topographics – Stuart Murdoch

Messages?[Wordless Wednesday]

2019/01/232019/01/24 Posted in projects, projects, research, roadtrips, spontaneity, topographics, urban, wordless wednesdayPost format: Image

too much signage outside a local factory makes for a visual cacophony go signs and signifiers, in east Keilor melbourne Australia

Lines

2019/01/202019/01/19 Posted in new topographics, topographics, urbanPost format: Image

Melbourne’s Changing Face

2019/01/192019/01/20 Posted in driving, new topographics, Photography, projects, Psychogeography, topographics, urbanPost format: Image

powerlines in a field in Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. — Powerlines aplenty
2019-01-15 16:48:42 !/250 @ f11 200 ISO

A pit or quarry, now filled in Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. — A pit or quarry, now filled
2019-01-15 16:52:12 1/160 @ f11 200 ISO

Powerlines and freeway and other infrastructure facing southwest the freeway on the background, in Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. — Facing southwest the freeway in the background
2019-01-15 17:08:06 1/250 @ f11 200 ISO

Under this pile of rocks used to be a quarry, Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Under this pile of rocks used to be a quarry
2019-01-15 17:21:53 1/100 @ f11 200 ISO

A mixture of abandoned and working industry Braybrook, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — A mixture of abandoned and working industry
2019-01-15 17:26:05 1/125 @fii 200 ISO

Melbourne is in the throes of a heat wave this week. This makes picture making difficult to the point of unbearable. Luckily for me the weather eased off Tuesday afternoon. So I headed out to a spot that had been lingering in the back of my mind for some time.

I used to drive up and down the Westgate freeway daily. I rarely do now and the changes going on there are massive. A tunnel is being built and scheduled for opening in 2022. Improvements include widening of the freeway with related infrastructure. I focused my attention near the exit from the freeway. This is where to my delight I managed to find a new location that I had not realised existed. I exposed approximately 3 rolls of film and some colour film too. I also made almost 100 pictures on my Canon G9X MkII and my iPhone as well.

The light was actually perfect for photography. Australian summer light is usually harsh with little or no cloud cover. Today was an exception and I made the most of it. The black and white film will be processed shortly. The above 5 pictures I hope gives a sense of what the location looks like. I will return over the coming years to map the changes.

New Year, New Research

2019/01/102019/01/09 Posted in digital, driving, gear, Photography, photography, projects, Psychogeography, research, roadtrips, series, spontaneity, topographics3 Comments

Late last year I was invited to participate in two long term photograph projects. These projects both focus on aspects of Rural Australia. Gary, the lead photographer lives in South Australia. We are already collaborating on a project that examines the changing inner west of Melbourne’s old industrial suburbs like North, and West Melbourne and… Continue reading New Year, New Research

Ignored

2019/01/052019/01/10 Posted in archives, digital, new topographics, poems, topographicsPost format: Image

grey wall with torn posters — West Melbourne 2012-10-18 16:12:47

West Melbourne is undergoing rapid changes towards gentrification. How many more years before this kind of imagery disappears?

Final 2018 Image [Wordless Wednesday]

2019/01/022019/01/02 Posted in Photography, projects, projects, topographics, wordless wednesdayPost format: Image

Pockets & Holes

2019/01/012018/12/31 Posted in digital, lightroom, new topographics, projects, Psychogeography, topographicsPost format: Image

Long Form Project Research

2018/10/172018/10/23 Posted in history, new topographics, Photography, projects, projects, topographicsPost format: Image

North Melbourne and West Melbourne are inner suburbs north of the CBD. They have been changing rapidly since we moved to the west in late 2000. There is currently a major infrastructure project being undertaken. It will irrevocably change the appearance atmosphere and function of the suburb. I recently visited there with this in mind and as part of an ongoing collaborative project with Gary. I learned several things. Some of these point to the history of the suburb, in particular its 20th century industrial past, others to where there may be big physical changes.

I used my time to make some digital pictures that will help me chart the changes as they occur and build on the existing collaboration with Gary. They will also enable me when I return with film cameras to make good choices in composition, and lighting.