The last of the Holga's from Birmingham...

I can't believe that it has been over a month since we were there, it really was a great weekend. I can't wait for Supersonic next year now!

I don't know if you can tell in the middle row of photos but it had just started to rain as I was taking these - I was pretty insistant I wanted to take the photos anyway and dragged poor Boyfriend around with me (thank you boyfriend) but as the light was pretty dull the colours didn't turn out as great as the other photos. So I edited them in photoshop again - I love how they look in black and white though - who knew rain could look so good!

I also love the photo of the The Old Crown Inn which has been there since 1639, it was just as lovely inside too (fourth photo down...)

I am so excited about taking Helga to Norfolk this weekend to see the beach and my friends and family - I might have packed a roll of film for each day.... oops!

I love Helga the Holga...

and she loves me...

Can you see the clusters of hearts on the left hand side? I nearly died when I saw them...

I have no idea why or how but I love her surprises!

p.s. This is the roof of a warehouse that we saw some bands in at Supersonic - I didn't think it was as dark as it actually was...

Black and White Holga Love...

I'll admit, I wasn't very happy with some of the holga photos that I got back from Birmingham.

The weather wasn't great and the colours looked a little dull and lifeless. I toyed with the idea of playing with them in Photoshop {I heart photoshop} but it wasn't until I saw these that I decided to just do it!

The contrast of the tones look so much better in black and white complimenting the dull weather! I really should just buy some black and white film...

Little surprises...

Everytime I have got back a film from my Holga I have had little delightful surprises where photos have not turned out like I expected... I laughed when I got the packet back at the counter yesterday, as written on the front was:

The double exposures were meant to be there - but the 2 miss framed prints were not. Heres how they turned out...

The funny thing is if you take the one half of one and the other half of the other, it does make a complete photo - I love little holga surprises!!

More photos of Birmingham...

I really like Birmingham - it has a certain charm. There are lots of lovely areas, like the Bullring and around the museum but it was the more run down area of Digbeth that really captured me. We took a wrong turn on Saturday and found ourselves wandering away from the main road around the mostly run down and abandoned industrial buildings.

I watched a programme on TV about a photographer a few weeks ago* and this area reminded me of his work and his attitude. He said (this is from memory, sorry if it's not completely right)

"I was told once to take pictures of the beautiful things around me... and I said, there are no beautiful things around me... and the person responded, well take pictures of the ugly things then. So I did."

I love how taking a picture of something can turn something considered ugly into something really quite beautiful!

*UPDATE: The photographer was William Eggleston, I couldn't find exactly what he said - but I did find this quote - I think its something I might aim to do!

"'I only ever take one picture of one thing. Literally. Never two. So then that picture is taken and then the next one is waiting somewhere else."

Panorama photos...

I treated myself to a new phone a few weeks ago as my old one was literally falling apart and whilst playing around with the 5megapixel camera at the weekend, I was delighted to find the Panorama setting. I've never taken pictures like this before and it was very exciting! Here are a few photos from Birmingham!

I love finding new ways to take pictures and I love that you get a sense that you are looking around with this setting... I think I'm going to have to play with it some more!

p.s. Don't forget about the giveaway!