I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas! Mine was very quiet and stress free, just the way I wanted it to be. I’m feeling well rested and ready for 2009.
I’ve just realised this is only my third blog post for December! One of my new years resolutions will be to update this blog at least once a week.
This month I had the opportunity to visit TWM (Travel West Midlands) bus depot in Acocks Green, Birmingham. So I hope you understand why I delayed the outing I am taking votes for on this post. (I am still taking votes there, and will be heading out in the new year, so if you have any preferences, please feel free to leave a comment).
Thank you to National Express for granting permission to visit and take pictures of the garage, and thank you to TWM Bus Driver for putting me in touch with the right people at the company.
The bus garage was almost in full swing when I arrived at 4am. The office was manned, the mechanics were fixing buses and the drivers were starting to arrive. I was given a hi-vis jacket to wear and off I set. I had made a visit to the garage a few days before and was given a tour. I wanted to check out the layout, buildings and lighting so I could gather a few ideas before my visit.
The lighting was a challenge. There were so many sources of light; fluorescent strips, white bulbs, orange bulbs, the lights from the buses and their headlights, and I was aware of the hi-vis jackets that could easily soak up the light.
I couldn’t take pictures of everybody I wanted to. Some were camera shy, and some were in a rush to get their bus out exactly on time, so I couldn’t delay them, however I found a few willing participants.
Thank you to everyone who participated.
I’ve had an experiment in mixing media; photos, music and video. The results are at after the pictures. I am quite pleased with the results, and it’s something I am going to play around with more often. In fact, I think I prefer to look at the photos with a soundtrack, it adds some extra atmosphere. Of course, the selected soundtracks may not be to everyones liking, it is just my interpretation. What do you think? Does it work? I was hoping to take a video of the actual picture taking, but found it unmanageable trying to concentrate on taking pictures (the priority) AND taking a video. Maybe by the time my next outing comes about I will have figured it out (and grown an extra set of arms!).
Here are videos from my previous B4AM outings.
In case I don’t post before 2009, I’d like to wish you a very Happy New Year.
Well, I’ve kinda been waiting for your suggestions for my next B4AM venture. That, plus, well, time just has a habit of flying away.
Also, a new opportunity has appeared for the project since my last post which, if it works out, may mean I will be delaying my planned 4am visit, that I mentioned in this post, until January. So, I’m still taking votes. At the moment it looks like the Jewellery Quarter is were I will be heading. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment.
What’s this new opportunity, you ask?! Well, I would like to surprise you. All being well, it will happen next week. As my plans are to go out once a month, that will be my December outing.
Some people I have spoken to about my project have raised a few concerns. It seems that some folks don’t want to vote or make suggestions about where I should go out on this project because if something happened to me in an area that they suggested they would feel somewhat responsible.
It was only when speaking to people about this that I realised that it was a concern. I really hadn’t thought about the responsibility that could potentially lie in making a suggestion. Thank you to those that have expressed their concerns. I completely understand. I can only say that it is my choice to go out in the wee small hours. If I wasn’t asking for votes/comments, I would be deciding on an area myself and still going out anyway. As I have mentioned before, I would like this project to be a collaboration, and for that to happen, I need your votes and comments. I take full responsibility for whatever the outcome – good or bad.
I just want to reassure you that I do take some safety precautions when I go out. I let someone know when I am going out, where I am going, and arrange a time to call them. They are under instructions that if they don’t hear from me then they can alert the police. I also don’t advertise anywhere when I will be going out, so no ne’re-do-well’s on the internet can be at the same place at the same time. I also carry an alarm and a knuckle duster (ok, I’m kidding about the knuckle duster).
I hope I have gone some way in allaying your concerns. I am very excited about this project.There is something special about the hour of 4am, and it seems I am not the only one who thinks so. Thank you to Ben for telling me about this video. It’s a great watch! If the video doesn’t play, just follow this link.
It will soon be time for my third B4AM (Birmingham at 4am) outing, and once again it’s over to you!
This time I would like you to leave a comment suggesting an area for me to go to. Remember, I’ve already been to Birmingham Markets and Digbeth.
If you could suggest areas that are roughly within the vicinity of the map, that would be great. I still want to stick with the city centre.
Click to enlarge
I am hoping this method of voting will work out. My only concern is that I get 10 suggestions for ten different areas. If that happens, my back up plan will to be draw an area out of a hat! (I’ll take a video should that happen)
I haven’t decided when I shall be going out to take the photos, but it will probably be in the next week or two.
This project is in your hands. Please put your suggested area of the city centre in a comment. The more suggestions the better!
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