GOLF PRACTICE PROHIBITED …… NOT FOR THIS GENTLEMAN
Just think, if this person had not broken the rules then he would not have been immortalized on The Melbourne Map – 1990 edition. We capture lots of moments like these during our research, and inevitably they make it on the drawing. This photo also prompted us to write the “Can You Find?” list that accompanied the map.
In some ways you could compare our process to writing a book. We are capturing Melbourne’s physical appearance in terms of its structures and landscape but also the everyday activities that we observe along the way. Backpackers in St. Kilda, all kinds of sports activities, hot air ballooning, horse riding, kite flying, rowing, sailing, windsurfing and so on. This time I imagine we will include a few rooftop bar activities – you didn’t see those in the 90’s.
Included are many vehicles. Last time there were Ron & Margaret on their bike and sidecar, Greg in the Chevy, the Carlton & United Breweries draught horses, the Blood Bank truck, planes, trains, trams and automobiles. Greg has been in touch – “Hey Mel, please keep the Chevy on the map, and here are three more photos of my other cars!”
I have been sifting through a small selection of the photos taken in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It is so hard for me to not be distracted and spend hour upon hour tripping down memory lane. Back when we were making the first Melbourne Map, the only way we could gather information for the illustration was to head out and take photos ourselves – all 7,500 of them. We did have access to a few aerial shots but these were few and far between and most often were not taken in the direction we needed.
These days there is a plethora of information on the world wide web. However we are still doing the ground research ourselves and driving and walking around each area before capturing on paper. Only this time we can take thousands of digital photos and don’t have to wait days to have them developed.
You never know, we might have taken a photo of you and you might just be on The Melbourne Map 2017 edition.