Category Archives: Black & White

Monochrome Melbourne

A walk around the city on a hot summer’s day, watching the lunch crowds and traders along the small laneways off Flinders Lane and finishing off the walk with a few songs from the buskers in the Bourke St Mall.

Lunchtime traders in Centre Place, Melbourne CBD, 4 Dec 2015

Lunchtime traders in Centre Place, Melbourne CBD – a fantastic spot for good food and a great price from a variety of small hole-in-the-wall shops – also has some interesting artwork and graffiti.

Buskers in Bourke St Mall, Melbourne CBD

Buskers in Bourke St Mall, Melbourne CBD – these guys were amazingly good, Spanish style guitar with a modern flair. They were feeling the heat of the mid-day sun – but the show must go on…

A Day in the Sun

A beautiful sunny day in Melbourne today. Met up with Dave E down at St Kilda Marina to look for some uncommon birds. No luck for me but we did find the more common birds and enjoyed some rare sunshine. Walked back up Elster Creek and ran into Gio (another local birder) and took a few more pics. Quite nice to be out and in the sun for a change – it has been so cold and wet lately.

Currawong, Elster Creek

Currawong, Elster Creek

Little Wattlebird, Elwood

Little Wattlebird, Elwood

Cormorants and Gull

Cormorants and Pacific Gull

Great Egret, Elster Creek

Great Egret, Elster Creek

Great Egret, Elster Creek

Great Egret, Elster Creek

En Plein Air Artist

En Plein Air Artist

Hosier Lane Selfies

I walked through Hosier Lane yesterday to check the latest wall art and found quite a few people visiting – many internationals, including a Spanish family, who I kept seeing around where I was photographing. I ended up taking a few street shots of them as well as they were funny to watch, enjoying themselves. I was using my very wide angle lens so I could not stand right back and pretend that I was doing anything other than taking photos of them…other than a quick glance they did not seem to mind at all

Hosier Lane,Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane,Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Selfie

Hosier Lane Family Selfie

Hosier Lane Tourists, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Tourists – mum using the Selfie stick – it took her a few goes at trying to photograph them rather than herself (and I think me over her shoulder)

Hosier Lane Tourists, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Tourists – hamming it up,  and another couple taking a selfie

My own Hosier Lane Selfie

My own Hosier Lane Selfie – I thought I would give it a go as well…no smiling please this is serious…

Off the hip: Bookstore window

A bit of a wonky shot. Shooting from the hip takes a little getting used to. I liked the shop window display – it had a busy-ness that appealed to me with the books covering random subjects.  After processing I realised that there was not a single book displayed that I have read. I did find one on birds that I will have to go back and possibly purchase. From memory it was 6 books for $50 not Books for $50 – my wonky aim again…

Melb CBD Bookstore

Melb CBD Discount Bookstore – click to enlarge

Things you find in the Street

Walking along Bourke Street looking for interesting angles I came across this guy and his two friends standing at the Corner of Bourke and Swanston Streets.

Swanton St Statue

Smoko break on Swanston Street.

Shooting off the hip

I have read about a style of Street Photography where you take shots from the hip as you walk around. I gave this a go and took a series of shots with some interesting results. I generally looked the other way when I shot so I was not really aiming at anything in particular but just wanted to see what would accidentally turn up. On reviewing and processing the images from a walk down a cafe laneway, I noticed the man in the shop window. I still can’t figure how he appears in both shots looking at me or through me – maybe all mirrors…

Block Place II,Melbourne CBD

The man in the window

Block Place II,Melbourne CBD

The man in the window

Secret Places – Block Arcade

Looking up at the Block Arcade at the Victorian era iron fretwork holding up the dome of the arcade.

Block Arcade Roof,

Block Arcade Roof, Melbourne CBD

Up the stairwell behind the lifts…

Block Arcade Stairwell Letterboxes

Block Arcade Stairwell Letterboxes

Looking for treasure in monochrome….

A recent sunny lunchtime found me wandering the back streets and laneways looking for interesting shots of old Melbourne.

I find that converting the image to black and white removes the clutter of modern colours and distractions and allows me to see the old bones.

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

Higson Lane, Melbourne CBD

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

MJ Bale, George Parade, Melbourne CBD.

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall – woman are only allowed on one side of this wall…

Melbourne Club Wall

Melbourne Club Wall

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Bourke Street, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Job Warehouse, Bourke St, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrinis, Melbourne CBD

Pellegrini’s, Melbourne CBD