Peaky Blinders-style image wins January in Birmingham business calendar

A moody image of the canal towpath that runs underneath Birmingham's Broad Street has been chosen to kick off a business organisation's calendar for 2022.

Westside BID chose photos from a dozen winning entries to host the various months of this year after people were invited to submit their pictures for the keenly contested competition.

And the honour of commencing the calendar in style has gone to Chris Fletcher, whose atmospheric photo of people walking along the canalside on a winter's evening was chosen for the month of January.

Chris, aged 49, who now lives in Coleshill after many years spent in Birmingham, said he had been taking photos as a hobby for about 10 years.

He said: “I started travelling more around the world so bought a new camera and it grew from there. I got more and more into it and started to develop my own style. ”

Chris, a product owner who looks after a team of software engineers, added: “I like nothing more than getting out with my camera in my spare time, usually taking photos of nature but I also love getting into a city to shoot architecture shots. Birmingham has some wonderful areas of interest and is a great place to explore with your camera. ”

Chris said the winning photo was taken in the Gas Street area on a winter 's evening. He said: “It was misty which gave me the perfect atmosphere for the shot. I really wanted to capture people walking along the towpath in the misty conditions so set my tripod up to get the scene I was looking for. ”

He said he was very happy to have been chosen as a monthly winner for the BID calendar, and added: “It 's always an honour to have one of my photos selected to be seen in print, even more so as it 's Birmingham based and will be seen by many people from, and who love, the city. ”

Mike Olley, general manager of Westside BID, said: "What a cracking, moody picture to start the year off with - the Peaky Blinders would be proud!"

Chris has received vouchers to spend on a swish dinner on Westside, as well as his own copies of the calendar. You can see more of his work on his Instagram account @cpf_photography