Around the world in 80 shots.
Our world is full of wonders and marvels that provoke regular jaw dropping experiences to most human beings. Those who have chosen to explore every picayune detail of this magnificent planet are blessed to experience this type of amazement regularly. However, those who are exposed to the same wonders on a regular basis lose this magical feeling, as they're conditioned to believe this specific place or area as normality. Driving down the Nepean Highway along the Mornington Peninsula, approaching Frankston beach, you're exposed to something truly majestic; a potent view of the entire bay. You can even see Melbourne in the distance. But the Nepean Highway is a busy road, and some commuters who're rushing to work must pass though here. Some might even neglect to even take a small peep over the bay as they zoom to work. After being away from home I realize how special this view really is. It made home that even more special. We don't appreciate things properly until they're removed from us, or we remove ourselves from them.
For the people in Venice, Italy, taking a gondola ride is the same as taking a taxi in New York City. It is just how they get around. But for the common foreigner, it is something truly special. My gondola ride was lucky enough to feature a surprise musician, as he stood up and began to sing elegantly in Italian. In the gondola next to us, a man brought out a small accordion and played music for the man to sing to. It was one of the most memorable moments in my life.
As we glided through the timeworn brick buildings, the sun began to set. I was lucky enough to capture this image in the spur of the moment.
I have been lucky enough to spend a year studying in Chicago which has been utterly immense. The city is truly beautiful and very spacious. It has a heavy artistic scene among its mammoth skyscrapers. As Frank Loyd Write once mentioned, "Eventually, Chicago will be the most beautiful left in the world."
During my brief but eventful time in Chicago, I aimed to visit the city every week or so. This didn't help my study schedule, but at that time, I didn't care for it as much. In downtown, I explored Millennium park and all it surroundings, different museums, the cultural buildings, many rooftop scenes, and so so so many high rise parking garages. In these located I was able to produce a potent collection of images.
New York City! The big apple. The place where dreams are made. What an amazing place. These busy streets were dangerous but exciting at the same time. This city truly never slept. The underground trains would be filled at 2am on a weeknight. People would be getting up for work while others would be just leaving it. I have so many profound memories from NYC. I don't know how you could live there but that doesn't take away it's unique and wonderful aspects. Brooklyn was the place to go for a good time and a cheap drink. The bars and other aspects of the night life were so urbane and individualistic, which molded Brooklyn into was it is today. My roommates and I would go to many gigs in downtown Brooklyn during our 2 year college stint in New Jersey. It is the more popular of the New York Burrows and should be something on every university student to-do list.
London town. Home of Big Ben and the River Thames. My auntie has a small apartment just meters from the Wandsworth Common train station, which is only 3-4 stops away from Victoria Station in downtown London. Here I experienced my first ever proper winter. It was freezing! And we decided to do one of the generic rooftop bus ride tours.......my face regretted that decision. In the commons, the little lakes had frozen over. Something I had never seen before, having gown up in such a warmer climate in Australia. I kept stabbing the ice until my foot eventually went through, getting entirely soaked. London is a very expensive city, but with the right know-how, you can make it affordable. For me, all I needed was a camera. I hope to return one day with proper, up to date equipment after I have gained more experience in other placed around the world.
Everyone asks me if I really took this shot. With the help of he panoramic setting on my little handheld digital camera, i was able to produce one of my most memorable exposures within my collection. I keep wondering what I could have done if I had the proper equipment and the knowledge that I have today. I would have stayed at this scene for hours. Rome was also one of my favorite cities to visit. We rented a small apartment just near a popular market within the city center. The market was everything you could have pictured a classic Italian authentic market would look like. There was fresh bread everyday, old overweight angry people screaming at the pedestrians to buy their different kinds of cheeses and vegetables, and even little performances that would entertain the crowd as they walked on by. The culture in Rome was so beautiful and calming. The city was full of life and history. The streets comprised of stone floors just added to the cities uniqueness. In my younger age, I was never happy to be seeing church after church, museum after museum, and monuments around every corner. Today I look back and think how blinded I was. I didn't appreciate the profound beauty of the life in Rome. Yes, I had a great time, but I yearn to return in my older age to properly absorb the culture on top of the paved streets.
No matter were I've been on this planet, there is still nothing quite like home. Melbourne is one of the cleanest and most welcoming cities that I have ever been to. It would be a dream to live in a small apartment on the outskirts on the CBD. The city is made for coffee lovers, intense sports fans and indie uni students. You can find different forms of art all over the city, whether its in a gallery, museum or even on the streets. From the beer ridden smell of the MCG to the exciting possibilities within Melbourne University, the city of Melbourne will continue to surprise you. Hit the town at night and check out an open mic at the local comedy club. Most of these guys might have trouble finding the right punch line, but the atmosphere is unique none the less. The trams are an iconic landmark of the overall culture of Melbourne. The classic 'ding' sound they make is very recognizable. Outside the state library is a flock of different cultures and people, which form such a diverse blanket upon the grass.
