Sydney Harbour in Lights

If you were ever in any doubt that Sydney possesses the world’s most beautiful natural harbour, adorned with the world’s most innovative architecture, this year’s Vivid light festival would surely have reassured you. Now in its 5th year, the Vivid festival encompasses music performance and an ideas forum, but the real drawcard for the visitors in their millions is the light display. Designed and choreagraphed by artists and technical wizards, the lights are breathtakingly projected onto the city’s most prominent landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Customs House, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I rarely need an excuse to check out Sydney Harbour so I thought I’d get on down with my DSLR and take a good old gander.

If you’re interested in viewing my camera settings or seeing any of the photos large size, you can click on any image that takes your fancy. There’s even a video at the end.

 

While the atmosphere was generally good around Circular Quay, I thought I’d check out the Opera House first so as not to miss it.

 

Sydney’s historic area of The Rocks was done up in its finest colours too.

 

Some more Opera House pictures from a different angle. You can see the projection beams in some of these.

 

After this, we walked under the bridge and towards Walsh Bay to get a cool view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

 

Finally, after dinner and drinks at Darling Harbour we hotfooted it back towards Circular Quay where despite the late hour, the Customs House lights were still dancing. I mean this almost literally- the lights warp and change in time to a person dancing to the beat on special sensor pads. Interesting. For some people, Customs House is the big highlight as the lights are so well designed to make the building look like it is morphing, warping, even crumbling.

Finally, if you want to have a look at how the visuals morphed and changed, here’s a video: