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The Rocks - part 5

Posted by
Stephen (Canberra, Australia) on 2 July 2011 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.

Here you see a narrow laneway in The Rocks called the Suez Canal. And it is very narrow. Not much room to pass when shot hungry tourist comes face to face with 'suit' armed with attaché case hurrying the other way!

Do you see the cut out shape of the guy lounging against the wall with hands in pockets? It is an impression of a local gang known as The Rocks Push. When this gang was active in the late 1800s, the Suez Canal was not a good place to walk along alone late at night. The Rocks Push was likely to be lurking – ready to rob you - and probably hit you over the head with an iron bar. (And the name Suez, by the way, was a pun on sewers!)

As the poet Banjo Paterson described The Push:

They were all clothed in “push” evening dress—black bell-bottomed pants, no waistcoat, very short black paget coat, white shirt with no collar, and a gaudy neckerchief round the bare throat. Their boots were marvels, very high in the heel and picked out with all sorts of colours down the sides.

(It is funny that one of Sydney’s trendy elites later adopted the Push name. The Sydney Push (active until the 1970s) would meet in various Downtown pubs.)

And so with these shadows of the past - we end our tour of The Rocks. Hope you enjoyed it!

NIKON D5000 1/50 second F/14.0 ISO 400 11 mm

Francisco Romero from Carbajal de la Legua, Spain

I have enjoyed it very much your tour. Great perspective in this image. And with the same warm, delightful colors as in the previous ones.

2 Jul 2011 5:39am

jpla from St Barthélémy d, France

J'aime beaucoup ! Je te souhaite une agréable journée
JP

2 Jul 2011 6:38am

DowsherVision from PARIS, France

Nice picture ! Well done.

2 Jul 2011 7:09am

Phil David Morris 2011 from Saskatoon, Toronto, Canada

A very beautiful image and a rather intriguing walk down this alley. Superb image.

2 Jul 2011 7:34am

mayoline from Hoorn, Netherlands

An interesting story of this Suez Canal. Nice depth in the picture and I like the colors and light.
Have a nice weekend Stephen. ;-)

2 Jul 2011 8:06am

thami from Fès, Morocco

Une belle perspective digne d'un western citadin !
Bon samedi lumineux!

2 Jul 2011 8:20am

CElliottUK from Reading, United Kingdom

What an interesting history. Now, isn't it interesting that we all seem to remember our criminals The Push, Ned Kelly, Robin Hood, Jack the Ripper Bonnie and Clyde, Billy the Kid etc etc, more than the good guys!

2 Jul 2011 8:21am

Mhelene from Paris, France

very beautiful ! A stunning passage !

2 Jul 2011 8:51am

Sam from Chennai, India

Wonderful image. Nice perspective of this long narrow lane between the stone walls. And an interesting story.
Excellent series and a nice presentation. Five Stars. Have a nice weekend, Stephen :)

2 Jul 2011 9:27am

Tede from Aubenas 07, France

Great composition and processing. Splendid perspective. 5 *. Good day.

2 Jul 2011 9:56am

PRASHANT from Mumbai, India

Wonderful location ...nicely spotted.

2 Jul 2011 10:21am

Elaine- from Vancouver, Canada

that guy is not lounging against the wall, he's peeing on it haha, thank you so much for the interesting tour!!! i never knew that's what the suez canal was!!! great shot!!!

2 Jul 2011 10:34am

k@ from Paris, France

We do feel as if in this narrow path, cool sensation & perspective !

2 Jul 2011 11:00am

Scene by Sharon Photography from Kingston, Ontario, Canada

I love this image and I would love to walk down that corridor myself ... love it!

2 Jul 2011 11:23am

Rick from Toronto, Canada

Your photo has an almost physical pull, resulting in a very vivid sense of standing right where you did. I love this strong dual wall of differing texture, and of course the historical information is a joy to read. You are one entertaining and rock solid tour guide!

2 Jul 2011 11:23am

Shaahin Bahremand from Tehran, Iran

i like this !
excellent

2 Jul 2011 11:54am

Eric Cousineau from Sherwood Park, Canada

What a rich and wonderful heritage this little passageway has! The warm light and colours defintely belie it's darker side! Nicely captured Stephen! ;-)

2 Jul 2011 12:50pm

DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES from United Kingdom

I always love alleyway shots and your POV here is bang on the money. Great background info that gives a flavour of the location. Another cracking frame, Stephen.

2 Jul 2011 12:54pm

Jason Politte from Conway, AR, United States

Fantastic perspective of this narrow path - I can imagine having to turn sideways and squeeze past someone coming the opposite way. Don't think I'd want to encounter The Rocks Push! ;-)

2 Jul 2011 1:07pm

tataray from france, France

J'adore...., cette ruelle de par ses textures et les couleurs, la profondeur de vue.
Excellente capture.)

2 Jul 2011 1:21pm

Irene from San Francisco, United States

I enjoyed your "tour" and a bit of history. I like the corridor look.

2 Jul 2011 2:30pm

marci from Morocco

yes. love it. love it. great series! again, surprisingly clean!!

2 Jul 2011 3:38pm

Adela Fonts from Barcelona, Spain

Fabulous place and narrow ... but nice to stroll difficult. Nice shot! An excellent place! A great edition! Best regards, Adela

2 Jul 2011 3:40pm

Nicou from Sion, Switzerland

Quelle perspective, quel rendu sur la pierre, fantastique cadrage et i8mage, sup0erbe

2 Jul 2011 4:37pm

DULCIE from Danville, CA, United States

This is a fine shot...and a fascinating story. Love the variety of life you've caught in photo and in word. :-)

2 Jul 2011 5:49pm

kiwisa from North Shore, New Zealand

Interesting info and great shot down the narrow alley

2 Jul 2011 7:25pm

skarlet from kerman, Iran

beautiful way! great light..well done

2 Jul 2011 7:50pm

RBL from Oxford, United States

Interesting history and nice shot showing the length of the lane.

2 Jul 2011 8:32pm

john4jack from Corvallis, Oregon, United States

fabulous leading lines. fine texture

2 Jul 2011 11:28pm

Michael Fresh from Chester, United Kingdom

What an interesting piece of local history, it seems that it was just as violent back then as today. Nice treatment on this alley shot.

3 Jul 2011 12:53am

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

A fine shot up the Suez Canal. Yes indeed, I liked the tour a lot.

3 Jul 2011 12:57am

vaFA from tehran, Iran

nice..very nice..excellent.i like this photo.well done

3 Jul 2011 2:50am

Bettina from Los Angeles, United States

That's great! I love the colors and perspective.

3 Jul 2011 4:42am

Pavan Kaul from Mumbai, India

Brilliant depth, detail and tones!

3 Jul 2011 7:15am

kitty from Seoul, South Korea

So good to read about all the history and great shot, nice and long and narrow ^^

3 Jul 2011 9:34am

janina from Melbourne, Australia

Is that you?!.....^_^ I like seeing the texture in these old bricks, probably sandstone. Yes, I've enjoyed this series too.

3 Jul 2011 9:41am

Emanuel from Borås, Sweden

very interesting story and an excellent photo of the laneway. I love the blue shades on the rocks and the point of view, great work!

3 Jul 2011 1:32pm

Lougris from Toulouse, France

un très bon cadrage et une bonne gestion de la lumière !!

3 Jul 2011 2:46pm

Dokmateo from Madrid, Spain

Cool tones..great shot and angle of this pavement.

3 Jul 2011 11:06pm

peter.K from blue mountains, Australia

another excellent image and a nice history lesson to boot...

4 Jul 2011 2:55am

Anne from 新加坡, Singapore

Awesome image with an interesting history..I love shots of narrow alleyways and this one is truly great, Stephen! Superb 5*

4 Jul 2011 3:20am

BBM from Sussex, United Kingdom

Cool capture ! :)

4 Jul 2011 6:00am

MARIANA from Waterloo, Canada

Excellent image . Super perspective and texture !

4 Jul 2011 12:24pm