My Favourite Places to Shoot - Sydney

Sydney is a city that has been at the top of my photo taking bucket list for the longest time. It’s one of the top cities that I for some reason have always wanted to tourist around and get lost with my camera! Not quite sure why, but not long ago, I made that happen as Em and I embarked on a Sunrise to Sunset adventure through this beautiful city that I quickly fell in love with! We managed to cover over half a marathon while exploring, and seeing the best sights from all the best angles throughout the course of 1 single day here! Throughout this post we’ll be sharing all the best spots and shots and tips for your perfect day in Sydney!

Iconic - Opera House Steps

Our day started with sunrise on the Harbour Bridge to catch the perfect Opera House Sunrise view. We got so lucky with the colours and the weather, I would almost go as far as saying it was the perfect sunrise! The view of the Opera House was completely unobstructed and the sun rose directly behind it lighting up the entire harbour, it was magical!

Words Can't Even Describe

It’d been a while since I had spent any time in a big city but I’m so happy Sydney was the city to break that streak. I did a lot of research on the best places for photos and the best times (usually sunrise- shocker), so we had a really busy morning! After sunrise we headed down to check out Dawes Point and Park Hyatt- both located close by. At Dawes Point we had a perfect frame of the Opera House under the Harbour Bridge- probably my favourite shot of the whole day! From here you can see Luna Park across the Harbour at Milsons Point.

My Favourite Photo of the Day

Sydney is such a gorgeous city to walk around in, especially before it gets too busy. We walked from Circular Quay, along George Street at around 7:30am, until we reached The Strand Arcade. It was so peaceful and such a different vibe to what I was expecting. Along the way we stumbled across a little alley way that had bird cages hanging from above. This art display was called ‘forgotten songs’ and it commemorates the songs of about fifty birds that were once heard in central Sydney before the evolution of the city and increase in urbanisation.

George Street Before The Chaos

Being so close to Christmas it’s no surprise Sydney was decked out with decorations & lights! The Strand Arcade was a stand out for sure though. This building opened in 1892 and its the only arcade that was built in the Victoria era, remaining in it’s original form! Pitt Street, which is another iconic shopping street in Sydney, was also filled with lights and festivities everywhere you looked!

The Strand Arcade

Pitt Street

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair was the first stop on our afternoon adventure. This Sydney landmark is one of the best vantage points in the city! Some quick history about how it got it’s name - the chair was carved out of a sandstone rock ledge by convicts in 1810 for the Governors wife. Lady Elizabeth was known to visit the area and enjoy the panoramic views. What a spot though, it is pretty remarkable to see the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge all fit in one frame, at the same time! We took the scenic route through the Botanical Gardens and around to the Opera House to see it’s beauty up close and personal! Fun fact: The Sydney Opera House is one of the most famous and distinctive buildings of the 20th century and it was actually designed by a Danish Architect- I think that is pretty special!

Mrs Macquarie's Chair - VIEWS

Scenic Route Through The Gardens

On our way to dinner, we stopped off at the Observatory Hill to catch sunset. It wasn’t the best sunset, but the panoramic views of Sydney Harbour were nothing short of amazing. We enjoyed watching day turn to night with a perfect view of the Bridge and Luna Park/ Milsons Point.

View From Observatory Hill

Darling Harbour is the place to go if you are looking for delicious food and amazing views. It’s a short 20 minute walk from the city centre of Sydney and is one of the most buzzy places. There is something for everyone from cafes, restaurants, a shopping complex, IMAX cinema, maritime museum and entertainment attractions such as the aquarium. We enjoyed dinner here and then headed across on the ferry to Milsons Point. This was probably one of the most beautiful ferry rides and the views from the wharf opposite the city were phenomenal. It was definitely worth it if you want a different perspective.

View of The Opera House from Milsons Point

So there we have it, as mentioned before, we managed to walk 25km in Sydney all in one day exceeding the length of a half marathon! I think its safe to say we made the absolute most of it! I couldn’t recommend this enough guys, we had an incredible time and Sydney truly has so much diversity to offer all in a very walking friendly, safe and clean city! If you embark on a similar journey or route, make sure to follow the times too because it really wouldn’t be the same if you’re not up on that beautiful bridge for sunrise views! Be extra!

Catch you in the next one!