Weeks 1 to 4 - Photography Project

My first idea for the photography project, "First and lasting impression of Birmingham", was either a photo of a Big Issue guy or that view you have in front of you while coming just out of the Paradise Forum towards Broad Street. The Big Issue guy idea was because, well, I wouldn't feel at home walking around the centre of Birmingham without them. Plus they have such interesting faces, I thought it would make a good photo. The second idea was because I think that that particular spot of the city shows exactly what B'ham is about: there's the Hall of Memory in its faux-ancient greek style, the mirror-ridden Hyatt, the Symphony Hall, bits of the future new library. It shows old and new styles, the way the city is growing, and with the open air photography exhibition it is currently showcasing it covers the art-driven side of this city. And of course there's always a Big Issue guy. When I went to take the shot though I couldn't seem to get all of that in one good photo. So I looked around a bit more. These were the three I ended up choosing from.

Being from Italy, Birmingham city centre still feels and looks like a very English town...I love this steep road with its 'traditional' (or at least what as a foreigner looks like traditional) colours, and the red phone boxes we expect to see at every corner. This is the photo I ended up choosing for my project, as a foreigners look on Birmingham.

This was actually taken last year during my foundation studies, just before a deadline. My room appeared to have exploded overnight, everything was all over my little student accommodation room in the rush to finish everything. So this felt like like the summary of a very big part of my perception and memory of Birmingham.

A different view of the Hall of Memory, beginning (or end) of Broad Street idea. I like the way it shows a feeling of growth, reaching out to the future with those cranes, with the sky as the limit. But I completely messed up the ISO on my camera that day so I ruined a perfectly good photo. And I preferred to show a different point of view on the city.