A Black Country Event

My print for an art competition is printed on canvas at 300 dpi and measures 20 inches by 16 inches. For that print, I went for high quality. For a Black Country event my priority is getting the shots and although the quality is important, there are many factors I can’t control and so image quality isn’t the top priority. I photographed the Black Country Horse Drive at the weekend and that was quite challenging but it was also enjoyable. Over 300 horses and their owners came to create a memorable event and raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

Black Country traffic

We are quite used to congestion on our roads here in the Black Country and so this traffic jam didn’t really surprise motorists. I spoke to a few of them and they were enjoying the spectacle! People came out of their homes to see the parade as it passed and felt quite proud that this was a Black Country event. There was no official involvement which to some extent explains the chaos. If there had been official involvement there would have still been chaos but it would have been official expensive chaos! There were no accidents and everyone survived the day without injury or drama despite a lack of ‘elf and safety!

Generous people

These girls walked from Brook Street community centre to the Fiery Holes pub which is a few miles and collected for the charity. This isn’t an affluent area but they are generous people and a diverse but cohesive community. At the Brook Street community centre, they had attractions for the children and stalls to raise even more money for the hospital.

Animals and children

It is difficult getting to know the horse owners but I have found that they care about their animals and their children. They look after both to the best of their abilities and that is reflected in their choice of a charity for this event. Yes, they enjoy a good time and they enjoy their beer too!

Wide aperture

Wide aperture close up shots like this are the best at events and on Sunday I had good light and so on aperture priority, I got fast shutter speeds to freeze the action. A few people even posed for photos.

Organised chaos

It was a bit chaotic at the Fiery Holes but the traffic was directed at times. A shot like this is great because you’re in the thick of it and it really gives a flavour of an event. There will be another Black Country horse drive in July as a memorial to a respected local character they called ‘Kingy’. You can also come to local events in Brunswick Park in Wednesbury where you will see me trying to record the events in pictures. The first event in Brunswick Park is on Father’s Day when there will be a hog roast, music from the Scarbelly Blues band and lots more. If you’re into photography come along and say hello! There are lots more Black Country events so watch out for news on Facebook.