Choosing A Venue For Portrait Photography Melbourne

By Helene Norris


When making arrangements for portrait photography Melbourne, why not aim for something different, something outside the stuffy confines of a photographer's studio. Take a look around at some of the city's scenic areas and 19th century architecture for inspiration. Make your portrait memorable.

Melbourne is the state capital of Victoria, Australia. Situated at the top of a bend in the Yarra River. The river spills into Hobson's Bay, which in turn opens into Port Phillip Bay. Across the Bass Strait sits Tasmania. The entire metropolitan area encompasses 30 different municipalities in addition to the capital city itself. The greater metropolitan area has a population of around four and a half million people.

The night time skyline is awesome, with the bay reflecting a myriad of colored lights. Perhaps impractical for a portrait shoot, but beautiful enough to be worth mentioning whenever possible. Better backdrops for your photograph are some of the city's old buildings from the 19th century, which is a lot longer ago than you may imagine. One of these landmarks is Flinders Street Station. It was built in 1854, when it was the first-ever city railway station in Australia. Inspired by French Renaissance buildings, it holds both a clock tower as well as a large dome.

The Shrine of Remembrance on St Kilda Road was originally built as a memorial to the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Today, it memorializes all soldiers who served in all wars. It is one of the largest war memorials in the country. Based on classical style, its Greek roots are unmistakable. You can clearly see elements of the Parthenon in Athens and the Tomb of Mausolus.

What sports fan wouldn't want to incorporate Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) into his portrait. Cricket whites are compulsory. The stadium itself is located in Yarra Park, right off the river. To get an idea of the massive scale of the ground, compare it to the Olympic Stadium situated due south and right on the Yarra River. Compared to MCG, it looks the size of a high school swimming pool.

The Melbourne Royal Exhibition Building was built to contain the Melbourne International Exhibition in the late 19th century. It is one of the last remaining buildings of its kind in the world and was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2004. The best time of year to be photographed here is when the impressive tulip field is in bloom, near the fountain on the south side of the building.

This beautiful city has so much more to offer than lovely old buildings. Try Williamstown Botanic Garden for an area of natural outdoor beauty. The only problem you will have is deciding which of the beautiful exhibits to use as a backdrop. Here, you can try looking for your favorite plants or trees and sit for your photo there. Alternatively, just wander around, find a nice spot and shoot.

There is no shortage of suitable locations for portrait photography Melbourne. Whether you are a nature lover or a student of architecture, there are plenty of spots from which to choose. Who would want to be stuck in a dusty portrait studio when you have the whole of a great, wide, wonderful capital city.




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