Melbourne Candid Series #1044 Swanston St

 

On Swanston Street, a scene unfolds,
A man with ear pods, a story untold,
Nibbling banquette, with focus keen,
A modern dance, where tech meets cuisine.

Two young men stroll with ease in tow,
Ear pods snug, as the world flows,
Lost in their rhythm, with nothing to say,
Just the pulse of the city, guiding their way.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Check out Candid 800 

I had to turn on full moderation for comments now. I just received over 160 spams in my comments yesterday. This is really terrible. 

Melbourne Candid Series #1043 Swanston St

 

He cuts through Swanston, sharp and fast,
A midday blur that’s built to last.
His blazer lifts, a sailing wing,
Caught in the city's bustling swing.

Lunch in hand—a humble prize,
Foam container, warm and wise.
Steam curls up like fleeting dreams,
Between the shops and tram bell screams.

The clock, it chases; he won't yield,
A soldier of the office field.
In every stride, a mission clear,
To beat the hour, to disappear.

Yet in that flight, a quiet grace,
A dance of motion, time, and place—
Where hunger meets the weekday grind,
And Swanston watches, half-aligned.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 GM

Check out Candid 799

Melbourne Candid Series #1042 Swanston St

 

Amid the rush on Swanston Street,
Where countless footsteps rise and meet,
A thousand faces glance and stray,
All chasing time, then swept away.

But through the tide of shifting heads,
Two walkers move like silver threads.
Their gaze is fixed, their posture proud,
Alone in focus, through the crowd.

No screens, no signs to draw their eyes,
They walk beneath the Melbourne skies,
As if they see a distant shore,
A quiet truth, a something more.

While city hums in scattered thought,
Their silent stride says all it ought—
In chaos, calm; in drift, direction,
Two souls in step with introspection.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Check out Candid 798

Melbourne Candid Series #1040 Swanston St

 

A man in full gear, steadfast and clean,
Guides his machine through the urban scene.
On Swanston Street, beneath morning’s gleam,
He rides the hum of a hissing stream.

The brushes whirl, the water sprays,
He sweeps the echoes of yesterday’s haze.
With every pass, the grit retreats,
Order returns to the bustling streets.

Helmet low, his eyes ahead,
In dawn’s soft gold and city red,
He makes the concrete gently shine—
A quiet craft, a task divine.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Check out Candid 796

Melbourne Candid Series #1039 Swanston St

 

I can't believe she bought a book—

From Dymocks, of all places! Look—

I thought that shop had long since died,

Its lights gone out, its shelves denied.

Yet there she stood, with quiet pride,

A paperback tucked at her side.

While near her, on Swanston Street,

A gentleman, composed and neat,

Wore a hat—so bold, so fine—

Like jazz notes dancing on a line.

Two scenes at once, a city’s hum,

Where past and present softly drum.

Sony A7RV

FE 20-70mm f4 G

Check out Candid 795

Melbourne Candid Series #1029 Melbourne Central

 

A youthful lad in garments sleek,
Through corridors he strolls unique.
With hands tucked deep in pockets tight,
He walks with ease, his soul alight.

A careless breeze, a spirit free,
Unbound by chains of gravity.
The world may rush, yet he remains,
A drifting note in time’s refrain.

Sony A7RV

FE 50mm f1.2 GM

Check out Candid 785 and FACE OFF

Melbourne Candid Series #1027 Swanston St

 

The couple exudes a distinctly different aura, one that is notably athletic in nature.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 783

Melbourne Candid Series #1026 Swanston St

 

She traces lines upon her hand,
As if they whisper fate’s command.
A secret map, so faint yet true,
A tale of past and future too.

Her fingers dance on paths unknown,
In every crease, a seed is sown.
Does love lie near or drift away?
Do golden dreams begin to stray?

The heart line bends, the lifeline sways,
She seeks the truth in tangled maze.
Yet in her palm, no fate is cast—
Her future shapes with each step past.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 782 and FACE OFF

Melbourne Candid Series #1025 Swanston St

 

Beneath the columns, tall and grand,
A man in beret walks the land.
With measured steps and gaze so free,
He strolls in thoughtful revelry.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 781

Melbourne Candid Series #1024 Swanston St

 

A young gentleman reclineth upon the verdant lawn, delighting in the perusal of his phone before the grand edifice of the state library.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 780

Melbourne Candid Series #1015 Swanston St

Upon his brow, the shadows lay,
As if the night had stolen day.
His weary eyes, so dim, so worn,
Like stars that fade before the morn.

One glance might guess, with softened sight,
He’s wrestled long against the night.
Yet here he stands, though frail and deep,
A soul adrift on tides of sleep.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 772

Melbourne Candid Series #1013 Swanston St

 

Upon the green by knowledge grand,
A lively crowd takes rest at hand.
With meals in lap and laughter bright,
They bask beneath the noon’s warm light.

The books stand tall in silent keep,
As voices dance and moments steep.
A midday pause, so free, so fair,
As life and learning breathe the air.

Sony A7RV

FE 50mm f1.2 GM

Check out Candid 771

Melbourne Candid Series #1012 Swanston St

 

The lads partake of their midday repast upon the front lawn of the state library.

Sony A7RV

FE 50mm f1.2 GM

Check out Candid 770

Melbourne Candid Series #996 Swanston St

 

The people at back actually browsed on laptop on the lawn

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 754

Melbourne Candid Series #995 Swanston St

 

In front of the library, I observe an increasing number of individuals at ease, unburdened by devices in their hands.

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 753

Melbourne Candid Series #979 Swanston St

 

A second depiction of him walking, for he strides with such confidence and suave elegance.

His movements are marked by an effortless grace that captivates the eye. There is a distinguished air about him, a blend of assurance and refinement that harkens back to a time when elegance was paramount. 

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 738

Melbourne Candid Series 978 Swanston St

 

He was once a familiar figure, but since the onset of COVID, he has not been seen. Not homeless, he was renowned among Melbourne's city photographers—a retired academic possessing several properties. Yet, he chose to live without a roof, embracing the outdoors as his dwelling.

His absence now evokes contemplation about the profound impacts of the pandemic on individual lives. Electing to forgo traditional comforts despite ample means suggests a quest for freedom or a deeper connection with the world unconfined by walls.

Sony A7RV

FE 50mm f1.2 GM

Check out Candid 737

Melbourne Candid Series #977 Swanston St

 

It appears the man bun and unkempt style remain in vogue. Personally, I favour the clean-cut appearance.

It's intriguing how fashion trends ebb and flow over time. The resurgence of the man bun and a more rugged look perhaps signifies a shift towards embracing individuality and a laid-back ethos. 

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 736

Melbourne Candid Series #975 Swanston St - State Library

 

As he emerged from the grand State Library, his eyes fell upon me, intent on him with my great lens. Oops

Sony A7RV

FE 135mm f1.8 GM

Check out Candid 734 and FACE OFF

Melbourne Candid Series #974 Swanston St

 

She is enjoying her time 

Sony A7RV

FE 50mm f1.2 GM

Check out Candid 733