I went to the photography show at the NEC the other day. My primary reason for visiting was to network - I knew there were going to be some photographers and models from the Purpleport community there and I would also have the opportunity to catch a couple of demos whilst I was mooching around.

I'm quite fortunate that I'm in a state of zen with my kit at the moment. I honestly think that there's nothing I really need to do the kind of pictures I like (short of a lottery win and I can upgrade everything) so I was fairly confident I could spend the day at the show without being tempted to drain my bank account. 

This led me to realise that at the show last year, the only thing I bought was a Lee Filters Big Stopper and as I passed the stand I bought it from, I realised that I still hadn't used it. I used to take lots of landscapes a couple of years back and now I hardly take any and the few I have taken have not given me the type of composition or been the kind of conditions that would suit the long exposure so the Big Stoper has stayed in my kit bag.

Until today. The theme for the photo-a-day challenge I'm doing (see January's blog posts) was Building Architecture and not only was there a fair bit of cloud around, it was moving across the sky quite fast which is perfect for this kind of shot.

I managed to get 2 shots I really liked in the short time I was down in Salford Quays as the gale-force winds were actually making getting crisp shots quite difficult. 

One is of Daniel Libeskind's Imperial War Museum North

The second of Michael Wilford's Lowry Theatre.

I think I may have to plan an early morning jaunt to the coast to put this filter properly through it's paces.