Urban Artwork, Graffiti or vandalism; no matter what you call it Melbourne is a great place for this type of photography. You can find great examples of stencil work and freehand art just about anywhere from Footscray to Carlton and in almost every laneway in the CBD.
One of the best things about this type of photography is its impermanence. The canvas is always changing, whether it be regular cleaning by councils or constant changes made or overlays by artists, you can be guaranteed you'll always find something different each time you venture out with a camera.
I'd have to say, out of all the various types of graffiti out there, stencils would be my favourite; anything done by or inspired by Banksy. The fact that an artist can have a work sprayed up on a wall in perfect detail before anyone notices is a great advantage for this type of art. This means you can find fantastic examples in almost any location but you'll still probably find the best examples in small out of the way alleys.
Some of the best places I've found (so far) in Melbourne to shoot great graffiti and stencil art are Hosier Lane in the CBD, De Graves Street, Caledonian Lane, Canada Lane and Maribyrnong Road in Footscray.
I'd definitely recommend a good tripod if you want a nice wide shot, especially when shooting in darker alleys as the light isn't always good. Also, a lot of the shots can be made to look more vivid and grittier by simply upping the contrast and dropping the brightness of the image in Photoshop or whichever app you prefer. You might prefer a more raw style of image but I find a lot of the shots have a "washed out" look to them that needs some touching up anyway.
Melbourne has a fascinating and growing urban art scene so get out there and start shooting but remember, if you see a great shot stop and take it, because it might not be there tomorrow!
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