Tiny Ten Tuesday - Louise Hawson of 52 Suburbs

It's that time again!


In the third installment of Tiny Ten we're looking at the fantastic work of Louise Hawson, the photographer and suburban explorer behind 52 Suburbs.

After being a Sydney resident for over 30 years, Louise realised she'd only set foot in a handful of its 600+ suburbs, so with camera in hand she set to remedy this by starting 52 Suburbs - a photographic exploration of a new Sydney suburb every week.

Here's a little insight into the lady behind the lens!

[Constant Movement - Bondi]

Canon 5D Mk II

[...Of the Inner West - Newtown]


[Sweet - Auburn]

Don't know - but if I did, would you really want to know? Shouldn't it be a surprise? Kind of like having a baby - you know there will be one but you'd rather wait to see what it looks like.

[The Bell - Surry Hills]

Spring. Not too hot, not too cold. The memory of cosy winter days still fresh with the promise of sultry, wander-around-in-your-swimmers summer.

[Pink - Newtown]

I love North America. Drove across it when I was 25 and loved the diversity - from the mystical South-West with its deserts and mountains, to one of the most stimulating cities in the world, New York. Their politics aren't great but at least they've got a better guy in the White House now.

[Stairway to Heaven - Brighton le Sands]

I ADORE my project in the suburbs but 24 weeks into it, I'd love a weekend off, scaling a mountain, with no computers in sight.

[Eyes are Everywhere - Auburn]

My camera. My computer! No no, my daughter!!

[...Is Everything - Surry Hills]

Getting my first documentary to air after countless setbacks (no video camera to shoot with being one!)

[Just Yellow - Brighton le Sands]

Not sure. I haven't really had the time or mental space to think about it seriously. All I know is that it will involve my camera.

[Fly Like a Bird - Bankstown]

Exciting. Rewarding. And fun!

Funnily enough, Louise's summary of 2010 can easily be applied to 52 Suburbs too! It really is a pleasure to jump on every week and see which corner of Sydney she's explored next. She has an amazing knack for putting perfectly complementary and contrasting images together, and as a relatively new Sydneysider, I'm enjoying learning about a rich and diverse city that is so much more than an Opera House and a Bridge.

So a huge thank you to Louise for sharing such an amazing project with us all, and of course for playing along with Tiny Ten.


xx Kit


P.S. I've just stumbled across Louise's 52 Suburbs Corner Shop full of her beautiful images in postcard format, so if you ever get sick of the trusty ol' Opera House, you know where to go!