Stand behind the yellow line

“Passengers on the platform are reminded to stand behind the yellow line until the train comes to a complete stop”

— Repeated pre-recorded announcement made over the public address sytem at all train stations in Melbourne.

I can imagine the discussion the pre-teen and their mother had on platform 10 at Southern Cross railway station just before I took this photo. That’s because, the second the mother looked away, the pre-teen quietly stretched one leg and tapped the forbidden side of the yellow line with their toe before quickly pulling their leg back 😛🙄

Photo of the train tracks and platform at a large suburban railway station, with a train visible on the platform across from the photographer. A “mind the gap” warning is written in yellow ink on the other side of the yellow safety line at the edge of the platform.

[Photo walk] Around the northern suburbs of Melbourne, part 13

I’m loving my new 27mm (full-frame equivalent) prime lens!

I took only a handful of photos with it on today’s short walk though. I was having more fun talking with Nadia that I was with taking photos :)

Suburban electricity pole

Photo looking up through a gap in a tree to a wooden electricity pole holding up multiple wires.

Statue in a garden

Photo taken through a wrought iron gate of a statue in a residential garden. The statue is of a woman in traditional European dress carrying a water jug.

Colourful windmill on a fence

Photo of a colourful, decorative windmill affixed to a residential fence with a sturdy wooden stick. The windmill has wide, rounded sails made out of multi-coloured, translucent plastic in shades of blue, pink, and purple.

Establishments around the city

A couple of nice smartphone photos I took recently.

Coffee and dessert options at West Street Cafe in Hadfield

Photo of a large, transparent plexiglass display on top of a cafe counter. The shelves of this display are filled with doughnuts, croissants, and other pastries. Stacked on top of this display are take-away coffee cups of different sizes, three sizes for hot coffee and two sizes for cold coffee.

Wine display at West Footscray Wines

Black-and-white photo of three tall, wooden shelves stocked with a variety of wine bottles. These shelves are part of a wall-to-wall wine display at a wine bar.

Wine display at West Footscray Wines

Photo of three tall, wooden shelves stocked with a variety of wine bottles. These shelves are part of a wall-to-wall wine display at a wine bar.

[Photo walk] Around the northern suburbs of Melbourne, part 12

The two focal lengths I love shooting at are 27mm and 40mm.

I already have the TTArtisan AF 27mm f2.8 prime lens (41mm full-frame equivalent on my APSC-sensor camera), which I shoot with all the time.

So when TTArtisan announced the TTArtisan AF 17mm f1.8 Air prime lens (26mm full-frame equivalent), I bought it 97 minutes after I got the email :)

And it took me that long to place my order only because I was in a work meeting when the announcement email came through!

With both my favourite focal lengths now covered with a prime lens each, I am a very happy man.

Sadly, I’ve been able to take my new lens out on a walk only once, but at least I got a couple of nice photos with it.

Spray paint marks the path

Close-up photo of a patch of garden with only dirt on it. A narrow, curved path has been drawn across this dirt patch using pink spray paint, and a shallow channel has been dug across the dirt in between these markings.

Rectangular topiary

I’ve been trying to take a good photo of this tree/bush for several months now. Happily, this time I was using a lens with the exact right focal length at the exact right time of day on a very lovely day :)

Photo of an evergreen tree/bush planted in front of a house that has had its leaves at the top clipped into the shape of a three-dimensional rectangle (ie rectangular cuboid).

Just a little off the top

Photo of a long hedge running along the length of a low wall that marks the property boundary of a house. The top of this hedge has been cut so it is completely flat. However, because this type of trimming was not done regularly, the top surface of the hedge now consists of just brown twigs and no green leaves.

Get ready for the road ahead

Photo of a small, reflective, yellow-orange "road ahead" sign installed alongside a bicycle path that warns cyclists this bike path is about to intersect with a road that's designed for motor vehicles. This photo has been taken late in the day so the sign and the top of the pole are brightly lit by the setting sun while the lower part of the pole and the residential wall next to it are in shadow.

Trying out my new ND filter

I bought variable neutral-density (ND) filters for two of my camera lenses. Specifically, the Urth Variable ND2–400 Filter in two different sizes.

Sadly, I haven’t had the chance to try these out on a proper photo walk yet. All I’ve managed to do so far is test them on a short walk after work.

Still, aside from the tiny bit of vignetting at the highest density level, the results I got with them were great, and I managed to take two really nice, richly-coloured photos of objects on a bright, sunny day.

Hopefully I’ll get the chance to play around with these filters properly over the coming weeks.

So much depends…

Photo of a red, grey, and orange wheelbarrow leaning against the wall of a house. The photo is taken at sunset so the colours are rich and warm.

A very Australian problem

Close-up photo of a mailbox at the front of a residential garden. Stickers affixed to the front of the mailbox indicate that this is house 113. The upper, curved part of the mailbox is where mail carriers (affectionately called posties in Australia) will place newspapers, magazines, and other long or bulky packages. This section of the mailbox has not been used recently because there is a thick spiderweb strung across the back part of it.

Nadia, late one afternoon

A couple of photos of Nadia.

Nadia, grinning, at the gate

Photo of a a woman taken through the bars of a wrought iron gate outside a house. The woman is wearing black sneakers, blue jeans, a black t-shirt with a peachey-yellowey flower pattern on it, and black eyeglasses. The woman is holding open a small gate attached to the end of this fence.

Nadia looking off to the side

Close-up photo of a woman with long, mostly-black hair tied in a pony tail who is standing in a driveway. The woman is wearing black glasses, red flower-shaped earrings, and a black t-shirt. She is looking off camera.

[Photo walk] Around the northern suburbs of Melbourne, part 11

After being stuck in back-to-back meetings for almost the entire workday (while working from home), I decided to go for a photo walk around sunset.

Nothing to see, just a totally normal inspection

Close-up photo of an old, faded, white-coloured, metal signboard that has been nailed into an electrical pole in front of a house. A notice printed on paper that was attached to this signboard has mostly been ripped off over the years. All that is visible of the sign is the phrase “normal inspection and”.

A normal inspection was carried out

Photo of an old, faded, white-coloured, metal signboard that has been nailed into an electrical pole in front of a house. A notice printed on paper that was attached to this signboard has mostly been ripped off over the years. All that is visible of the sign is the phrase “normal inspection and”.

Keep left on the bike path

Photo of a thin, flexible-plastic sign installed in the middle of a cycling and walking path running along a residential street. The sign reads, in all capital letters, “keep left” and it is warning cyclists of the electrical pole that is in the middle of the path a couple of metres ahead. The photo is taken from an angle that shows the setting sun peeking out from around the sign.

Shattered paint on a bike and walking path

Photo of a walking path onto which a while line has been painted using road line marking paint. Something heavy has landed on this sturdy, but brittle layer of paint because the paint from one section has shattered, with chips of paint spread around the painted-on line.

Scooped right out of the hedge

Photo of a tall hedge running along a low wall that marks the boundary of a house. It appears as if a big chunk of this hedge was simply scooped out of one end of the hedge because its outer leaves are missing and you can see right through the inside of the hedge. More likely there was another tall plant growing here and this hedge grew around it. That plant has recently been removed, which is why it looks like there is a hole in the hedge.

[Photo walk] Around the northern suburbs of Melbourne, part 10

It was a lovely day today so I decided to go for a short photo walk around Merlynston Creek in Melbourne’s north.

The cactus does not fear the barbed wire

Photo looking up at the top of a tall, wooden fence on a residential street. A layer of chain link fence has been erected above the wooden fence using regularly spaced metal supports. And above that there are two stands of barbed wire strung along the very top of the metal support poles. A tall and large opuntia cactus plant (possible prickly pear?) that is growing behind this multi-layer fence is comfortably resting a segment of itself on top of the barbed wire and chain link fence, causing both of those to bend under its weight.

A quiet spot along Merlynston Creek

Photo of a green, metal park bench facing the greenery surrounding a creek that flows next to a residential neighbourhood. The spot is very quiet and peaceful on this sunny day.

Stormwater culvert that helps manage flooding on Merlynston Creek

Photo of a large, round, and currently-dry stormwater drainage culvert that crosses under a walking path. A pile of medium-sized boulders has been arranged in front of the opening so the flow of water is slowed as it exits the culvert. There is graffiti both outside and inside the culvert, including a large arrow pointing upwards that has been painted on the wall at the other side of the tunnel.

It is dark in the stormwater culvert

Desaturated photo of a large, round, and currently-dry stormwater drainage culvert. A pile of medium-sized boulders has been arranged in front of the opening so the flow of water is slowed as it exits the culvert. There is graffiti both outside and inside the culvert, including a large arrow pointing upwards that has been painted on the wall at the other side of the tunnel.

Footscray West Writers Fest 2026

Nadia was invited to speak at the ‘Poetry & Wine’ sessions at this year’s Footscray West Writers Fest, which is now in its second year of running.

Naturally, I brought my camera along and took a few photos while I was there :)

Graphic showing the Footscray West Writers Fest 2026 logo and a circular collage of black-and-white photos of the speakers at the ‘Poetry & Wine’ session.

Introduction

Thuy On kicking off the ‘Poetry & Wine’ session

Photo of poet Thuy On seated in an outdoor courtyard. She is speaking into a microphone that she is holding in her hand. Thuy is wearing a red-and-black dress with a bright-red flower fascinator in her hair.

Jaidyn Attard

Jaidyn Attart is a street poet and I actually posted a photo of one his poems back in 2024 :)

Jaidyn Attard reciting his poetry - 1

Photo of poet Jaidyn Attard standing in a wine-bar courtyard. He is reciting his poetry into a microphone that he is holding in his hand. Jaidyn is wearing a black t-shirt and brown overshirt. Jaidyn is also looking straight at the photographer taking this photo.

Nadia Niaz

Nadia Niaz getting ready to recite her poetry

Photo of poet Nadia Niaz standing at a table in a wine-bar courtyard. Nadia is sorting through some papers on the table as she prepares to read her poetry to the audience.

Nadia Niaz reciting her poetry - 1

Photo of poet Nadia Niaz standing in a wine-bar courtyard. Nadia is reciting her poetry into the microphone that is on a mic-stand in front of her. She is gesturing with her right hand while holding open her book, The Djinn Hunters, in her left hand. Nadia is wearing a black top and black jacket.

Thuy On

Thuy On reciting her poetry - 1

Photo of poet Thuy On standing in a wine-bar courtyard. Thuy is reciting her poetry into the microphone that is on a mic-stand in front of her. She is holding open one of her poetry books with her right hand. Thuy is wearing a red-and-black dress with a bright-red flower fascinator in her hair.

Random photo

Outdoor LED lighting at West Footscray Wines

Photo of an LED light globe affixed to a string of outdoor lights in a wine-bar courtyard. There are cobwebs on the light fixture and, in the background of the photo, you can see an out-of-focus mural painted on the courtyard wall.

Lili Ward

Lili Ward reciting her poetry - 1

Photo of poet Lili Ward seated in a wine-bar courtyard. Lili is reciting her poetry into the microphone that is on a mic-stand in front of her. She is reading from her poetry book, Easily Enlightened. Lili is wearing a black t-shirt that reads, "Readers and writers against the genocide".

Volunteer photographer

Footscray West Writers Fest 2026 volunteer taking a photo - 1

I like taking photos of photographers and videographers, the folks who are usually on the other side of the lens. I even have an album on Flickr with all such photos I’ve taken over the years :)

Photo of a young woman wearing grey jeans and an olive green event-branded t-shirt who is sitting on a walkway that connects at wine-bar courtyard to the main building. This photo is taken between rows of audience members seated at an outdoor poetry reading event. The woman is using a Canon DSLR camera to take a photo of the speaker who is currently reciting their poetry.

Magan Magan

Magan Magan reciting his poetry - 1

Photo of poet Magan Magan standing in a wine-bar courtyard, as seen above the heads of some audience members. Magan is reciting his poetry into the microphone that is on a mic-stand in front of him. Magain is wearing a black t-shirt and brown wool cap, and he is reading from the smartphone he is holding in his hands.

[Photo walk] Spring Street #1

I attended a business lunch near Parliament House in Melbourne, so afterwards I walked up to it took a few photos.

Free Palestine, at the tram stop outside Parliament House in Melbourne

Black-and-white photo of the sidewalk at a tram stop. Graffiti written in chalk on the wall of this sidewalk reads, “Free Palestine”.

Photo and video projects in progress on the steps of Parliament House

Photo of a large stonework building with tall pillars and a very set of stairs across the front. Several people are sitting and standing on these stairs. In the foreground of the photo are a bride, groom, and bridesmaid who are having their photos taken. Next to them is a film crew that has paused filming while the wedding photo group relocates to a different section of the building. In the background, at the top of the steps, in another photographer taking a photo of someone standing on the steps.

Talent and crew ready for the next take

Photo of an actress in a black, formal outfit and maroon high heels standing on the inclined driveway that leads up to the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne. In the foreground is a camera operator holding his camera on a self-stabilising gimbal at knee height as he prepares to video the talent as she walks up to the building. This photo is taken through the gap between the pillars of the stone banister that lines the driveway.

Actress ready for the next take

Photo of an actress in a black, formal outfit and maroon high heels standing on the inclined driveway that leads up to the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne. She is waiting for the director to call, “Action!” before walking up the driveway. This photo is taken through the gap between the pillars of the stone banister that lines the driveway.

Camera operator filming

Photo of a camera operator holding his camera on a self-stabilising gimbal at knee height as he shoots his video. This photo is taken through the gap between the pillars of a stone banister.

Escalator down to Town Hall Station in Melbourne

Black-and-white photo looking down at a bank of escalators leading to an underground train station. The escalators are empty, but the legs of one traveller are visible in the top-right corner of the photo.

Melbourne Pride March 2026, part 3

Finally, here my photos of some of the dogs at Melbourne’s Midsumma Pride March 2026 :)

Tiny puppy

Photo of a tiny, tan-and-white puppy straining on a leash in a grassy field. The puppy is only slightly taller than the ankle of the person it is standing next to. A small Progress Pride flag has been attached to its leash.

Dog playing fetch

Photo of a medium-sized, brown-and-white dog wearing a baseball cap. The dog is walking across a grassy field as it carries a stick back to its owner.

Fluffy white dog

Photo of a small, fluffy, white dog with lots of pride paraphernalia attached to it. The dog is being walked on a lead across a grassy field.

Fluffy white assistance dog

Photo of a small, fluffy, white dog wearing an assistance-dog harness and a poofy, colourful skirt. A rainbow pride flag has been attached to the dog's harness. The dog is being walked on a blue leash that has an “assistance dog” label on it. The dog and its owner are walking across a grassy field.

Pride noodle

Photo of a greyhound dog wearing a rainbow-coloured sweater is being walked on a yellow leash across a grassy field before Melbourne Pride March 2026.

Fluffy backpack dog

Photo of a fluffy, white, medium-sized dog in a backpack. The backpack is being work by a man in a bright orange t-shirt with the Commission for Children and Young People logo on it. The man has a Progress Pride flag sticker on his cheek.

Fluffy white dog in a backpack

Photo of a fluffy, white, medium-sized dog in a backpack. The backpack is worn by a man in a bright orange t-shirt. Next to the man is a woman wearing a rainbow-heart-themed tie-dye t-shirt, with rainbow paint on her cheek and a rainbow hair tie.

Enjoying the event from a distance

Photo of a woman and her large, white dog sitting calmly in a children's play area close to the start of Melbourne Pride March 2026. The dog is looking off-camera at the crowd of people preparing to march.

Melbourne Pride March 2026, part 2

Here are my photos of some of the marchers at Melbourne’s Midsummer Pride March 2026.

The kids are alright

Photo of dozens of teenagers holding pride signs getting ready to march at Melbourne Pride 2026. Signs include, “Bi, shy & ready to cry”, “Non-binary & proud”, and “Lesbians are lovely”.

This is pride at work

Photo of a placard being held by employees from Seek as they march at Melbourne Pride 2026. The placard reads, in bright-pink, all-caps lettering, “this is pride at work”.

RACV Pilot Service car

Photo of a bright yellow 1967 Morris Mini Deluxe car with “RACV Pilot Service” painted on it. The car is being driven along the Melbourne Pride March route by a woman in a bright pink t-shirt and a rainbow-coloured feather boa around her neck. A woman in the passenger seat, who is wearing a bright blue t-shirt, is smiling a she looks straight at the photographer taking this photo.

All-sparkly

Photo of two women in red and purple sparkly, strappy dresses and rainbow-coloured headpieces marching at Melbourne Pride March 2026.

Rainbow earrings

Photo of a woman smiling while marching at Melbourne Pride March 2026. The woman is wearing a blue RACV t-shirt and rainbow earrings.

Melbourne Pride March 2026, part 1

I didn’t spend as much at time as I wanted at this year’s Midsumma Pride March in Melbourne, but I did get a few good photos.

There are my general photos and photos of some of the kids there. Coming up after this are my photos of marchers and dogs :)

From Paris to Melbourne

Zoomed-in photo of a man wearing rainbow coloured sneakers and rainbow coloured socks with an outline of the Eiffel Tower on them. The man is standing in a grassy field alongside other people and a black-and-white dog.

Kinetic’s Pride Bus

Photo of a man wearing a rainbow jacket attaching a rainbow flag to a city bus that's been painted in rainbow colours. A heart shaped sign attached to the front windscreen reads, “You are loved”.

Riding along

Photo of a young girl in pink-and-blue clothes, with long, light-pink coloured hair extensions in two braids, riding on the shoulders of a person walking through the crown at Melbourne Pride 2026. Slightly out of focus, and in the background on the photo, is a large Progress Pride flag.

Having an important conversation

Photo of two toddlers sitting near a crowd of people who are preparing to march at Melbourne Pride 2026. One of the girls is pointing her finger at something while explaining something to the other girl. A slightly older boy who is walking nearby is looking at this exchange with a smile on his face.

Unicorn toddler

Photo of a small child sitting in a stroller while wearing a rainbow-coloured unicorn-horn headband.

Stepping up to take a photo

Photo of a young man in a purple t-shirt standing on something so he can raise himself well above the spectators and supporters lining the Melbourne Pride March route. The man has a phone in his hand is taking a photo or video of the group that is marching by.

Cleaning up after the crowds

Photo of a man in the section of a large, grassy, sports field that is now empty of people. The man is wearing a high-visibility vest and blue, plastic gloves. He is picking up fallen bits of pride-march costumes and is packing them into a very large garbage back. In the far background are marchers who have not yet started marching at Melbourne Pride March 2026.

It is cool to see how much I’ve improved as a photographer since 2023 (part 1, part 2), which is when I last took my mirrorless camera (Fujifilm X-S10) to Pride to take photos.

Because I got almost everything right in-camera, this year’s photos are brighter and cleaner, and I’ve had to do far less cropping and post-processing on them.

Also, because I now know how to use my camera’s burst modes properly, this year I missed far fewer “moments” and expressions that I wanted to capture.

The difference in skill is even more stark when you look back at the photos I took in 2020 (with my Google Pixel 3XL phone) or, heck, my photos from as far back as 2010 (with my Canon IXUS 80 IS). Though to see those 2010 photos you’ll have to scroll to the bottom of my ‘Melbourne Pride March’ album of Flickr.

So yay for experience and, of course, better cameras and lenses!

[Photo walk] Little Collins Street, Melbourne #1

It’s been a while since I did a photo walk in the city, so today I grabbed my trusty 40mm prime lens and walked a few blocks down Little Collins Street.

It was a hot, sunny, 30 degree day, but it was quite pleasant in the shade. And not only did I get a couple of decent photos, I also got to check out a half-assembled film set, which was fun :)

Fonz electric motorcycle parked in the corner on Little Collins Street

Photo of a dark green, classic Italian style, electric motorcycle parked on the pavement outside a building.

Things are looking bright for this Fonz electric motorcycle

Photo of a dark green, classic Italian style, electric motorcycle parked on the pavement outside a building. The font of the motorcycle is in shadow of the building, but the back is brightly lit by the sun.

After-hours at Five Points Cafe on Little Collins Street

Photo through the shop window of a stack of paper coffee cups stacked neatly next to a coffee machine in a cafe. The ‘Five Points’ wordmark is stamped on each coffee cup.

Ready for the night shoot with this lantern soft box mounted on a crane

Photo looking up at a powerful cinema light mounted on a crane. The light is covered by a large, lantern-shaped soft box, which is a box made out of white cloth that softens the light that's coming from the LED bulbs.

I don’t know which movie is being filmed here, but I do know what city Melbourne is standing in for today

Photo of a white Ford sedan parked on the side of a narrow city road in Melbourne, Australia that will eventually become a film set. An orange crane with cinema lights mounted on top of it is parked behind this car. There are lights on top of this car that identify it as an American police vehicle. Blue stickers pasted on the car read, “NYPD Police”.

Australian Open 2026

Unlike last year’s Australian Open tennis tournament – during which there was a thunderstorm – this year’s tournament featured two heatwaves.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We were there during the second of those heatwaves, but we took good care of ourselves :)

Here are my photos from this year’s tournament.

Our 2026 annual Australian Open selfie

Selfie of a man and a woman sitting outside a tennis complex on a sunny day. The man is wearing a black t-shirt and glasses; the woman is wearing a black sleeveless top and sunglasses. They are both wearing straw hats.

Lots of shaded seating at ANZ Arena

Wide-angle photo of an outdoor tennis court at a tennis tournament. The tennis court has seating all around, and shading has been erected so that almost all the seats are in the shade. The blue-coloured tennis court is empty because the next scheduled match has not yet started.

Hanyu Guo serving in her round 2 women’s doubles match

Photo of professional tennis player Hanyu Guo (China) in the air while in the middle of her tennis serve. The players are playing in a tennis court with a hard, blue coloured surface.

Australian supporters at Australian Open 2026

Photo of five women sitting in a row in the stands of a tennis court during a tournament. They are all wearing identical, patterned green-and-yellow tops as well as green straw hats with a yellow tennis ball affixed to the top.

View of Rod Laver Arena from ANZ Arena

Photo of the signage at the top of the Rod Laver Arena tennis court, as seem from the stands of a nearby outdoor tennis court.

Ball kid running to grab a tennis ball

Photo of a ball kid in blue shorts, a blue shirt, and a blue hat stopping his run across a blue-coloured tennis court as he approaches a tennis ball lying on the ground.

Ball kid running back having grabbed a tennis ball

Photo of a ball kid in blue shorts, a blue shirt, and a blue hat running back across a blue-coloured tennis court after he has retrieved the tennis ball that was lying on the ground.

Ball kid passing tennis balls across the court

Photo of a ball kid in blue shorts, a blue shirt, and a blue hat rolling tennis balls across a blue-coloured tennis court to another ball kid that’s off-camera.

Ball kid holding up a tennis ball for the serving tennis player

Photo of a ball kid holding up a tennis ball in case the serving tennis player wants another ball. Only the top of the ball kid’s hat at the ball kid’s arm are visible, with the rest being blocked from view by the wall of the tennis court.

Talia Gibson’s ball toss

Photo of professional tennis player Talia Gibson (Australia) tossing a tennis ball in the air at the start of her serve during a tennis match.

Talia Gibson ready to strike the ball

Photo of professional tennis player Talia Gibson (Australia) mid-swing as she prepares to strike a tennis ball during her women’s doubles match.

Sara Errani winning the point / everyone going in a different direction

Photo of professional tennis player Sara Errani (Italy) as she hits a ball into the opposing court during a tennis match.

Ball kid waiting for Kimbery Birrell to serve

Photo of a ball kid waiting by the side of the net at a tennis tournament. In the background of the photo professional tennis player Kimbery Birrell (Australia) prepares to serve.

[Photo walk] Around the northern suburbs of Melbourne, part 9

Nadia and I have been enjoying our time off during the year-end break, going on walks around various parts of the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Nadia at a community football pitch

Close-up photo of the back and side of a woman’s head and shoulders. The woman is wearing a black hoodie and a cyan 2020 ICC Cricket World Cup cap. Out of focus, in the background of the photo, is a neighbourhood football pitch.

Nadia looking out over a community football pitch

Photo of the back and side of a woman’s head and shoulders. The woman is wearing a black hoodie and a cyan 2020 ICC Cricket World Cup cap. Out of focus, in the background of the photo, is a neighbourhood football pitch.

Plane spotter waiting patiently in the Essendon Fields Airport flight path

Photo of the valley of a suburban river with a rail bridge crossing over it. A plane spotter is leaning against a wire fence that runs down the decline of the valley. A camera mounted on a tripod in set up in front of him.

Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge

Photo of a railway viaduct built across a creek’s valley and flood plain. The viaduct comprises steel girders supported by steel-framed towers. Behind the viaduct is the residential suburb of Gowanbrae.

Top of a Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge tower

Photo of the top of a steel-frame tower that is supporting a rain bridge, also built out of steel girders.

Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge on a bright day

Photo of a railway viaduct built across a creek’s valley and flood plain. The viaduct comprises steel girders supported by steel-framed towers. Behind the viaduct is the residential suburb of Gowanbrae.

Looking up at the Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge

Photo of a railway viaduct built across a creek’s valley and flood plain. The viaduct comprises steel girders supported by steel-framed towers.

Looking up along a tower of the Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge

Photo looking up along the length of a steel-frame tower that is supporting a rain bridge, also built out of steel girders.

Police helicopter over Strathmore Heights

Photo looking up at a blue-and-white Victoria Police helicopter hovering in the air above a residential suburb. Several tree branches and leaves can be seen in the foreground of the photo.

Walking her dog along Moonee Ponds Creek Trail

Photo of a woman walking a black dog along a trail that runs alongside a suburban river.

The Glenroy side of the Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge

Photo looking up, along an incline, at a railway viaduct built across a creek’s valley and flood plain. The viaduct comprises steel girders supported by steel-framed towers.

Riding a toy sled down a walking path

Photo of a young boy riding a wheeled children’s sled down a cemented walking/cycling path that descends into a suburban valley.

About to fall off a toy sled because he was going too fast

Photo of a young boy riding a wheeled children’s sled down a cemented walking/cycling path that descends into a suburban valley. The boy is leaning hard to one side so that he can follow the sharp curve of the path.

Walking path up Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve

Photo of a walking/cycling path that goes up a suburban valley. The path is surrounded by trees on both sides. In the background of the photo a railway bridge can be seen crossing the valley.

Walking path at Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve

Photo of a walking/cycling path that goes up a suburban valley. The path is surrounded by grass and trees. By the side of the path is a hairpin-turn sign for cyclists. In the background of the photo a railway bridge can be seen crossing the valley.

Moonee Ponds Creek Viaduct Rail Bridge from Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve

Photo of a railway viaduct built across a creek’s valley and flood plain, which is the Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve. The viaduct comprises steel girders supported by steel-framed towers. Behind the viaduct is the residential suburb of Gowanbrae.

Nadia keeping an eye on her surroundings as she takes a photo

Photo of the back of a woman holding up her smartphone to take a photo. The woman is looking to her left to make sure she isn’t in the path of a cyclist. Her long, black hair is in a ponytail and she is wearing a brown sweatshirt and a cyan 2020 ICC Cricket World Cup cap. In front of her are the trees and bushes growing along the side of a suburban valley.

Straight stretch of walking path at Kingsford Smith Ulm Reserve

Low-angle photo of a walking/cycling path that goes up a suburban valley. At the end of this long stretch of path is a hairpin-turn sign for cyclists.

Turtles in a large pond

Photo of several brown turtles swimming along the banks of a large pond.

Turtle poking its head out of a pond

Photo of a brown turtle swimming in a pond, with its head poking out of the water.

Two turtles in a pond

Photo of two brown turtles swimming in a pond, one with its head poking out of the water and the other swimming completely underwater.

[Photo walk] Walking around the city and suburbs, part 2

Here are some photos I took in the southern, eastern, and northern suburbs of Melbourne over the last couple of weeks.

Someone had a good night last night in St Kilda, Melbourne

Photo of an almost completely empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey lying on a stone wall around a public park in a suburb of Melbourne.

Arrow “head” mailbox and newspaper slot

Photo of a triangular, bare metal mailbox outside a house. The mailbox looks like a creature’s head, complete with holes for eyes and the mail slot as its mouth.

Grumpy arrow “head” mailbox and newspaper slot

Photo of a triangular, bare metal mailbox outside a house. The mailbox looks like a creature’s head, complete with holes for eyes and the mail slot as its mouth.

Train waiting at the elevated Murrumbeena railway station

Photo looking up, through the leaf-filled branches of a tree, to an elevated train track and train station platform. A blue, silver, and yellow coloured train has stopped at this platform.

Underneath the elevated Murrumbeena railway station

Photo looking down the length of a pair of elevated train tracks being held up by massive concrete pillars. This area under the tracks is a parking lot, which is almost full of parked cars.

Facilities for humans and their dogs at Murrumbeena railway station

Photo of a stone bench around next to some bushes underneath an elevated train station. Next to the bench is a metal drinking-water fountain. On the floor, next to the fountain, is a bright blue water bowl for dogs.

Part of the Frogtopia mural by Anthony Breslin next to Murrumbeena railway station

Photo of a vibrantly coloured mural showing fantastical characters that resemble frogs, flies, and other insects. These characters are taken from Anthony Breslin’s children's book Brezania.

Part of the Frogtopia mural by Anthony Breslin next to Murrumbeena railway station

Photo of a vibrantly coloured mural showing fantastical characters that resemble frogs, flies, and other insects. These characters are taken from Anthony Breslin’s children's book Brezania.

Traffic light on Murrumbeena Road, directly underneath Murrumbeena railway station

Photo looking straight up along the pole of a traffic light that’s located underneath an elevated railway station.

Bench outside Murrumbeena railway station

Photo taken from the seat level of an outdoor bench at the intersection of two suburban streets.

Bank of Australia Post post office boxes

Black-and-white photo of over a dozen post office boxes, each with an embossed Australia Post logo, a keyhole, and a PO box number.

Had a collision, but didn't need to call the cops?

Photo of a sticker on the back of a sign that's on a bicycle path. This bicycle path is about to cross a suburban road. The sticker contains and QR code and text that reads, “Had a collision, but didn’t need to call the cops? Report it to Merri-bek Council! It takes 1 minute and helps identify hot spots. Scan me.”

Share the love of gardening

Photo of a two large plastic bottles filled with a dark liquid and a few small plants in plastic pots placed on top of a residential wall. A hand painted sign on what looks like a wooden chopping board reads, “Share the love of Gardening. Please take”, followed by a smiley face.

[Photo walk] Jim Stynes Bridge

Back on my go-to 40mm lens, I took these photos as I walked along the Jim Stynes Bridge on the Yarra River.

It was a hot, sunny day as I walked to my car after my team’s year-end lunch at the newly-opened 1 Hotel Melbourne.

Outdoor seating still-life

Photo of some metal-and-wood outdoor furniture that almost looks like a still-life painting. The photo shows a tall, narrow, black table with two tall, dark-green chairs arranged on either side of it.

Artistically arranged outdoor seating at 1 Hotel Melbourne

Photo of some metal-and-wood outdoor furniture that almost looks like a still-life painting. The furniture has been placed in the ‘Seafarers Event Space’ outside 1 Hotel Melbourne. This space consists of an outdoor wooden deck constructed around a historic, bare-concrete building. The furniture is a tall, narrow, black table with two tall, dark-green chairs arranged on either side of it.

Ladder and mooring bollard on the Yarra River

Black-and-white photo of a wide, urban river with a bridge running across it. Immediately in front of the photographer, along the near bank of the river, is a sturdy mooring bollard, next to which is a metal ladder leading down to the river level.

Jim Stynes Bridge running underneath the Charles Grimes Bridge on the Yarra River

Photo of a curved, wood-and-metal, pedestrian and cyclist bridge that runs along the length of an urban river. The walkway and cycle path along the river have been interrupted by a road bridge that spans the river. This pedestrian and cyclist bridge connects these interrupted paths via a curved section that goes below the road bridge.

On the Jim Stynes Bridge that runs under the Charles Grimes Bridge on the Yarra River

Photo of a cityscape taken from a pedestrian and cyclist bridge that runs below a road bridge that spans an urban river.

Foul ground below

Photo of a warning sign underneath a road bridge that spans a river. The sign under the bridge reads, “Danger, foul ground below” and shows two arrows pointing down into the water.

Walking and cycling along the Jim Stynes Bridge on the Yarra River

Black-and-white photo of a cyclist and pedestrian walking on a bridge underneath another bridge that spans an urban river.

[Photo walk] Along the Yarra River #6

I finally got the chance to use make the most of my new wide-angle lens when I walked along the Yarra River after work one afternoon.

Seating area outside Collins Square, Docklands

Photo of cafe/bar seating area outside a central business district/downtown building complex. There are several tall tables arranged in an outdoor courtyard, each with several stools and a large umbrella (currently tied down).

Spiral staircase at Melbourne Quarter, Docklands

Photo looking up through a spiral staircase leading to an upstairs pavilion constructed between a group of tall office buildings.

Looking through the spiral staircase at Melbourne Quarter, Docklands

Photo looking directly up through a spiral staircase leading to an upstairs pavilion that's been constructed between several tall office buildings. The side of one such building, with a large AMP logo on it, is visible through the spiral of the staircase.

Melbourne City Helipad on the Yarra River

Photo of a large, two-aircraft helipad floating on an urban river in the middle of a metropolitan city. The helipad is anchored to one bank of the river using thick, black, metal poles. A walkway connects the helipad to the bank of the river on which the photographer is standing.

Melbourne SEA LIFE Aquarium on a bright day

Black-and-white photo looking up at a large neon sign in the shape of two stylised fish. The sign is held above the top of a building via two tall poles. A logo on this aquarium building reads, “SEA LIFE”.

The birds of Enterprize Park are unbothered by the trains

Wide photo of a blue, yellow, and silver coloured train running along set of elevated train tracks. In the bottom half of the photo you can see a few dozen birds spread out across the grass of a public park.

Sticker on a pillar underneath Queen Street Bridge

Photo of a thick concrete pillar with a red-brick and yellow-plaster facade that's holding up a bridge. A round, black-and-white sticker pasted on this pillar reads, “In 1788 Queen St Bridge was a waterfall”.

In 1788 Queen St Bridge was a waterfall

Close-up photo of a thick concrete pillar with a red-brick and yellow-plaster facade that's holding up a bridge. A round, black-and-white sticker pasted on this pillar reads, “In 1788 Queen St Bridge was a waterfall”.

Queen Street Bridge on the Yarra River

Photo taken through some trees of a vehicle, tram, and pedestrian bridge that spans an urban river.

Underneath Sandridge Bridge on the Yarra River

Wide-angle photo taken under a wide pedestrian bridge that spans an urban river.