Tag Archives: Urban Photography

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

Secret Places: The Royal Arcade

Looking through the roof of the Royal Arcade – a building sails by…

 

Mystery site

Royal Arcade, Melbourne CDB


Secret Places: Behind the Brick Wall

well there is at least one big tree…

Brick Wall

Brick Wall, Rear of Melbourne Club, Ridgeway Place

Duckboard Place: Food, Art, Music…

Part 2 of the ACDC Lane loop brings us to Duckboard Place – the Laneway that takes us back around to Flinders Lane. It has some very good restaurants, an after hours pop-up bar, residential accesses and great wall art.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

 Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place – I think the plumbing is a piece of Industrial Art – it goes up several stories.

Street Art, Duckboard Place

Street Art, Duckboard Place

ACDC Lane: Art and Music

Near Hosier Lane is another Laneway, ACDC Lane, named in honour of the rock band AC/DC . The Lane circles back to Flinders Lane via Duckboard Place. Many of the walls have large colourful pieces. Along with the great art are several good restaurants and a famous Bar and live music venue – Cherry.

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

Street Art, ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

ACDC Lane

Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Street Art, ACDC Lane,

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Next Post – Duckboard Place

Protest Art: Posters, Stencils, Stickers, Balaclavas

Amongst the large murals and spray-painted images in Hosier  and Rutledge Lanes are quite a few smaller ones. Many are comments, statements, protests and funny thoughts. I like finding these more unusual images.

(Update: I walked through Hosier Lane today and many of the larger pieces that I have posted over the last few days that were taken a few weeks ago are now gone or are partially obscured by other artists work. Much of the new work seems to be large ornate tags rather than pictures  – I will have a look after the long weekend coming up)

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Pirate Empire – Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD

Laneways of Street Art

Moving further down Hosier Lane there is a looping alley called Rutledge Lane with its own artwork on every wall and surface. I spent a few minutes watching an artist work as well as helping a few tourists take some photos of themselves with the walls…sometime the selfie sticks are just not long enough.

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

A street artist in Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Rutledge Lane off Hosier Lane, Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane XI, Melbourne CBD, 18 May 2015

Hosier Lane

Near the bottom of Hosier Lane is a very good Tapas and modern Spanish style restaurant called Movida.

Hosier Lane XII, Melbourne CBD, 18 May 2015

Movida in Hosier Lane

 

Melbourne Laneway Street Art

Continuing from yesterday’s post on some of the recent street art in Hosier Lane during May. Another week or two and much of this will be gone and covered by other pieces (or a mess of tags until an artist claims a chunk of wall).

Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork, Melbourne CBD, May 2015

Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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Hosier Lane Artwork,   Melbourne CBD, May 2015

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And finding treasure in colour…

I have now explored much of the Melbourne CBD looking for good pockets of street art. There are a few major spots (like Hosier Lane, Croft Alley and ACDC Lane) that I will keep returning to as the art changes almost on a daily basis – especially in Hosier Lane – the most active and visited of the Street Art Alleys. Below is some of the Hosier Lane artwork taken a few weeks ago.

18 May 2015 – Hosier Lane (Part 1)

Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Street Art,  Melbourne CBD

Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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Hosier Lane Artwork  Melbourne CBD

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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

Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside

Exploring the alleys around Bourke St Mall, looking for art, colour and food, I came across this little gem with a nice bit of sunlight managing to hit the wall deep in a narrow laneway only 2 metres wide.

Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside, Melbourne CBD

Sprinkler Stop Valve Inside, Melbourne CBD

Narrow Laneway BW, Melbourne CBD, 11 May 2015

A narrow Laneway looking out to the Bourke St Mall

Croft Alley: a colourful, hidden gem

Paynes Place is a nondescript,  bin strewn laneway  in Melbourne’s China-Town off Little Bourke St. There is however a large mural at the end of the lane.  Turning the corner,  a small walkway called Croft Alley leads you down past restaurant back doors and overflowing, smelly rubbish bins to wonderful walls of ever-changing street art with amazing colours. Turning another corner, and walking to the very end,  you find the entrance to strange bar with a science lab theme called the Croft Institute. There is quite a bit of intact art in Croft Alley without the crowds that often fill up the more famous Hosiers Lane. ( I still haven’t had a good look at Hosiers due to a fashion shoot, a TV presenter filming, tour groups and an impromptu macarena dance outbreak with about 50 people.)

Chinatown BW, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Paynes Place, Chinatown, Melbourne CBD

Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Croft Alley Chinatown

Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Croft Alley Chinatown, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

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Urban Melbourne: Laneways, Decay & Colour

Across the road from where I now work are many laneways leading into and around Melbourne’s Chinatown District. While the street facade can be newer and full of shops, the side lanes leading to the backstreets can expose the history and patina of the older buildings. This is the historical, original side of Melbourne I quite enjoy trying to find. My lunchtimes are now spent exploring the laneways and looking above the street level. While there are not many birds, there are many other interesting subjects to find.

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD – off Bourke St

Urban Decay, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Urban Decay II

Turn any corner in a laneway and you could find colourful street art..

Graffiti dog, Melbourne CBD, 27 April 2015

Graffiti dog, Melbourne CBD

An eclectic mix for a wet St Kilda Sunday…

On a recent Sunday morning, my breakfast buddy and I, tried a new Cafe in the heart of St Kilda. It was a cool, wet and moody morning and after a bit of food and a coffee I wandered out of the cafe and down the street to have a look at the lovely old buildings. Many are fast disappearing under an onslaught of high rise and expensive housing and developments. The old bones of a seaside city are being replaced by modern and square-box architecture.

Bike Shop, St Kilda, Victoria

Bike Shop, St Kilda, Victoria

St Kilda building, St Kilda, Victoria 26 April, 2015

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St Kilda Art, St Kilda, Victoria 26 April, 2015

St Kilda Art – graffiti probably should be in colour…

St Kilda Art, St Kilda, Victoria 26 April, 2015

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On the way home we dropped by the beach to watch the weather come across the bay and look for ships through the mist and rain.

St Kilda beach Silver Gull BW, St Kilda, Victoria 26 April, 2015

and I still like birds