Stories

Karen Strunks

Birmingham photographer Karen Strunks  is asking for photographs taken of the world seen at the hour of 4am on the 4th April 2009 to compile a global snapshot of the world.

"My curiosity about 4am began about a year ago. After a night out a while back, I was driving from one side of the city to the other. It was around 4am and I was really struck by the cityscape.

"Streets and roads normally teeming with people and traffic were deserted. The city was asleep and it felt like I had it all to myself. I liked it."

St Martin's in the Bullring

Secretive world

Karen's collection of her own 4am photos of Birmingham include Digbeth, a bus station and St Paul's Square.

"I pretty much had the streets to myself. That's one of the things I love about going out at 4am. To be in the second city and not seeing another soul is so rare, and feels like a secret...

"Acocks Green bus garage was the first time going somewhere I knew there would be people around at that time. Digbeth was particularly atmospheric with old buildings and darker streets."

4am, 4th April 2009

Utilising Flickr, the web space for image sharing, professional and amateur photographers are being encouraged to take pictures of wherever they are and whatever they are doing at 4am on the 4th April 2009.

Chamberlain Clock at 4am, Jewellery Quarter

The 4am website - www.4amproject.org - is already receiving images in the lead up to 4th April; both through Flickr hashtags (#4amproject) and email submissions (4amproject@googlemail.com).

As well as the UK, pictures have already been sent in from as far as Russia, Canada, USA, Australia, Malaysia and Brazil

Send in your 4am pictures