A Photography Workshop : Modern, Angles and Clouds

I love photography, its a passion I’ve always had, but blogging has meant I get more opportunities to explore it, and I’ve also now been able to invest in a DSLR, my Nikon D5100.  So though I get more opportunities now, I don’t really ever find the time to experiment. So when I was invited to the Goodman Photography workshop in Birmingham city centre, I was thrilled, as it would mean I could have a day learning and spending time with other people passionate about photography.  

Now the first thing our tutor (Simon) told us was the rudiments of going manual.  Not something I do very often I must confess.  Now I’ve since sat down and read up a little more on this, and some of the different options available on my camera, so I am beginning to understand it a little more.   My attempts were sporadically successful on the day, when I turned my camera fully manual.  Its something I definitely need to have more practise at.  I was really happy at some of the image results from the day though.

This was one of my first shots, when I was playing around with the settings in manual, I know its not as clear as I would usually get it, but I was pleased with the level of depth of field I managed to produce.

 

 

I became a little obsessed with recording clouds on modern buildings, the reflective surfaces, work so well with them.

 

Whilst I was playing around with my camera I managed to get this shot of the extremely cool modern building that is the Birmingham Library. I’m not one hundred percent sure how I managed to get that shot though!

 

The time seemed to go so quickly, I think it was because we were all concentrating so much.  At lunch we headed off to Jamie’s Italian for a meal.

If you go to Jamie’s, you just must, MUST have the Polenta Chips…or the funky chips for that matter!

 

This sculpture, was outside of one the entrances to the Bull Ring.

 

I’ve only visited Birmingham a couple of times, but if there is one piece of modern architecture you have to see there, its the Selfridge’s Building :

Blobitecture from blob architecture, blobism or blobismus are terms for a movement in architecture in which buildings have an organic,amoeba-shaped, building form.

 {Wikipedia}

 

Though my personal favourite view, was the one I took through wooden beams, I like the contrast of the organic materials, with the organic structure.

 

Another modern sculpture I took was this one, which if you look closely you can see the reflections of people, the pavement and advertising on.

 

Whilst I was learning about taking photographs in manual, I was also learning about angles and being more experimental.  Kneeling or lying down, using lamp-posts and bins to keep yourself steady whilst taking a shot, all useful snippets I took away.

 

More clouds on reflective surfaces, and angles.

It was all over far too soon.

Finally, as the course was my actually my wedding anniversary (Tall Dad is a saint, but thats why I love him) I bought a selection box of doughnuts for everyone to enjoy upon my return!

 

A big thanks to Simon of Iguana Photography,  and for organising the event  Joe Blogs Network! 

Just a final image, that Penny took of 3/4 of the photography loving Maid Marion’s. Thanks Penny!