Australia: new cities and familiar obsessions

Streets of Melbourne

My first time in Australia

In summer 2024 it was the first time I visited Australia (…well, of course just a tiny part of it…). It happened for a combination of circumstances that I am not going to explain here, but let’s just say it was not one of those trips planned months in advance with a clear purpose. It was more of a decision that took shape quickly, with just enough time to organize something reasonable.

I knew from the start that the trip would be relatively short, so I focused on two main cities, Melbourne and Sydney. Not exactly an original choice, but this time I couldn’t extend it to other areas and yeah, I promised myself one day to go back and do a proper road trip, so I hope I can make it one day in the near future.

Firstly I stopped in Melbourne, where I also met an Italian friend who moved there few years ago and that was definitely a nice catch. Melbourne in my opinion had a certain European feeling, not just in architecture but in the way the city is organized, with smaller streets, clearly defined areas and a rhythm that does not constantly push you forward (…and definitely much, muuuch slower than Hong Kong!).

Sydney instead was different: bigger scale, bigger distances, more open, not so immediate to understand. In some ways it felt closer to an American city, with wider spaces, a stronger sense of verticality in certain areas and a kind of visual clarity that hits you right away. Both cities were interesting, just in different ways, but if I have to tell you my preference, my choice goes to Sydney: I don’t know why, but, although less “easy” to navigate and understand in just a few days, it gave me a very warm feeling, like being at home and that’s a huge thing.

Anyway, that said, the comparison was never the point. What mattered was that I had time to walk, to get lost, to stop without a reason, and that’s what I like when I have my camera in my hand.

Streets of Melbourne

Melbourne and its graffiti walls

Melbourne turned out to be an unexpectedly cool playground: one of the obvious stops was the area around Hosier Lane and AC/DC Lane, places that have become well known for their graffiti-covered walls. What is interesting there is not just the presence of street art, but how it became part of the identity of the city. What started as a more spontaneous and unofficial form of expression eventually turned into something almost institutional, constantly changing but still preserved as a cultural layer.

From a photographic point of view, I felt like a kid in a candy store, with colors everywhere, textures, overlapping visuals that already feel like multiple exposures before you even press the shutter.

I spent quite some time there, experimenting with both standard shots and my usual multiple exposure approach. The density of visual elements makes it ideal for layering, you do not have to force anything, because in this case the environment does half of the work for you.

I went back to this spot twice during my stay, but the most rewarding one was somewhere else. While wandering through the city, I ended up in a relatively small street where I found another graffiti wall. The artwork was abstract, built with pastel colors, lines, shapes intersecting in a very interesting way: that was the kind of place where I can stop for hours without realizing it.

These situations are perfect for experimenting with multiple exposures, using the wall as a base and waiting for people to pass by. The interaction between the moving figures and the static patterns created combinations that were never the same. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t, of course, but that’s totally normal.

Hosier lane, Melbourne

However, when it worked, it really worked! Out of that session, two images stood out for me and one in particular, in which I managed to combine the geometry of the graffiti with a well dressed guy walking across the frame who, at the exact moment I took the shot, turned towards me and gave me a distinctly (almost) angry look. Perfect timing and completely unplanned!

Of course before this shot I lost count of how many people looked at me with suspicion or irritation while I was shooting, but this is part of the process. When you point a camera at public space, you are also pointing it at people, whether they like it or not.

There is always a small risk involved in that and you have to be able to handle it, but if the result is worth it, it becomes part of the job.

Streets of Melbourne

Sydney, lights and nightscapes

After Melbourne I moved to Sydney and the approach shifted slightly.

After spending time in Melbourne surrounded by dense textures and layered visuals, Sydney felt more open, more direct. The iconic areas around the Opera House and the harbor almost demand a different kind of attention. Here probably you are not looking for hidden corners, even though there are, but I felt I needed a different approach, somehow similar to the one I have while I shoot in Hong Kong.

Streets of Sydney

One day, after sunset, I was walking in the area of the harbour, not far from the Opera House, camera in hand, doing something much closer to what I would consider my “classic” approach: nightscapes mixed with blurred city lights, silhouettes, stuff like that…

I came out with a few shots that felt somehow “familiar”, meaning probably that they were aligned with my style and that I really liked and sometimes that is enough.

Looking back at this trip, for sure I didn’t have much time to deeply “understand” Australia and try an original way to capture its cities, but that’s normal when you travel…at the end even in Hong Kong it took me years to find my style and my way to “read” the city.

However, it was nice and rewarding anyway and I came back with some shot that I still like, so that’s the most important thing and, as I said, I promised myself to go back and stay longer…and maybe next time I’ll be able to catch some kangaroo as well!