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."