Bendigo: City in the Bush

I created this image of Bendigo city buildings and placed them in a collage with a bush backdrop. This was inspired by a desire to highlight the beauty of Bendigo and the unique Box-Ironbark forests it is surrounded by.

This image was created by combining city scenery with a bush backdrop. Initially I found the bush photography difficult (on a bright summer’s day) as each shot looked almost the same. A couple of days later, I woke up and happened to find fog outside my bedroom window and live a stones throw from the bush, so I went and took some interesting shots.

I then went into the city centre to take images of iconic Bendigo buildings including a few iconic heritage buildings and also the new Bendigo Bank building to provide some contrast. At the right moment, while I was photographing the fountain, a tram went past and I shot it while it had stopped for a couple of minutes. It is actually superimposed into an image of the Bendigo Bank building.

In PhotoShop (a professional photo editing program), I cut out the shapes of the building (by erasing the background) and using multiple layers, I superimposed the images onto the bush background. It took me several refinements to get this right. Initially the image looked flat. I then, however, decided to divide the images into panels and created a zig-zag pattern to add a dynamic feel. I also distorted the image of the Cathedral and added the effect of an Impressionist-style painting to the images of the Cathedral, Fountain and Old Post Office. I also tried to do the manipulations in a way that it didn’t detract from the image.