I've been living in Sydney since the age of 4, so for me, Sydney was where my passion for photography started. I'm not going to lie, It's evolved into a pretty shitty city. The night life is dead compared to any other major international city. Traffic is so bad you may as well park your car in the middle of the road. Cost of living has sky rocketed, not to mention the house prices! (1.5 million dollars will get you a fairly average 2 bedroom apartment). All in all, Sydney has become one of the most un-livable cities in the world.. and you wonder why I travel. 

Now that I've totally sold it to you, I'm going to tell you why It's still a great city to visit! It's one of the most photographed cities in Australia. You'll find 200 year old heritage and culture along side with more modern and iconic structures. Here are 7 locations to create some sweet shots of Sydney.

1. Cremorne Point

I feel like I'm giving up part of my soul here. It's kind of the hidden spot I used to take girls on dates (dont judge me). Pick a spot along the lawn, let the cool ocean breeze take your worries away. Not only is it a great place to just hang out, but it offers great views encompassing clean unobstructed views of the cityscape. The only downside is that It's a spot that's not easily accessible, and you'll have to take a car here. But it's also one of the reasons you'll often find there aren't a lot of people here, especially at night. 

2. The Rocks

Cobblestone walkways, cosy cafes and sandstone walls. It's one of my favorite spots to explore street photography. This was where the first European settlers chose to step ashore in 1788. They were a rag-tag bunch of rowdy convicts, thieves, sailors and thugs. The atmosphere has gotten slightly classier since, but you'll still find the odd Irish pub that still honor their legacy. You dont have to look far for a good photo. I suggest exploring the area yourself, but there are plenty of tours available too.

3. Mrs. Macquaries Chair

This would've been higher up on my list, but its a very popular spot and feel sometimes it's a little over photographed. If you do want to take that iconic shot of Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House, this certainly the place to get it. You'll be positioned perfectly in front of it. You can perch yourself on the rocks to the side, and sometimes the waves can add something a little extra to your shots.  

4. Botanical Gardens

This garden is more than just flowers and trees. It's a great stroll and you can also swing by the opera house on your way to Mrs. Macquaries Chair, so its not really out of the way. Occasionally you'll get some art students that display some pretty cool contemporary art structures. 

 

5. The Powerhouse Museum

This one's pretty cool. It's a museum of technology built in an old power station (hence "powerhouse"). They have a number of items on display that you probably wont get to see anywhere else. They even have the engine of a decommissioned rocket and a number of aircraft just hanging from the ceiling! There's also a lot of contemporary art style displays that make for unqiue pictures.. or desktop wallpapers?

Here's another shot at The Rocks. I woke up bright and early and had a quick chat to this fisherman. Apparently you can get squid here.. Who'd have thought? I like this photo because it kind of looks like he's fishing out the sun. Sometimes you can only appreciate a good photo after you upload it onto a computer. 

If you're lucky you can see some old school ships come into the harbour. They do tours too! Unfortunately I wasn't able to get one with it's sails deployed (Deployed? Dispatched? Released? I dont know, I'm not a sailor).

I'd recommend going to the museum first, then make your way through the rocks and botanical gardens during the day. Mrs. Macquaries chair is pretty good for golden hour/ twilight. At the end of the day, chill at Cremorne Point (if you can manage a car/cab/uber trip there). 

 

You can check out some of my full resolution photographs Here.

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