Life-long photographer Peter Leadbetter ‘got on his bike’ to earn himself a place in the 2022 Westside BID calendar.
The retired psychologist and management consultant went on an early morning bike ride from his home in Moseley that took him through Gas Street Basin.
And with his digital camera safely at home, Peter used his phone to take this snap which so impressed the competition judges it was chosen for the month of February.
Peter, aged 69, who receives £75 worth of vouchers to spend in selected venues on Westside, said: “The chosen shot was taken with my i-Phone on an earlyish morning ride through Gas Street Basin. I stopped to take a whole raft of different shots in an area that seems to be subtly different every time I visit.
“I was genuinely delighted to be told that my picture had been chosen, it seemed that others saw something in what I was trying to capture. Seeing my shot in the fine calendar made me feel quietly proud, especially given the range and quality of other photographs.”
Peter, who is married with two children, said he first became interested in photography in his teens, which then developed during university.
He added: “I think it was flipping through photography books of black and white photos. I then got my first camera on my 21st birthday and that was the starting point.”
Liverpool-born Peter, who moved to Birmingham more than 40 years ago, took various degrees at Bangor University and the universities of Lancaster and Birmingham, and created a photo “memory” of each.
“Photography has been my creative hobby all the way through. It’s the fun of it,” he said.
“I gain pleasure from trying to capture images that seem interesting, beautiful, or unusual. I am more of a landscape, buildings or ‘great outdoors’ photographer but I am increasingly drawn to street shots, night work and portraits.
“The advent of digital photography allowed me to experiment with different styles and techniques. When I got access to photo-editing software it meant the photo you took didn’t have to be the final image.”
Peter, who retired shortly before the coronavirus lockdown, added: “Being able to go out and take photos has been a godsend in lockdown.
“I bike a lot around Birmingham’s canals when I use my I-phone to capture some stunning sights.”
You can see more of Peter’s work on Twitter by visiting @peterleadbetter.
That is an absolutely brilliant shot Peter, so sharp and atmospheric! To take that with a phone too. Very clever.