This project was completed to fulfill my first year RMIT Bachelor of Photography world-oriented 'Mini Folio'. The following was submitted as my project statement:
Whilst I initially sought to capture Melbourne’s nightlife, I came to acknowledge the hidden after-hours workers tirelessly keeping the cogs of our city turning while we sleep. These workers, stripped of personal identity, fulfill their roles whether it be firefighters, street cleaners, or security guards. I found myself particularly drawn to delivery riders, frantically peddling to drop off food as quickly as possible, then immediately going to the next order.
These gig economy workers face great danger for marginal returns, working in unsafe conditions and often neglecting road safety in an attempt to maximise efficiency, driven by the capitalist lie that rewards are proportional to hard work.
This rat race is present during the day, but becomes immediately more apparent in the deserted streets of the night. These gig workers help maintain the series of interconnected networks that keep the city alive and breathing, through all hours of the night until the sun rises once more.
The stark juxtaposition of struggling workers and people partying is extremely interesting. This contrast creates a surreal atmosphere in which two distinct worlds blend into one another, as the drunk teenager is placed in the same realm as a struggling father.
As my subject matter lended itself to this surreality, I aimed to evoke a sense of heightened realism, emphasising shadows and light, utilising my camera’s built-in flash to highlight subjects amongst their surroundings – especially reflective, high-vis material – and shooting Kodak motion picture film stock to lean toward an almost cinematic quality. Additionally, each print was produced by hand using the RA4 colour darkroom process to maintain a fully analogue workflow from camera to final print.
‘afterhours’ documents Melbourne's central business district between midnight and dawn, exposing a rarely seen side of the city simmering with interesting stories just waiting to be captured.