The global media sensation the 4am Project was a perfect excuse for about 40 photographers to get access to our beautiful Central Library in the middle of the night. From the stacks in the basement to the very roof, we got to see the lot. Nilki Pugh’s photos, my photos. Am sure there will be more an better than mine at least appearing online, feel free to drop links to any you find in the comments:
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! If you were in Birmingham yesterday you couldn’t have missed the super snow flurry! Tweeters sprang into action using the hashtag #uksnow along with the first part of their post code and a rating of the snow out of 10. I gave Birmingham a 7/10 rating. Tweeting these 3 pieces of information contributes to a very clever UKSnow map which gives an up to date view of the UK snow flurries around the country. Snow makes everything more exciting! Will Birmingham see a white Christmas? One bookies has odds of 11/4. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed! Have a great weekend :)
It’s all happening at Digbeth Coach Station. This photograph, taken in March 08, shows the old station, part demolished and all boarded up. But, no longer! It’s going to look something like this: The brand spanking new station will be opening on 14th December, boasting a Starbucks, WH Smith and an Uppercrust bakery! I wonder if it will have wifi for the laptop traveller? There is also a some new public artwork on display which is made up of a massive red steel ring around the station with a sign welcoming people to Birmingham reading “A Hundred Thousand Welcomes” which is translated from an Irish setting in keeping with Digbeth being the Irish Quarter of Birmingham. Have a great weekend :)
Love at the Frankfurt market….. If you are looking for love in Birmingham, there are many ways for you to meet that special someone in time for Christmas at the Frankfurt market! At the bandstand: Once the band is playing a catchy tune, offer your hand to whoever has caught your eye and let your hair down! At the Gluhwein stall: Break the ice over a mug of hot wine. At the German sausage stand: Offer to share your sausage with a stranger. Have fun and good luck! ;)
The 4am Project would like to invite you to a very special 4am photography event in Birmingham. This event is going to be held at the Bodies Revealed Exhibition at the Custard Factory, and there are 100 FREE tickets for this event! Please visit EventBrite to register for your free ticket(s). “BODIES REVEALED the incredible exhibition about the amazing and complex machine we call the human body. Using real human specimens, painstakingly prepared and respectfully displayed, BODIES REVEALED lets visitors of all ages explore deep within the human body.” What is the 4am Project? The 4am Project, a worldwide community experience, aims to capture a time of day that many people rarely see. Brainchild of UK photographer Karen Strunks, and building on the ever growing phenomenon of social media, the 4am Project is an exercise in global solidarity to encourage the sharing of visual imagery that reflects the world we live in. Utilising Flickr, the web space for sharing images, photographers around the world will be leaving the cosy confines of their beds to create a shared online gallery that illustrates the strange and wonderful life that goes on while we sleep. How to take part: You can get...
As part of the Frankfurt Market in the city centre, Bob Wilson has brought along his traditional wooden carousel. Last year I tried to persuade several friends to have a turn on it with me, but for some reason, they were reluctant. Finally my good old mum agreed. It’s actually a bit of a bumpy ride, but we had fun waving at people as we whizzed by! It might help to have some Gluwein first ;)
Roll up! Roll up! Get your hot German sausages here! The Frankfurt Christmas Market has arrived in town! Not only can you snack on a tasty sausage, but there are other deliciously delectable treats to be had; German bread and cakes and sweets, more hot food in the form of pretzels, fried potatoes with garlic, schnitzels, all best accompanied by German beer and heart warming mulled wine. If you are looking for gifts, then you will be spoilt for choice for something a little bit different in the craft fair and if you are feeling a bit adventurous have a twhirl on the traditional wood carousel or slide down the helter skelter! And not forgetting, there are tons of great photo opportunities there and it’s especially beautiful in the evening with all the coloured lights…… Have a great weekend! See you next Friday :)
It was an absolute pleasure to have the chance to photos of UB40 at their Raise The Roof gig at The Rainbow in Digbeth this week. UB40 came back to their roots gave their support to The Rainbow because it is under threat as it has received a noise abatement order from local residents (or resident). Although the landlord Kent Davis has agreed to build a noise insulating roof, there was still more funding needed. UB40 stepped in, and the sales from the tickets and takings behind the bar will go towards the new roof. Digbeth is a vital part of Birmingham’s cultural scene and the music in and around the area plays an important role. I hope that The Rainbow has managed to raise all the funding needed. As the local saying goes “Keep Digbeth Vibrant!” There are some more photographs from the gig over on my blog. Have a great weekend! See you next Friday :)
Reaching out from beyond the grave…… Sorry, that’s a rubbish intro! But have you heard what has come to town?! It’s the controversial Bodies Revealed exhibition and it’s being held at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. From the website: Using real human specimens, painstakingly prepared and respectfully displayed The Bodies Revealed exhibition lets visitors of all ages explore deep within the human body in a way that informs but doesn’t overwhelm. It opens today and is running until January, maybe longer if the demand is there. I got a sneak preview of the exhibition at the press day on Wednesday, and it really is a unique way to view and learn more about the human body. I found it fascinating and a bit surreal. If you would like to see more photos, pop over to my blog. It’s was very interesting subject to photograph, if not a little unnerving when I found myself getting a little too close to one of the bodies…..! Have a fab Halloween weekend! See you next week :)
