Looking up #4

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Reflecting on a puddle

“What are you photographing?
I can’t see anything special. It just looks like an ordinary old laneway to me.
I guess that’s why you are a photographer and I’m not” he shrugged.
And before J- could answer he propelled himself into a nearby office.

Looking up #1

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Corner of Bourke and Swanston St, Melbourne

“The cityscape involves a circling, a continual return to the same loci, the same figures the same objects, but each time from a different direction, from a different vantage point.” Walter Benjamin

The gleaner and the smoker

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Laneway smoko #11
“Can I help you” she asked taking anther tug on a rollie.
“No, just taking some photos” J- answered.
“We get a few photographers down here but usually it’s homeless people or druggies. I come out here to escape the politics. It’s normally pretty quiet most of the time. Except for Tuesday, that’s when the managers come for their meeting and their cars are parked all along here. Then if the guys in Harley repair shop come out the back for a smoke you can hardly move.”

Gleaner and the cleaner #3

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“What are you taking that photo for? Are you a cleaning inspector or something?
Filthy habit, smoking.
I reckon people smoke outside so they can come out here and have a bludge. They should give up. I did eight and half years ago. If I can do it anybody can.
Why don’t you take your photos of real art, well if you want to call it that. It’s not as if there isn’t enough of it around here.”

Digital Harbour, Docklands. 11.30 AM

The gleaner and the fishermen

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“Caught any fish,” she asked.
“Nup, we’re more fish feeders than fish catchers today” he replied, as he dribbled breadcrumbs into the water. “Look down there lots of them, look below the shadows and you can see more coming.”
“What are you doing here” he said, “You’re definitely not a tourist.”
“How did you know?” she asked.
“For a start you look happy. So how did how discover this place?”
“Just wandered through the car park wanted to see what was beyond the development. So do you catch many fish then?”
“Yeah, it’s a good place,” he replied.
“I might bring my son, he’s just discovered fishing.”
“Well make sure you have a license then. The water police will see you before you even know they are there. We were just sitting here, rods out and admiring a flash looking boat. Before we knew it, they’d landed on that jetty there and were standing in front of us asking to see our fishing licences. They reckon the fishing is really good they said they saw some bloke pull in a great big mulloway.”

Under the Bolte Bridge, Docklands.

Looking down #3

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Wharf 14 – traces of the old Docklands

‘The flaneur is a figure, who derives pleasure from the hustle and bustle of the city streets, moving purposelessly through the urban spaces with the eye of an artist.’ Walter Benjamin