All of these photos – chance encounters and random incidents – were taken in Canberra, but this is not a post about Canberra so much as it is about people; most of them could be anywhere western really. They are photos that didn’t fit neatly into any previous post, and I didn’t want them forever buried in the archives simply because they’re not specifically about Canberra, though they are about travel; they capture the life-blood of almost all travel. Travel can be about nature and the landscape and wildlife, and about iconic places and buildings, but in the end it’s mostly about the people.

These photos reveal what catches my eye – it may be bright colours, or strong shadows, or something quirky, or a tableau of people who are unaware of their part in it, sometimes it’s the way the light falls, or exuberant activity, or a sudden piercing look that I’m lucky enough to capture, or a colourful background brought to life by the people passing by it. All of them are about who we are, the way we inhabit the world as we go about our lives, whether as travellers or locals. All of them are about my fascination with humanity – how alike we all are, and at the same time how unique we are. Hopefully they tell the story of the people that intrigued me; I find people infinitely interesting and entertaining.

None of these photos have been published before, though in some cases similar ones have been; it’s the blessing, and the curse, of digital photography – many good photos of almost the same thing. I’ve played with a few of them, in Lightroom and Photoshop, often blurring the background so that the thing that caught my eye also catches yours.

Out and about in Canberra city:































At the National Museum of Australia:










At my great great nephew’s birthday party:



Photo by Julie Garran



At my sister’s in-laws:




At the end-of-year student exhibition at the Australian National University School of Art and Design:




At the Australian National Botanic Gardens:




At the Bookplate Cafe in the lobby of the National Library of Australia:




At Lights on the Lake, an Australia Day celebration on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin:











































Disclaimer: As a general rule, if a photographer is shooting in a public space, such as a street or a park, s/he will usually have the right to do so without the consent of the subjects. Generally speaking if it is in the public domain, you can take a picture of it. Photojournalism and street photography would not exist if permission to take the photo was required. If anyone objects of course I don’t take the photo, or if it’s already done I have them witness me deleting it. In some countries, eg India, people love to have their photo taken, and frequently request it. I always try to be discreet. Quite frequently it creates lovely interactions between myself and the subject. I have found it to be an overwhelmingly positive experience.


Canberra is situated on what was and always will be Aboriginal land; the lands of the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples.





All words and images by Alison Louise Armstrong unless otherwise noted
© Alison Louise Armstrong and Adventures in Wonderland – a pilgrimage of the heart, 2010-2024.