They are one of the many popular attractions to be enjoyed on Westside. And, as this winning photo shows, they also make for a stunning image of summer life.
The dazzling fountains in Centenary Square were in full flow on the hot summer’s day last August when photographer Ian Yates took this eye-catching image of children playing in the cooling water.
And Ian’s photo has earned him pride of place as the winning illustration for July in this year’s Westside BID calendar. This makes it back-to-back appearances for the former teacher and journalist as he also represented June with his canalside picture.
Ian, aged 69, from West Heath, Birmingham, said of the fountains image: “I was part of a photography ‘meet up’ group and met at Centenary Square to photograph whatever we found there before moving on to the canalside around Brindleyplace and the Sealife Centre.
“I was lucky with the weather, and the fact it was the summer holidays meant there were plenty of people and families around playing in the fountains. The silhouette effect was done deliberately by shooting into the sunlight.”
Ian, who captured the winning photo with his digital camera, took time out from his career as a primary school teacher to work on the former Daily News and Metro News titles in Birmingham as a page planner. He now works as a freelance photographer, with pictures published in the local press.
He used the £100 voucher he won for his June entry in the BID calendar to buy a new flash gun for his camera. However, he says he’s still thinking of what to spend his second voucher on.
