My Love Affair with Melbourne A study in Black and White ~ Photographed By Athol ~ Version 1.0
About the artist
I have thought long and hard about this important aspect, and after much consideration, I arrived at the conclusion that it would be more meaningful for me to tell you “Who I Am Not” as opposed to “Who I Am” – if that makes any sense at all.
If you are desperately searching for a Wedding Photographer, then I am definitely NOT your man – I will leave that stressful pastime up to those folk who have chosen that profession, and do it well.
If you are looking for someone with a good camera to snap a few pics of you toddler, and then edit the output yourself in the hope that you can save a few bucks, then I am definitely NOT your man.
If YOU prefer to drive the "creative process", and continually make little suggestions, like – “Can you do this image in Black and White, and then just color the rose in bright red to make it stand out” – yes you got it this time, then I am definitely NOT your man.
I am just a "sponge" absorbing as much as I can about the fascinating world of Photography and the Creation of Photo-Art from those "frozen moments in time" that I capture...
If I can place a smile on the face of the viewer of my Photo-Art, then I consider it as yet another contribution to the collection of smiles that I am currently accumulating...
how was this project born?
In October / November 2015, my wife Shirley and I took a month long vacation in Melbourne to visit our son Gareth, his wife Lynette, and our little grandson Hayden. Every day, bar one when we experienced some inclement weather, we jumped on a tram and a train, and began our photographic adventure.
I guess you could consider "My Story" as a "Photographers Guide to shooting Melbourne". It is my hope that anyone wishing to do so, will find the following information both informative and useful. Where possible, I have included links to Wikipedia content for those folk who wish to learn more about any particular subject matter covered below. I have also tried to incorporate some interesting anecdotes conveyed to us by any of the tour guides, which I trust you will also enjoy. I also end my journey with a breakdown of the photographic kit and software used to process all the images included in this shoot.
Grab a cup of tea or coffee, or perhaps a glass of good wine. This could take a while as you work your way through "My Story"... In navigating the images below, be sure to click on any of the "grid images" to enlarge their size for better viewing.
But above all, enjoy the journey, as I unpack parts of Melbourne for you...
Princes Pier in Port Melbourne ~ a "go to spot" for any serious photographer..
Early morning, or late afternoon are the best hours to shoot the Princes Pier.
Princes Pier is a 580 metre long historic pier on Port Phillip, in Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was known as the New Railway Pier until renamed Prince's Pier after the Prince of Wales who visited Melbourne in May 1920.
I almost never captured this image of the "bicycle stand" as I walked past this spot on the pier at St Kilda, but I doubled back and snapped one of my all time favorite images of Melbourne. Today, you will also learn that I have a fetish for photographing "circles", LOL
st kilda's pier
St Kilda is a suburb of the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Port Phillip.
It was a bitterly cold morning, wind blowing, as my wife Shirley and I braved the elements to revisit St Kilda. We were however well rewarded as we stopped off at this little cafe at the end of the pier, and enjoyed some piping hot scones with strawberry jam, and hands down the best Cappuccino we had been served in the month that we spent in Melbourne.
eureka tower skydeck
Eureka Towers is the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. Certainly well worth a visit, but just make sure you have a clear day, otherwise you ain't gonna see nothing. Entry to the top viewing level is AU$15.00 per adult.
If you have the stomach for it, you can purchase your AU$12.00 ticket to also experience the "Glass Box". Basically, you enter an opaque glass box located at the highest point of the building, which then proceeds to project itself outside of the building. Then, without warning, the opaque glass suddenly turns totally transparent, accompanied by the loud sound of smashing glass. Definitely not for the fainthearted, I say... (We gave this one a miss).
Flinders Street railway station is located on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets in Melbourne, Australia. It serves the entire metropolitan rail network.
Hosier Lane
Hosier Lane is a bluestone cobbled vehicular and pedestrian laneway on the southern edge of the central city grid. Hosier lane is a much celebrated landmark mainly due to its sophisticated Urban art. Hosier Lane lies opposite the entrance to the Atrium at Federation Square on Flinders St, a prominent position in the city.
Hosier Lane lies opposite the entrance to the Atrium at Federation Square on Flinders St, a prominent position in the city.
The lane has been noted for the quality and the often political nature of its art. It features in the state-sponsored book The Melbourne Design Guide and in Tourism Victoria's Lose Yourself in Melbourne advertising campaign, leading to questions about the dichotomy of Victoria's approach to graffiti. The graffiti-covered walls and art-installations have become a popular backdrop for fashion and wedding photography.
Rumor has it that the Graffiti Artwork decorating these walls can totally change overnight as the Street Artists move in during the early hours of the morning with their assortment of spray cans and endless creativity.
the national gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest public art museum in Australia.
Entrance to the National Gallery of Victoria is Free of Charge, and is located very close to Flinders Street Station.
At the entrance to the National Gallery, you will locate this huge glass panel facade covered in a continuous flow of recycled rainwater, which makes for some rather interesting captures as seen above and below.
marina ye - yarra edge yacht club
Boasting Melbourne’s most exclusive marina address, Marina YE is nestled in the heart of Yarra’s Edge and on the cusp of the CBD.
Featuring fully serviced berths with individually metered power and water facilities, berth owners will enjoy the convenience of a full-time, on-site marina manager and 24-hour monitored security with on-site parking. A marina lounge with espresso coffee, visitor berthing space, shower/change rooms and laundry facilities complete this exceptional waterfront playground.
the webb bridge
A competition-winning design for a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the Yarra river, as part of a public art project, in Melbourne's Docklands area.
the dandelong ranges
William Ricketts (1898–1993) was an Australian potter and sculptor of the arts and crafts movement.
Certainly one of the highlights of our trip to Melbourne was the meeting with fellow AWAKE Student, Tony Stephenson who lives in this neck of the woods. Tony took a day out of his schedule to treat us to our visit to the William Ricketts Sanctuary. Shirley and I were also spoiled when Tony decided to park off on the Dandenong mountain side for an impromptu picnic. Great to just sip good wine, and savor some awesome snacks, whilst chatting about Art and Photography.
I also understand that there is a nice group of fellow AWAKE Artists based in the Melbourne area who are meeting for coffee every now and again. Looking forward to joining this bunch of folk on my next visit to Melbourne later this year.
state library of victoria
the melbourne museum
Melbourne Museum is a natural and cultural history museum located in the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia, adjacent to the Royal Exhibition Building. It was designed by Denton Corker Marshall Architects and finished construction in 2001.
Melbourne convention and exhibition centre
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is the name given to two adjacent buildings next to the Yarra River in South Wharf, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Assembly (lower house); and the Legislative Council (upper house).[1] The Parliament meets at Parliament House in the state capital Melbourne.
The guided tour of the Parliament of Victoria was truly worth the effort, and more so, because it was free of charge. On our ninety minute guided tour, we learned all about how Government works in Victoria. If you lucky, you may just pick a day when Parliament is in session, and in so doing, experience a typical parliamentary debate.
A Time to Reflect
With so many glass facades around, you will never run out of interesting reflections to capture. Just stroll around, look up, and you will find them. Now just position yourself to capture an interesting angle. Most of my architectural captures were done using my Fujinon 10-24 ultra wide angle lens. Whilst you do get a strange perspective due to the wide angle, I rather like the effect. You can of course also correct the perspective in Lightroom to a certain extent if need be.
the old Melbourne gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol is a museum and former prison located on Russell Street, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It consists of a bluestone building and courtyard, and is located next to the old City Police Watch House and City Courts buildings. It was first constructed starting in 1839, and during its operation as a prison between 1842 and 1929, it held and executed some of Australia's most notorious criminals, including bushranger Ned Kelly and serial killer Frederick Bailey Deeming. In total, 133 people were executed by hanging. Though it was used briefly during World War II, it formally ceased operating as a prison in 1924; with parts of the gaol being incorporated into the RMIT University, and the rest becoming a museum.
The three-storey museum displays information and memorabilia of the prisoners and staff, including death masks of the executed criminals. At one time the museum displayed Ned Kelly's skull, before it was stolen in 1978; as well as the pencil used by wrongly convicted Colin Campbell Ross to protest his innocence in writing, before being executed. Paranormal enthusiasts claim the museum is haunted, with claims of ghostly apparitions and unexplained voices near cells.
Entry Fee to The Old Melbourne Gaol is about AU$25.00 per adult, which includes the "what it is like to be arrested, and locked up in a padded cell" experience.
Parliament Station
It was by pure chance that I found this "photographer's paradise", and only because I had spotted one of the beautiful architectural master pieces from the train as we whizzed by. Next day, we decided to exit our journey into the city at Parliament Station, and then found this gem of a spot for some awesome architectural photography, Talk about "reflections".
The Royal Exhibition building
The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. Sadly, it was closed to public when we passed by, but I did manage to capture this dramatic image of her. You can purchase a "three way ticket" at the Melbourne Museum which will grant you access to the Museum itself, The Royal Exhibition Building, and the Immigration Museum at a discounted rate.
I have a thing for circles
I captured the image of the metal slide above with my Fujinon Ultra Wide Angle 10-24 lens wide open, and low down.
The Melbourne Theatre Company (popularly known as MTC) is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company, it is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia,[1] and has its own theatre, Southbank Theatre – which houses the 500-seat Sumner and the 150-seat Lawler – located in Melbourne's Arts Precinct in Southbank. Despite being recognized as Victoria's State theatre company, it comes under the auspices of the University of Melbourne. Currently, it offers a Mainstage Season of ten to twelve plays each year, a season of new and emerging works (Neon Festival of Independent Theatre), and an Education Season along with affiliate writers programs. It has a current subscriber base of 19,816 people and plays to a quarter of a million people annually.[2]
federation square
Federation Square is a mixed-use development in the inner city of Melbourne, covering an area of 3.2 hectares and centred on two major public spaces: open squares and one covered, built on top of a concrete deck above busy railway lines.
Located at Federation Square, you will find a Tourist Information Centre. Enter at ground level and proceed downstairs where you will find a huge team of very friendly and knowledgeable folk who will be able to assist you with information on anything you need to know about the Tourist Hot Spots etc. Also a very good idea to pick up a detailed and useful map of the city whilst you are there.
street art
SIdney Myer Music Bowl
Located at the grounds of the Botanical Gardens, you will find the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. I unfortunately missed the performances of both "Florence and the Machine" (just love her), and Mumford and Sons. Sigh, perhaps next time...
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain, Linlithgow Ave, Melbourne, close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct. It was officially opened by Prime Minister Robert Menzies on 12 February 1959, with an audience of 30,000 people, and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
shrine of remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war.
royal botanic gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne are internationally renowned botanical gardens located near the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River.
You will find an abundance of plant and bird life here.
rippon lea estate
Rippon Lea Estate is a historic property located in Elsternwick, Victoria, Australia. It is under the care of the National Trust of Australia. The suburb is named after Rippon Lea Estate. After the death of Frederick Sargood in 1903, the estate's original owner, some of his property was subdivided to form the current suburb of Ripponlea.
Since 1909, Ripponlea has been the site of Caulfield Grammar School's senior school. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Ripponlea television studios were built in 1954 on land compulsorily acquired from the Rippon Lea Estate, by the Victorian State Government.
Entrance Fee was AU$15.00 per adult as I recall. Worth every cent since the Tour Guide was extremely knowledgeable and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed this visit.
Gentlemen here, ladies upstairs please...
As you can imagine, there was a lot of lavish entertaining going on at this estate, and most often, these events were attended by the "high society". Upon arrival, the gentlemen would visit this facility which was just right off the front door. This "private" room even had a "double back to back" door at the entrance. This was installed to prevent the distribution of any strange sounds, or foul smells from leaving this room. Oh, and there was no such grand facility available for the ladies. They were required to use one of the small "powder rooms" upstairs. How times have changed
the block arcade
the block arcade
The arcade which was erected between 1891 and 1893 was designed by architect David C. Askew whose brief was to produce something similar to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. The result was one of Melbourne's most richly decorated interior spaces, replete with mosaic tiled flooring, glass canopy, wrought iron and carved stone finishings. The exterior façade of the six storey office has near identical facades on Collins and Elizabeth Streets and is one of Australia's best surviving examples of the Victorian Mannerist style.
Box Hill Miniature Steam Railway Society
The children, and parents/grandparents really enjoyed the various rides.
chadstone shopping centre
Melbourne transport system
Transport in Melbourne consists of extensive networks and a wide variety of transport services in the city of Melbourne, Australia, including:
- The world's largest tram network.
- Bus (which consist of 323 routes) and coach services.
- A metro railway network (16 lines - the second largest in Australia).
- A regional rail network (5 lines).
- Interstate railway services (NSW TrainLink Southern and The Overland).
- The largest freeway network of any Australian city.[1]
- Two major passenger airports (including Tullamarine, the second busiest in Australia).
- Port of Melbourne (Australia's busiest port for containerized and general cargo).
- Multiple taxi, hire car and other small commercial passenger vehicle services.
- Public bike-hire system (since mid-2010)
Getting around Melbourne on the public transport system is real easy and convenient. Ninety eight percent of the time, trams and trains are right on schedule. I would highly recommend the following two free Apps to download to your smart phone. Firstly "Tram Spotter Melbourne", and then also "Public Transport Victoria", both of which are very handy.
When traveling on a Train or Tram, you will need a Myki Card which you can purchase and top up at any railway station. When boarding or exiting the train or tram, simply swipe your Myki Card to pay for your journey. Be sure to do this, because an Inspector may just board your train and ask to check you Myki Card. If you don't have one, prepare yourself for a hefty spot fine.
Another free App which I found extremely useful was the "Melbourne Official Visitor Guide" which provides you with interesting information, location etc of all the various hot spots, from Museums, to Restaurants, Art Galleries and so forth.
- Make sure you have a valid Drivers License on your person when driving a vehicle.
- Stick religiously to the speed limit, especially when approaching a school where the limit drops from 60km/h to 40km/h. I have heard of drivers being fined from traveling at 42km/h in a 40km/h zone.
- Tram's have right of way, make sure you respect this.
- When approaching a pedestrian crossing, do so with caution, and remember that pedestrians have right of way.
- When entering a traffic circle, vehicles to your right always have right of way.
- Pedestrian crossings are there for a reason, use them instead of trying to beat the oncoming traffic in the middle of the block.
- Also note that folk often park their cars in the left lane of a two lane roadway, and if you are traveling in the left lane, don't stress. Simply slap on your indicator, and move slowly into the right hand lane. Aussie drivers anticipate this, and will make space for you to move across into their lane.
street photography in Melbourne
Every country in the world has their own laws governing Street Photography, and it is your duty to acquaint yourself with these legal requirements, and obey them.
Some folk may get extremely angry with you just snapping their pic, and remember, photographing children in parks or shopping malls is a BIG NO NO.
healesville sanctuary
Healesville Sanctuary, or the Sir Colin MacKenzie Fauna Park, is a zoo specializing in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville in rural Victoria, Australia, and has a history of breeding native animals.
If you are looking for that elusive kangaroo or koala bear to photograph, then you will want to pay a visit to the Healsville Sanctuary. A highlight of this visit will include the Falconry "Birds of Prey" demonstration.
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery
If chocolate and ice cream is your thing, then you gotta visit this place in the Yarra Valley
The rolling valleys make for some beautiful landscape photography.
sky high dandenong
Sky High Mount Dandenong is a restaurant located on top of Mount Dandenong, Victoria, Australia.
If you are planning to have a big breakfast at the Sky High Restaurant, you may be disappointed, since we only found a few snacks / sandwiches available. But the scenic drive up the mountain to the venue, as well as the spectacular views were well worth the trip. There is also a beautiful English Garden for you to browse and capture some more beautiful images.
boat cruise to williamstown
boat cruise to williamstown
Williamstown is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km south-west of Melbourne's central business district in the local government area of the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2011 census, Williamstown had a population of 13,203.[1]
Williamstown is approximately 15 minutes by car from Melbourne via the West Gate Freeway or a 30-minute train journey from Flinders Street Station. Ferries from Melbourne's Southgate Arts & Leisure Precinct take approximately 1-hour.
Taking a boat cruise down the Yarra River to Williamstown is also highly recommended. One hour trip each way with an hour or two to spend taking in the sights of this quaint little town. Ticket prices at AU$25.00 per adult, but if you get your hands on one of the Visitors Guide Booklets at the Information Centre on Federation Square, you will find a bunch of Discount Coupons in the center of the book which will enable you to only pay for yourself, and your partner at no cost. We only found this out after our trip, but it is certainly worth considering if this offer is still available.
HARDWARE & SOFTWARE used FOR THIS SHOOT
The hardware used on this shoot:-
- FujiFilm XT-1
- Fujinon Ultra Wide Angle 10-24mm lens
- Fujinon 40-150mm lens
- Fujinon 90mm lens
- Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Mini-Tripod
I found the Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Mini-Tripod extremely useful, especially for those long exposure (30 second) night shots. Add in my iPhone 6 to remotely control my Fuji XT-1 via WiFi, and you are all set to go.
The software used on this shoot:-
- Adobe Photoshop CC 2015
- Adobe Photoshop Lightroom cc
- NIK Collection ~ Silver Efex Pro 2 and Analog Efex Pro 2
- Tonality CK
- ON-1 Photo10
The weather, and what to wear:-
Melbourne is known for dramatic weather changes. You can be perspiring at 11h00 with a temp of 30 degrees, only to be shivering two hours later when the mercury drops to 17 degrees. Its a good idea to download a good weather App, and use that as a guide as to what to wear. If there is the slightest chance of a temperature drop, pack in a jersey. I had to stop at a clothing shop in the city to buy an expensive one for my wife one morning when things got to cold to handle. As mentioned, we were in Melbourne during October / November, and the weather was generally quite good. Winter months can be very cold
Security issues:-
Coming from South Africa where it would be impossible to walk around the city at night, or even in the day, with a R50,000 camera hanging from your neck, I never once felt uneasy when strolling down the South Bank of the Yarra River at 23h00 in the evening, often pausing to setup my XT-1 on my Gorillapod to capture the night lights. I am not for one minute suggesting that you should not be conscious of your surroundings at all times, but Melbourne is very safe for tourists and its people.
final acknowledgements
I will always remain deeply indebted to my "coach", Sebastian Michaels who remains my constant source of motivation, and inspiration. Just a few short years ago, I could not even spell Photoshop, never mind understand the concepts of composition, blending layers, black and white treatments etc. I have only been able to achieve the level of artistry I have to date through his guidance and support. You ROCK Sebastian...
Another source of inspiration comes from a pool of artists who are members of our advanced Photo-Artistry Group, namely AWAKE, also founded by Sebastian Michaels. Their contributions in the form of constructive criticism, as well as Gigabytes of content they have generously made available, has definitely contributed to my Photo-Artistry.
In closing, to my dearest wife Shirley, who physically schlepped around the streets of Melbourne for thirty days, as I snapped away. Your continued support is much appreciated. Love you honey !
do you also have a passion to create photo-art?
If you want to take your photography to a totally different planet, then you owe it to yourself to sign up for Sebastian's "Photoshop Artistry : Fine Art Grunge" course. Click on the link below for more details, and register today!
three other important links
"From Photographer to Photo Artist: Master Black and White Photo Artistry and Create the Most Exciting Creative Work of Your Life".
And now in final closing, a special note of thanks to you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to browse "My Slate". I appreciate that it was a very "long read", but trust that is was informative and enjoyable.
good night melbourne
Dear Melbourne, I have really only touched your surface. You have so many hidden gems tucked away, just waiting to be captured. But, don't fear, for I shall return to once again expose your treasures. Let the "Love Affair" continue, for I shall be back...
