Appendix 1

Surveys of people who’ve been on my walks.

Surveys

I did two big surveys during this project. The first was of attendees of my walks prior to summer 2013 to lay the foundations of the application. The second was of attendees of the November 2013 walks for evaluation purposes. For some reason I got no responses from those who attended the first walk.

Pre-Walk Survey

How, if at all, did the Photo Walks affect your photography?

It was great to share inspiration & be taken to areas I wouldn’t have felt comfortable exploring alone.

Showed me to look at the details rather than the whole.

The photowalks have re-ignited my love of photography and have encouraged me to get more out of my camera. I love the concept of pottering about, very slowly!, with a group of like-minded people, then sharing images over Flickr. It fascinates me to see other people’s images from the same place, taken at the same time and how they’re all so different. The Digbeth walks in particular have helped me to identify a genre of photography I really enjoy - broken things, dereliction and urban decay. I’ve been in photography clubs before and they can be a bit stuffy… this one isn’t. Finally, the photowalks have encouraged me to come into Brum by myself, with my camera and wander around for an hour or so, finding the less obvious things to take pictures of.

Gave me chance to take photos in places I wouldn’t normally go to on my own. Pete was on hand to give advice as necessary and it was also great to talk to fellow ‘photographers’. Pace of walk was good to enable us to look at the area in detail and take photos that interested us. It certainly helped me to play with camera modes etc and I got some interesting shots.

Inspired/taught me to think in terms of: - more creative options: eg, I’ve created narratives and themes that tell a story of a place on a photowalk. - taught me to slow down and think more about my shots and how they are composed. (There is an easy temptation in digital age to shoot first, and see what you have later.) - ideas on looking at things in a different way - there is an alertness and artistic temperament that photowalks trigger for me - they act as a catalyst to get in the right frame of mind for creativity and help gear up the brain in a different way. The resulting photos are very different (better?) from what a tourist would take. It is a deeper experience.

Walking with a group of other keen photographers means that you can stop, start, look, point the camera without feeling like a madman ( madwoman ). The new found freedom this gives you does you good! I found it quite a liberating experience and I am sure that after doing this a few times ( plus as you become more confident with your camera ) it will change how I can take photos in an urban environment. In general, a very positive thing to do.

I think that the walks have been one of my most useful experiences in trying to improve taking photos. They provide a motivation to try out different things both creatively and technically.

Made me consider using my camera in ways I hadn’t thought of before, or simply that I was doing some things plain wrong.

Yes, taught me to slow down and look more before shooting.

I probably lookup more now. Take in the surroundings - try to see what others miss.

I am a total beginner but was able to ask for advice so yes.

It has improved my photography by helping me to learn a little more about my camera and what modes are better suited to what type of shooting.

Encouraged me to look more closely at things I would previously have walked past

By watching what other people took photos of, it gave me an insight into what might be good subjects. It also made me more aware of potential photographic clichés.

It was a great opportunity to get feedback and views on my composition which I feel has improved following the session.

How, if at all, did they change the way you look at Birmingham?

Yes - there’s some fascinating architecture & history. So much more than the obvious places to explore!

Yes, never really been to Birmingham to take photos, only shop. There are a lot more interesting places to find than the shops.

I’ve got to know Digbeth as a result of the walks and I’m even considering it as a place to live! Otherwise, I’ve had chance to explore a city I have come to love (I’m not a native) and see it from different angles.

I am born and bred in Birmingham and have often driven in the area of Digbeth but have never seen it on foot. Great to see the architecture of buildings and canals. Pete was able to tell us a little of the history of the area.

• I see more options now. Everything tends to be seen at a middle distance when just walking through the city. But slowing down and taking time to either zoom in on a close-up subject or pulling back to see ‘god in the landscape’, as Photoschool explains it.
• I feel more able to explore areas in a safe way. Photowalks in a group really open up the city and areas that I’d never go to alone, eg, canals, Spaghetti Junction, Digbeth’s back streets.

Just doing photography changes the way that you look at many things. How you appreciate just about everything - in the visual sense. An abandoned building can turn into a photographic opportunity instead of being a lump of bricks and concrete that you have ignored for years on end. Unappreciated and derelict areas of a city turn out to be historically important and hence more interesting. Realising that desolation can be beautiful and even inspiring. Knowing more about a place makes you feel more at home plus… you can impress your mates when out for a pint with all the new found information.

I lived in Birmingham all my life and the walks have taken me to places that I had never been!

I don’t think it’s changed the way I look at Brum so much - as I’m already a ‘fan’ as it were - but I’ve discovered some great parts of it that I didn’t know existed.

Yes, to look above the shop fronts and beyond the hoardings and to find the image in the ordinary

Like most people in Birmingham, we just pass through Digbeth - maybe occasionally stopping for the a pub. But walking around the backstreets showed another world. In some respects a sad world of dereliction and decay, still time moves on and whilst it’s sad to see waste land/empty buildings etc it’s nice to be able take pictures of them. Sadly I look around Birmingham wishing I had a bug for photography in the 80’s 90’s

Yes Digbeth is really cool and we went to spots that you would normally just overlook or not even go to.

I don’t live in Birmingham so it enabled me to look at new interesting places and learn about the history.

I learned a few interesting things about digbeth that i didnt know before. I was definitely worth it.

Made me look for little details

Spaghetti Junction is a beautiful place and Salford circus, which we went to at the end of the walk, is truly amazing. I’d never have thought to go there.

I have mostly passed through Digbeth without paying much attention however during the walk I found the history fascinating. The deliberately slow pace allowed me to take the time to focus on the amazing amount of details that I would otherwise would have missed!

Anything else you’d like to say about the Photo Walks?

Very nice walk. The pace enabled me to capture what I wanted and I enjoyed the social aspect of it too.

They’re very relaxed, well run, informative & fun! Great value for money & pitched just right!

Pete and the people attending are all friendly, really enjoyed the two times I’ve been on the walks. Will book again soon.

The photo walks are suitable for absolutely anyone with an interest in photography, however slight, and all experience and skill levels are catered for. If you need help you get it, if not, there’s no interference. I think Matt and Pete have got it spot on.

Great way to visit area of the city I wouldn’t go to on my own to take photos. Good to meet Pete and other people on the walk. We all had a common aim - to take photoghraphs and the informal but formative nature of this walk was really helpful. Pete was very attentive and took great care to make sure health and safety were paramount. I fully intend to attend other of Pete and Matt’s walks.

The social element is important. You never know who you’ll meet or getting talking to. It’s something to do on a Sunday. Good exercise, good for the mind and body. It feels inclusive - whereas the Flickrmeet walks I’ve been on feel competitive and attract more dedicated photographers.

A totally brilliant idea. Here are the choices… 1/ mooch about at home moaning about having nothing to do or that there is nothing on the tv or…. 2/ Get some fresh air. See places that you didn’t know existed. Meet other people interested in photography. Have a guided walk led by someone ( friendly but also professional ) who knows about the area PLUS can give you some useful tips on photography. Popping into a pub when the walk finishes. All this for the cost of a cinema ticket. In the parlance of our cousins across the water… go figure.

Keep going!

It’s nice to meet people with a common interest and I’ve had some great feedback from other photowalkers regarding my images, which is always a good thing. Booking a photowalk also ensures that I actually take time to use my camera. That is, it’s a good motivation to go out and get involved with photography and other photographers.

The Photo Walk experience was a great way to spend time with other photographers, exchanging ideas and learning - I can thoroughly recommend it for all levels of experience from beginners to experts

I’ve attended a couple of them and plan to do a few more when time/family allows - it’s been a great experience opening my eyes to search out hidden streets and landmarks.

I plan to go on more!

Rather than just walks it would be good to have technical tips.

It would be nice to do different areas of birmingham.

Good value for money

I would certainly attend another one. Although the walk was helpful (and advice was available, if sought) I’d have preferred a slightly more didactic approach, rather than the very “hands off - let people shoot what they want” style that was adopted. It might help if attendees were able to say in advance what they’d like the walk to concentrate on (composition, light, lens choice etc.) to give the walks a little more focus.

I would recommend them to anyone interested in photography or history as the opportunities to learn about either are fantastic.

Walk 2 Survey - Listening with Sam Underwood

What were your expectations before coming on the walk?

Well, definitely thought listening, picture-taking, and Digbeth would be involved. Otherwise I didn’t really have any idea.

Take photos of things in Digbeth that usually pass me by

I wondered whether the walk was for ‘professional’ or expert photographers with high standard cameras and equipment - and if the walk would be suitable for those with a general interest and a smartphone with a camera on it. I also had expectations that the walk leaders would offer advice on taking photographs. I also expected the walk to be original and contain the ‘unexpected’. This was mainly due to knowing Pete Ashton before the walk and awareness of Sam Underwood’s sound art activities from following Sam on Twitter. My expectation was that I would do something I would not typically do on a Saturday afternoon!

I assumed it would just be a fairly standard walk around Digbeth, photographing dereliction and stuff. I didn’t think there’d be as much “audience participation” as there was, and that the group would be led/inspired by the microlistening, rather than doing it themselves.

That it would inspire me take different photographs from normal. That it would be fun. That I would see Birmingham in a different way.

How did you find the introduction?

Great location and good guidance to getting into listening to all the layers of sound around us.

It was very useful information to know the background of both walk leaders, but I wasn’t sure how it connected to the main activity. Examples would’ve illustrated this better rather than just talking.

The introduction by Pete and Sam was helpful and set the mood for the walk. Playing with the amp plugged into the viaduct wall, and listening to the city sounds amplified by the viaduct arches, got me thinking and made me feel relaxed in the group.

The introduction was inspiring, and the sonic graffiti piece was awesome.

Yes - but it was a bit too long, and the weather was cold, so wanted to get on with it. 10 mins max would be better. Or perhaps host it in a cafe before the walk starts.

What expectations of yours were met?

Walking, taking pictures, using sound equipment.

It was very odd (in a good way), I discovered a lot about a small section of Digbeth and it was definitely very cold.

The walk was original and surprising - which met one of my expectations.

Taking photographs of dereliction.

All were met - I went to different places and saw things I wouldn’t normally see (a drained canal for example) and also looked very very closely thanks to the stethoscope listening exercises.

What happened that you weren’t expecting?

Sound graffiti demonstration, history lesson about the gate where two different canals meet

My ears were hurting. I didn’t think I’d be dipping things into the canal

Listening to brickwork, buildings and large objects through a stethoscope! The level of autonomy I had in choosing what to photograph.

As said I didn’t think it would be so hands-on, with members of the group all using the stethoscopes and other gadgets. I also felt that this provoked more interaction amongst members of the group who didn’t know each other.

That I went much slower when doing the micro listening walk - every metre at that level was the equivalent of walking 10-20m on a normal walk.

The micro walk I was too busy concentrating on the small details to mix much with others.

Did the Listening and Looking combination work for you?

At first I was definitely combining them, but as the group started to move faster because we got behind schedule, I started to lean more toward just taking pictures of things based on how they looked. Then when we slowed down again under the tunnel I went back to trying to take more sound-oriented pictures.

Somewhat. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to take photos of things that make a sound or listen to different objects

Yes, the combination did work for me. Understanding the concept was difficult at first. It gelled when Sam encouraged us to use the stethoscopes, mics, etc., and I became more active at concentrating on the sounds of the city and materials I was physically striking. One difficulty I had with the combination is that I felt more receptive to audio stimulation - and able to perceive for details in the audio - with my eyes closed or unfocused.

At first it seemed really stupid, but it was surprisingly easy to get into and I felt it got you “closer” to what you were photographing, and put you in a state of mind where you were both closer to your subject (in the sense of being able to spot small details) and also less inhibited about taking photographs.

As above. Micro listening drastically affected the kind of photos I took - lots of extreme close ups and abstract compositions.

Which of the following applies to your experience?

Enjoyable, Enlightening, Silly, Playful, Inquisitive, Educational Enlightening, Silly, Inquisitive, Educational Enjoyable, Enlightening, Playful, Inquisitive, Meditative, Creative, Artistic Enjoyable, Playful, Inquisitive, Meditative, Creative, Silly/absurd, in the best way Enjoyable, Playful, Inquisitive, Meditative, Creative, Artistic, Passed the time, Social

What thoughts did the walk provoke?

I had thought about sound previously in how it (only partially consciously) affects the overall feel of a scene but hadn’t really focused on it at that level before. It makes me wonder what else I’m missing. The sound graffiti also made me wonder what else is hiding around!

I was pleased to stretch my imagination in an artistic activity. I don’t consider myself ‘artistic’ in any kind of visual way, and this walk encouraged me to challenge that perception of myself. The walk also gave me the freedom for a few hours to concentrate on something artistic - and to also just let my imagination play for a while without interruption.

It made me think about participating more in arts events in the future, whether as spectator or artist.

It made me think of that there are almost too many options for taking a photo - that I wanted to find a focus.

What feelings did the walk provoke?

Glad to be living in Birmingham, where this kind of thing exists and the people on it seem unpretentious.

Strangely, I felt quite peaceful after the walk. While we were walking in a group, it was quite loose-knit and I spent much of the walk in solitude. The concentrated listening and photographing caused me to be quiet and to lose myself in the activity, rather than engage in a group chat.

Creativity, happiness, inspiration.

I felt more ‘artistic’ in the micro walk. The soundtrack walk, I felt my focus was much more long distance - easier on the eye but less fulfilling creatively.

How did the walk affect your perceptions of Birmingham?

My perceptions were already primarily positive and it added to the positives. Found some new corners I hadn’t seen yet and I liked the people there.

Encouraged me to spend more time looking at things instead of rushing past. I don’t think the walk changed by perceptions of Birmingham. This may be due to the fact that I am very familiar with the Digbeth area and landmarks along the route we took.

It made me think how much space there is in the city and how empty of people those spaces are. There is no way I would go walking in those areas and along canals on my own.

How did you feel about your photographs from the walk?

Visually they were worse than normal because I wasn’t focusing only on the visual. But in terms of remembering the full experience of being in a place, I think they are better than normal because they’re at least in part focused on remembering the sounds too.

I feel pleased with the photographs I took on the walk. I definitely considered the composition much more than I would normally do, particularly in terms of texture in the photograph. My photos contain serrated metal wire, macro shots of distressed wood, metal and polystyrene - the texture of materials photographed is the result of how I perceived the sound of those materials.

I didn’t think my photos were any better or worse, although maybe there was more variety in the set I produced than if I’d been going around on my own.

Definitely more detailed and zoomed in on micro walk. More downbeat on the soundtrack walk.

Walk 3 Survey - Soundtracked with SoundKitchen

What were your expectations before coming on the walk?

I expected, and got, a different approach to taking photographs. The following comments relate to all of the walk, but I will split into the arbitrary sections. I didn’t expect it to be as different as it actually was. (in a good way). Referring to my notebook, having to listen to the soundtrack (which started very quietly), I was surprised by a loud noise - the sound of a car going over a loose manhole cover - not part of the soundtrack! My attention grabbed, I not only took close-ups of the manhole cover but immediately noticed all the extraneous debris about it…

Nothing really - just something interesting and photography-related to do. Like Digbeth, so thought would see some more of it that I hadn’t explored too.

I try to be open minded and not set my expectations too much as this may impede the exercise , the one thing I wanted to do was push my self rather than doing the more traditional photo exercise. Also to meet some fellow photographers.

I had never been on a photo walk before so did not know what to expect. I was hoping for interesting music that might make me feel more or less energised accordingly. I have quite varied tastes so was interested in listening to different genres whilst on the walk. I was also interested in meeting other amateur photographers and walking through areas of Birmingham with my camera whilst not being too worried about being mugged! I like architectural/urban photography so I was hoping that this walk would be a good opportunity to partake in this kind of photography.

Not sure what to expect - never had done a photo walk before, so went with an open mind.

I’ve been of Matt and Pete’s photo walks before so understood the format, but what intrigued me about this walk was it was to be completed listening to a sound track.

How did you find the introduction?

The introduction was clear and concise giving details of both the walk and the safety considerations. Knowing photographers, Pete made sure that, if anyone got left behind, they had adequate means of re-finding the group.

Yes, it was very easy-going and covered everything, plus set the mood.

Yes , too much pre-amble would “influence” you too much.

Yes the introduction set the scene, let us know what the plan was and what was expected of us.

Good - succinctly explained, covered what to do.

Intro was fine

What expectations of yours were met?

On a Sunday morning in Digbeth, I was sort of expecting the vomit, bottles, glasses and rubbish. I wasn’t expecting the beauty that a Sunday morning can bring even to that…

Timing, mood, distance covered, range of things encountered

A different experience using two senses more fully and I met some fellow photographers

The meeting of other photographers that were kind enough to help me with a feature of my camera that I didn’t know how to operate. I was also satisfied with the location of the walk - I saw some interesting architecture, scenery and graffiti which I enjoyed and would not have seen otherwise.

Area of digbeth we walked around was really interesting.

Although being in a group, I was (as were the others) isolated by the sound track. So it concentrated the mind on photography whereas I’d normally be distracted.

What happened that you weren’t expecting?

I enjoyed the soundtrack one less - the ambient sounds blended too well with the environment and I wonder if music or more varied input would have had more of an effect. Perhaps less collaborative than I thought - the soundtrack one was more solitary due to the headphones and that was nicely meditative.

Whilst on the walk In was expecting to be able to produce a sci-fi photo short showing a post-apocalyptic world. When I reviewed the photos, even those in that frame of mind were too beautiful to match the idea.

The unusual location at the end! In a good way. Lots of people seemed to know you (Pete)!

A couple of surreal moments - Listening to birds chirping as if on a Summers Day but on a canal bank with grot and graffiti around with sea gulls overhead !

Nothing.

I expected the soundtrack to be more music, almost film like as opposed to ambient music, but it was interesting. The garrison lane park was really interesting, didn’t realise it was there.

I actually wasn’t distracted and I think I managed to work in isolation pretty much for the 1.5 hours

Did the Listening and Looking combination work for you?

Hard to say. I ended up with quite a desolate/oppressive set. Maybe that will be reflected by others. Would be interesting to see how upbeat or happier sounds might have affected me.

At times, yes. I looked at Pete at one point thinking it was the soundtrack to find it was actually a real (Thrush I think) bird. That did not detract from the experience. I heard it because I was listening…

I think it did, but I can’t be sure. Being a scientist, I’d have to conduct two equal walks in the same place at the same time, one with music and one without, with all other variables controlled ;) But then the groups would influence each other, so you’d have to find a parallel universe with the same music, Digbeth, people etc and conduct them in both universes… all very time consuming I’m sure! Slightly more seriously, I was expecting more ‘music’ than sounds, and more dominant/distinctive sounds at that, so I think the effect may be subtle the way it was done.

In parts , unfortunately the volume of sound was very hard to hear , noise cancelling phones would may have helped but a bit OTT to have these as a pre-requisite.

The music was more subtle than I anticipated. As such, for a large part of the walk, I didn’t notice it at all. This may have been the aim although I wouldn’t have minded noticing the music more. For example, the beginning of the sound track included traffic noises and played whilst we were walking down a large busy road - i’m not sure the music affected our experience of the real life situation as it was the same. Similarly, whilst we were walking down the canal, there was more natural music which reflected our more green surroundings. If it contrasted in some way, there might have been an interaction. At one point I did recognise that the music sounded ominous and thinking back, that coincided with me photographing some ominous looking graffiti. Also, whilst we were walking along the tow path and the music included bird song, I did take a photo of some berries. I do not usually take photos of nature so this may have been prompted by the music.

A lot of the time, I didn’t really notice the music, because it was quite background, ambient. Listening to the music meant that everyone was a lot more focused on taking photos, which meant I took a lot more photos than I expected.

Yes, I think it did have an effect. Though with the soundtracked walk I was trying to consciously avoid cliched images that directly matched the sound element.

Which of the following applies to your experience?

Enjoyable, Enlightening, Creative, Artistic Enjoyable, Enlightening, Meditative, Creative, Artistic, Educational, Astonishing Enjoyable, Playful, Inquisitive, Creative Enjoyable, Inquisitive, Creative, Artistic, Educational Enjoyable, Playful, Creative Enjoyable, Enlightening, Playful, Inquisitive, Creative, Artistic, Educational Enjoyable, Enlightening, Creative, Artistic

What thoughts did the walk provoke?

Intellectually? I was sure I had a post-apocalyptic world grabbed.

Wondered why I want to take pictures, and of what. So examined my motivations.

Made me ask myself a few questions

I thought about the design of the area, in particular the lesser known beauty of the canal side and parks coinciding with the urban, functional, perhaps brutalist surroundings including the large, busy roads, railways, business premises and the impact of urban creativity in the form of graffiti etc.

Really interesting - made me think of what impact sound has on photography.

I have a problem with been distracted easily, so the soundtrack walk gave me more evidence that if I isolated the distraction I can be more creative/productive.

What feelings did the walk provoke?

Happiness.

Liked the shared experience - positive feelings. Wondered whether everyone was being influenced by each other, or even competing at taking photos… what emotion is that, then - paranoia?! Curiosity?

Stimulated me

It was an enjoyable experience that was also calming. I felt relaxed afterwards and had a happy glow that I had spent some time discovering the area and enjoying my hobby at the same time.

Made me really calm, interested in my surroundings.

Not sure to be honest.

How did the walk affect your perceptions of Birmingham?

Having walked (and photographed) the whole of the canals in the Birmingham area, In thought I could find little that was new to me. Stalactites proved me wrong.

Positively. Found some good sights and sounds. Not to everyone’s tastes, I’m sure, but that wasn’t the question…

Saw areas I have not seen before and the “mound” at the end was a real surprise.

I appreciated the individuality of the area, as mentioned earlier the functional beauty combined with the creativity of it’s inhabitants in the form of graffiti.

Hadn’t walked round a lot of that part of birmingham, particularly looking at the details, so was really interesting.

As with all the walks it highlights the need to stop and look around

How did you feel about your photographs from the walk?

They are not post-apocalyptic. They show an inner beauty forbidden to those without the urge to look.

I think the usual - mixture of mostly ‘meh’ shots, some ones that I thought were good at the time and were after, plus some that I thought were good at the time but weren’t. Usual self-justification as to why I would have done it different/better next time / with more time / better light etc!

More themed , I stated taking B&W as this is my favourite look , but felt the look not appropriate to the experience as it was slightly surreal and so chose an in-camera effect that has more saturation to match the more intenseness experience

Some of my earlier photos were worse. In hindsight, I think I was trying to find photos where I wasn’t particularly inspired to. Probably the nature of going on a dedicated photo walk where there is an expectation to take lots of photos. Also, I wish I had thought of (or perhaps had time to - i’m still new at photography!) experimenting with depth of field in a particular photo which would have benefitted from this. As part of being in the group though, I was freer to take lots of photos which ordinarily annoys my husband!

Different - a lot more close up, detailed shots than normal. Wider range of photos. I’m happy with the work, probably better than my normal rushed work I find I do. I need to fine more time for photography - in fact that’s now going on my personals goals list for the year!