on Selfridges lend themselves to ICM. The slight camera movement, which is upwards during a 1/10 second exposure, maintains the underlying geometry whilst creating new forms.
The Golden Lion in Birmingham has quite a story. Built in the early 1600s, it originally stood on Deritend High Street and has lived many different lives over the centuries. In 1911, it was moved to Cannon Hill Park, where it later served as a cricket pavilion and refreshment room. For more than 20 years, however, it has stood empty, until support from Historic England allowed Birmingham Conservation Trust and the City Council to begin restoration. I was very fortunate to be one of six people invited to take a hard-hat tour of the outside of the building. We viewed the Golden Lion from the scaffolding, and there were many highlights. For me, seeing a roof of timbers constructed in the 1600s and then transported several miles in 1910 was amazing. While the roof was in relatively good repair, the rest of the building requires much more attention.
Centenary Square has been cleared of the recent fairground installations that were put up over Christmas and the New Year. Now the reflecting pool can be seen; however, the City Council have not yet turned on the fountains. The recent rain has been nonstop, but it has allowed the water to fill the square. This iPhone picture, taken with the wide-angle setting, captures all the buildings. From left to right: the REP, the Library of Birmingham, the Octagon, Baskerville House, the soon-to-be-demolished Copthorne Hotel, and the new office buildings in Paradise Circus. I will have to come back next year, as more skyscrapers are planned for the space between the Octagon and Paradise Circus.
One of the many tunnels in Rugby town that are under the west coast mainline. The rare appearance of the sun meant that I was able to photograph my shadow.
Taken with my iPhone this small pond may be found at Baddesley Clinton which is owned by the National Trust. The house may be seen in the lower left corner. The trees point upwards and add to the symmetry. I turned the picture around by 180 degrees to get the effect I wanted.
An oil and water photograph. Such macrophotography sessions create different colourful landscapes.
St Michael’s Church is adjacent to Baddesley Clinton (NT). The church provides an excellent backdrop to the spring flowers. The first snowdrops have appeared, and a low-lying mist covered the surrounding countryside. Taking the photograph was a challenge, as the camera was positioned on a low tripod beneath a fence. I managed to find a small patch free of snowdrops where I could place the camera. Crouched uncomfortably under the fence, I then had to carefully align the shot.
View looking down Lionel Street towards the Library of Birmingham, with new apartment blocks on both sides shaping the cityscape. The BT Tower and the Octagon rise in the distance.
I took part in a photowalk around Birmingham late on Sunday afternoon. The sun was low in the sky creating lovely shadows. The light provided some fun opportunities for photographing the photographers.
Getting out and about over Christmas has been a challenge. When I did venture out, I found that many other people had the same idea. Luckily, we have Hay Wood nearby, where it’s easy to escape from the crowds. There is a wide avenue deep in the wood that is one of my go-to spots for photography. The occasional appearance of walkers provided an added bonus to the composition. The black-and-white processing highlights the winter woodland. Although the day was cold, it was a perfect day for a post-Christmas walk.
This is a picturesque street in Knowle Village, Solihull that leads from the car park to the high street. The lights provide the festive sparkle and all that is missing is a dusting of fresh snow.
The early morning light on the brickwork of the fire station highlights the building’s geometry. Triangles, circles, and lines combine to create an intriguing architectural composition.
I had family staying over so I was not able to escape from the house to capture the sunrise scene in the local park. However the iPhone is ideal for reflection pictures. By placing the lens close to the reflective surface, you can get a nice effect. This means turning the iPhone clockwise and placing horizontal to the reflective surface. Just have to be careful that the automatic focusing does not override your composition. This simple but effective technique will often give eye-catching results..
Walking through London at Christmas is always a mix of wonder and chaos. There are lights everywhere, crowds flowing in every direction, and little pockets of calm in between all the activity. I spent a couple of hours wandering the streets photographing the Christmas activity. By the time I reached Oxford Circus, I found myself standing on the central reservation, tourists all around, traffic passing just inches away. I took this shot with my Fujifilm x100VI. The internal camera stabilisation is impressively good, letting me capture the nighttime scene handheld. I do enjoy looking at this picture and seeing the nightlife activity that has been captured.
Back in July, I visited Spaghetti Junction with a group of Photographers. One of the highlights of any visit underneath the M6 is the artwork of Bill Drummond. Formerly of the KLF and a recognised artist, Bill has been regularly posting his art work at this spot. This week, I took a photographer with me who had not visited the area before. I was surprised to see that the wall of artwork was white. In this picture, I captured one of the few pedestrians that we encountered underneath Spaghetti Junction walking past the empty wall. Whilst I was disappointed not to have a picture of Bill Drummond's artwork, I am intrigued to see what appears here over the coming weeks.
A light tunnel at the Warwick Castle Light Trail. There were many spectacular displays of which this is just one example. Taking such pictures requires some thought which is difficult as you are being dragged around by the family who are excited by each new light display. A touch of lens flare and some editing to focus on the Christmas tree has been done. My picture aims to give the viewer the same immersive experience that you would encounter if you were standing in the light tunnel on a cold frosty night.
This photo was taken on the lower balcony at Selfridges, Birmingham. After rain, there are usually a couple of small puddles that create great reflection shots, but on Friday we had so much rain the entire balcony turned into a swimming pool. The upside was that I managed to capture a full reflection of St Martin’s Church in the Bullring. Placing the phone upside down and positioning the lens right at water level made it possible to get this shot. It’s the bright side of all the rain we had as our journey home was a nightmare, with rivers of water flowing across the main roads.
Rosebay Willowherb - the flower that keeps on giving. Seen at Packwood house NT where the day was dark and there was persistent rain. I captured these flowers against the sky using a pinhole effect in processing to give an atmospheric feel to the photograph.
It was a cold night but I still ventured out to one of my favourite places for a photograph. The sails are now on and restore the beauty of the structure. The night was clear and there was a half moon out. I was looking for Comet Lemmon with limited success. At the end of the session, I turned to the windmill and took a long exposure. With my torch, I light painted the structure. The resulting picture came out well and the moon looks like a large star lighting up the sails and the brickwork.
This part of Birmingham is to be regenerated but when is the question. Behind the steel fence on the left is Smithfield, once a large market, the area is waiting to be developed. To the right are mixed purpose buildings and the main road to the city through Digbeth. It is a traffic jam on a Saturday afternoon. In the distance is St Martin's church and the Rotunda. One advantage of all the construction is the presence of numerous puddles left after the rain. Taken with the iPhone17 Pro. The arrangement of the lenses allows a low view point that creates a picture of interest.
In the centre of Bournville Village Green sits the Rest House. The employees of Cadburys Brothers Ltd paid for the construction of the house on the occasion of the Silver Wedding Anniversary of George and Elizabeth Cadbury in 2014. The village green is a stone's throw from the grounds of the Cadbury chocolate factory. The house has been used for many functions over the years including the 125 years anniversary of the opening. The Autumnal scene reflects the colours not only being seen in countryside landscapes but throughout all the towns and cities of the UK. The hot dry summer has led to copious sugar building up in the leaves caused by the breakdown of chlorophyll. This picture captures the Rest House from the edge of the green. The building is smothered in the colours of Autumn.
The Library of Birmingham is one of my go-to places for photography, especially when I am looking for inspiration. The balcony terrace on the third floor provides amazing views out over Centenary Square with further panoramic outlooks across Birmingham. If you turn around, you can admire the building’s remarkable architecture. This upward view was taken just a few steps away from the intricate design that covers the building. I chose a symmetrical composition and was pleasantly surprised by how well I managed to capture the symmetry. A brief appearance of the sun added light that caught the edges of the geometric design. As the eye is drawn upwards, starbursts appear which is an illusion created by the light interacting with the architecture. The repeating pattern represents Birmingham’s industrial heritage. The black rings symbolise the steel industry, while the gold and silver rings represent the craftsmanship of the Jewellery Quarter. The library is a delight for photographers and, like the Selfridges building, heralds the new, forward-looking Birmingham. The aim of this photograph is to showcase the city as a place worth visiting and, for photographers, a place worth capturing.
Terry’s Pool, Earlswood The waters around Earlswood remain low after the summer drought, and it will take some time for the levels to recover. During my walk around Terry’s Pool, I came across a hollow where a tree reached out over the ground. This area would once have been part of the pool, and with winter rains, I hope the water will return. The overhanging branches create striking patterns across the hollow, forming what looked like natural “entrances” or “windows” into the scene. Rendered in black and white, the image carries a sense of mystery and quiet intrigue.
The month of September brings cold mornings and the first mists of Autumn. The clouds often catch the golden colours of the sunrise. Getting up early provides opportunities to capture the full range of morning colours. If you are lucky, the early dog walkers may appear and add life to your picture. Once the photograph is taken, you can pause to take in the view. The colours are fleeting, and the mist quickly disappears as soon as the sun breaks through. Fortunately, there have been several mornings this week when such conditions have appeared much to the delight of local photographers.
St Alban the Martyr Church is situated in Highgate, Birmingham. The church opened its doors as part of Birmingham Heritage Week. Its interior architecture is striking, with a high stone-vaulted ceiling designed by J. L. Pearson, a leading 19th-century Gothic architect who was also responsible for Truro Cathedral. Tall stone pillars rise to support the vault, creating a repeating symmetrical pattern. The vault is just one highlight in a church that holds many treasures.
Everyone loves a photograph of the Selfridges building with its famous discs. This, however, is a picture of Selfridges without the discs, yet anyone in Birmingham will still recognise the street. The glass façade at the lower entrance provides many reflective opportunities. Here, a pedestrian is mirrored in the glass, leaning into her own reflection, as the surrounding buildings do the same. The iconic yellow Selfridges sign anchors the overall scene.
Oil and water photography can be unpredictable, as the interaction between the two creates unique effects. Stirring the mixture produces a variety of abstract designs, while the background determines the colours that appear. For this picture, the background was the back cover of a favourite children’s book about the adventures of a multicoloured elephant.
View from the ninth floor of Three Chamberlain Place in Paradise Birmingham, showing terracotta-toned architecture with bold geometric designs reflecting sunlight. The polished office floor creates mirror-like reflections, with 103 Colmore Row visible in the distance against a partly cloudy sky.