Strolling the streets

The recorded history of Melbourne may be one of the youngest in the world, but it never stops to amaze me just how beautiful some the architectural heritage I'm lucky enough to be encapsulated by.

Below are shots of the General Post Office (a.k.a GPO) on the corner of Bourke St and Elisabeth St in the heart of the CBD. I was extremely lucky enough to have some fantastic light to practice taking over exposed images. Recently I've been quite fond of the white-washed, cool feel of allowing more light to filter through the lens.

Focus no. 1

For some time now I've been contemplating on starting a series of photos to compound onto Wee Moments. The obvious hurdle intercepting this project from sprinting ahead was coming up with an interesting theme to drive it. It took me a while but after flicking through my Nov-to-Jan journal pile (or more accurately mountain!), I stumbled across some beautiful images in Kinfolk of their gastronomic feature. The visual allure came from how the layout of the spread not only showcased the dishes but how elements of the food were carefully zoomed in to celebrate the texture, colour and haptic sensation of how the ingredients had transformed.

So I've decided to take an inspirational leaf from their pages to compile my own similar collection. I've dubbed this new project "Focus" considering that's what I'll be doing in essence, closely focusing on small details and idiosyncrasies that draw my gaze.

The maiden image for the Focus series is of the Palais Theatre down by St. Kilda beach. This building is a Melbourne landmark that has managed to remain steadfast in keeping its iconic legacy (through many close call threats of demolition) thanks to the strong attachment of the local residents. There are definite signs of time, but it's the cracked plaster and the odd broken window pane that hold the true charm and allure of this theatre.

Australia Day

A public holiday dedicated to the anniversary of the first fleet to arrive in down-under, Australia Day (a.k.a 'Stralia Day) is marked with a colourful palette of good fashion patriotism starting from your national flag face painting to a spectacular array of fireworks in the evening. However, the most common scene you'll see annually on 26th January is a good ol' fashion BBQ smoking in all manner of different styles. As a multicultural country, you don't have to look far to see a typical sausage sizzle cooking next to a dish of sweet and sour pork.

So, we decided to pack a few eskies and headed down to the Footscray Park to contribute our own culinary aromas to the smokey atmosphere and enjoy a few laughs! Times like these I really can't help but fall further in love with photography and appreciate how good friends and good weather (and good lighting!) can create some of the most fantastic visual memories. 

Hardware Societe

It's so embarrassing how long I've slacked off from maintaining this blog! When I looked at the date of my last post I decided I couldn't let it slide to a total of 7 days (which is tomorrow!) so here are a few photos taken during another brunch outing with a good friend.

This little gem is called Hardware Societe and it's pretty much an institution among Melbournian coffee addicts and brunch connoisseurs. It's not uncommon to see a line of eager foodies waiting for a table and the wait is well worth it.

Their baked eggs are one of their most well known and appreciated dishes (it's amazing how sexy a baked breakfast can look in bright coloured crockery!) and I have it on good authority their Matcha Latte is to "die for!".




1) Matcha Latte
2) Soy Latte
3) Poached Eggs & Wild Mushrooms
4) Baked Egg with Duck

Another morning

Today's been a rather grey day, with an overcast cloudy sky and the characteristic Melbourne drizzle coming and going as it likes. I really dislike dreary days like this, it makes the days seem stuffy and just that little less lifeless. So while I was scrolling through some past photos I'd taken (the weather wasn't peeking my mood to take any new shots) I came across a couple on a morning completely different from today.

I remember taking these while enjoying breakfast out in the backyard just outside the studio. Jiro was still new to me and I'd set about experimenting with the 35mm lens and all the dials and functions my new camera had to offer.

As a creature of habit, my breakfast platter is always made up of the same four things, plus my coffee (the most essential component!). "The Seven Basic Plots" by Christopher Booker (yes, that's his name, I kid you not!) is another massive book on my thesis literature list that my supervising professor assigned me. Sometimes, I think my professor is trying to give me enough tombstone books so I can stack them all to build a building rather than design one!


The last image is of the back facade to the family home. It's an old Tudor style house that's just under a century old that's housed my family for the past fifteen years and a very long generation of possums for much longer.

Scenes from a morning run

It's quite obvious that the entire city is on holiday when the freeway is this empty during rush hour on a weekday.