While I was walking...

...  from my (Melbourne) back yard to the post office.

First I was dazzled by the purple native hibiscus (?) dancing along the side fence with the Jasmine. 

Then I noticed the Jasmine in the gutter and something about it reminded me of a young child sitting, playing on the edge of a footpath, feet dangling in the gutter. 

And then I was struck by the everyday-ness of the down pipe and how the flowers and foliage made the shapes look quite beautiful. 

So with gutters and pipes in my mind, I set off to the Post Office and just a couple of doors up from me I spotted these blue flowers in a front yard. And I love the old green velvet couch sitting on the porch behind the flowers. Can anyone let me know what the flowers are called?

I was keeping an eye out for details and spotted these tiny flowers that are quite possibly a pest because they seem to be everywhere (more photos of them further down). But I did like the rusty gate and cobwebs with just the hint of greenery. 

Just across the road from the Post Office I fell in love with this Wisteria. I was so blinded by its beauty it wasn't until I looked at the photos that I saw the intricate details in the house supporting it.  

The sun and shade worked nicely to accentuate the yellow bush against the rust coloured gate. The colourful wrought iron fences and gates and the fancy (filigree?) trimmings on the houses make great subjects to photograph. I love the colour contrast once again (below), this time with the purple (Iris? Help me out here, please) peeping through the repetition of the pale green fence rungs. 

The shadows, shapes and lines caught my eye above and below. 

As I mentioned, the plant below is probably a menace because it creeps everywhere, but the flowers are quite beautiful, albeit tiny.

A lot of character in a small space. I love the contrast of the shapes between the straight lines of the old chair and the round wheels of the bike and the repetition of the fence. Not to mention the incongruitey of the chair just sitting there. 

There's so much to delight in with bright, bold Nasturtiums poking through chain link fences and delicate, pale yellow (don't know the name) flowers growing in a window box.

You simply can't walk past a pair of pink flamingoes and not take a photo. I love the symmetry in this shot and the shadow of the lace work to balance it. 

And then back home and to finish off where I started, in the back yard with the pipes and gutters and jasmine and hibiscus, with an every day shot of pegs on the clothesline. 

While I was walking (on the Sunshine Coast)

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS. 

I went for a walk around the Moffat Beach Headland yesterday afternoon. I popped in to share a wine with a friend at Shelley Beach and then walked back in the dark. 
I walk home from work in Melbourne in the dark too. 

"Be Careful" people say.

"Remember what happened to Jill Meagher" they say.

I wonder what the statistics are for people getting raped and murdered at night time, as opposed to in the day time or in their own homes. I figure I'm much more likely, statistically,  to die or get injured in a car accident. But nobody frowns at you disapprovingly when you say you're going for a drive. 

Anyway, it was an absolutely beautiful night. And I was just grateful to be alive and to live in such an amazing place. I feel doubly lucky to also live in Melbourne, which just landed the "most liveable city in the world' for about the 7th time in a row. 

I took a few happy snaps along the way. I was a little bit too early and then a little bit too late for the best light (that was the wine drinking time, which is surely a reasonable alternative to taking photos).

I spotted this guy watering his peas and as I walked past I thought it would make a great photo with the old house in the background. My confidence and outgoingness waxes and wanes, and as somewhat of an introvert, I usually keep walking, and then berate myself for my cowardice. (PS. No problem approaching strangers if I'm getting paid to photograph, but when it's just for me...).
But then I thought of my friend in Melbourne who is so sick going through cancer treatment, and I figured I had nothing to lose by asking. So I backtracked, said g'day and asked if I could take a photo. Simple as that. I then had a lovely chat in the afternoon sun talking about old houses, (multi)million dollar views and growing vegies. His daughter came out and got the obligatory squirt with the hose and for a moment life seemed quite simple.
One day this house will be gone and apartments put in its place and I will be so glad I stopped to take this photo. Thanks for being a good sport Travis. 

Suburbia at Sunset.  

Photos taken with the Fuji X-T2. Night shots balanced on the edge of a railing. 

While I was walking... (Fitzroy North)

Autumn leaves, rows of trees, wedge shaped buildings, famous soup bars, views to the city and a rotunda. 
And that's just a small section of what Fitzroy North has to offer. 

(This walk was a couple of weeks ago)

Edinburgh Gardens Rotunda

One of the grooviest looking library's around. Bargoonga Nganjin North Fitzroy Library.  

I don't often see this stretch of road in the morning. It's a hive of activity in the evenings so has an eery quality about it seeing is so deserted. 

Autumn leaves falling. Edinburgh Gardens. 

Avenue of Trees in Edinburgh Gardens.

While I was walking...

Glimpses of Melbourne. On the walk home from the State Library. 
I walk these roads often but they always offer something new. The seasons have a way of transforming the cityscape. I like the way the trees compliment the architecture.

La Trobe St. Hints of Physical Graffiti. Anyone agree? Anyone know what I'm talking about? lol

Carlton. Trees and architecture create winter tonal delights. 

Carlton. Something about the trees and architecture again. They were really talking to me (visually) on that day.

Sidewalk art. 

Winter tones in Carlton. 

Carlton. Just caught my eye and appealed to me. 

Oh the stories that must live in these walls! 

Almost home. Carlton North. 

State Library - Part Two

Some more favourites from hanging out at the State LIbrary in Melbourne. All of these photos were taken on the Fuji xt-2 Mirrorless Camera. 

I like the idea that the birds are playing chess. 

This guy didn't feel the cold at all! Everyone else is rugged up in layers and coats and scarves. He's not even shivering!

State Library of Victoria

This is my last Saturday off for a while. Next Saturday I start the next Level 2 - Introduction to Photography - Technical & Aesthetic at RMIT  in Melbourne (Still a couple of places if you want to join us).  Once of the activities we'll be doing is photographing the State Library, so I thought I'd head down this morning and see where the light was falling and make sure it's not covered in scaffolding like it was one other time. I ask the students to edit down to 6 of their favourite images so I limited myself to the same number.

I love the State Library. It's a fantastic building inside and out with so much to see. It's a 'must see' for any visitors to Melbourne.  I stuck to the outside of the building. Apart from the striking architecture, I'm always impressed by the 'life' and activity that goes on out the front. 

I have more favourites though so I might cheat and do another post! Oh, and I had arranged a meeting at the Cafe (Mr Tulk) but in the end no one else could make it, so it was Eggs Benny and a Bloody Mary for one.