Last weekend I flew down to Sydney to check out the Vivid Festival which is an 18 day festival of light, music and ideas. It is a free public exhibition of outdoor lighting sculptures and installations that are displayed around the city. I have wanted to photograph this event for the last three years so I was super excited to finally get there this year and it didn’t disappoint. Let me show you Vivid Festival Sydney.
The main light show is displayed on the Sydney Opera House and its usually the highlight of the event but I found the Customs House and MCA display more fascinating and beautiful than the Opera House to be honest. Unfortunately they are so popular I couldn’t get close enough to photograph them.
I spent most of my time watching the Opera House show and if you stand in the right spot looking across to the Opera House you can see these beautiful light beams coming off the top of it!
The Sydney Harbour Bridge has a light show on one side of it too which is nice to sit down and watch. A great quiet little spot that we found was at Blues Point and you get a direct view of the bridge.
Another great spot is from Milsons Point near Luna Park. It is quite busy from this spot but its a cool vantage point where you can see the bridge, the city and the Opera House together.
If you fancy a bit of a walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge there is a great viewing platform from the top of the South Pylon. Its gives a great view over the Harbour and you can watch the light show on the Opera House from up there too!
Another great spot for viewing the Harbour Bridge is from Observatory Hill. Its a nice quiet spot to escape the crowds.
There was an awesome BBC Nature light show in the Argyle street tunnel. People were laying down on the road to watch it. They do close off this road if you were wondering!
And one more vantage point is from the tower on the left hand side dock straight across from the Opera House. You get 180 degree views from here. Thank you to Tony Irvin for showing us this spot! Tony is a fantastic photographer based in Sydney and a hell of a nice guy.
So after two nights of running around photographing and enjoying this amazing festival I was pretty exhausted. The next morning I was due to fly out at 7am but my flight was delayed thankfully because it was THE most amazing sunrise and I wouldn’t have captured it otherwise. Sorry for the overload of Harbour Bridge and Opera House photos but they truly are spectacular man made structures and its hard not to admire them.
I have to say I had an absolute blast at Vivid Festival and I will definitely being going back again next year. The atmosphere in Sydney during the festival was amazing and so much fun. Sydney is such a beautiful city and I am so glad that I finally got to see one of the biggest light shows in the world.
Did you end up getting to this years Vivid Festival? If so, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below!
Wow! Those photos are stunning Larissa! I am adding Vivid Sydney to my bucket list for next year! Thanks for sharing!
Aww, thanks so much Kiki! I will be there again next year! Maybe we will run into each other! ๐
beautiful photos larissa I did go to vivid this year will try and go again next year will spend more time taking photos and having a decent look around like you i thought customs house was outstanding
Thank you so much Leeza! I can’t wait to go back again next year! It was so much fun! Maybe I will see you there! ๐
Great blog & photos! That sunrise was amazing – I can see why you were happy your flight was delayed! I’m going to have to go to Vivid next year!!
Thank you so much Ella! I think that sunrise would have to have been the best I have ever seen! It was incredible! ๐
I’ve been waiting to see your photos from the festival Larissa! You are right and lucky to catch the sunrise photos they are gorgeous! I think the 6th photo would have to be my favourite. Kate, Wondrous x
Thank you so much Kate! It was such an awesome event! And yes, so lucky to catch that amazing sunrise! ๐
What an awesome event! I pretty emabarrassed to say that I had never heard of Vivid Sydney. I might have to venture down to Sydney to check it out next year! Thanks Larissa.
haha, don’t be embarrassed Jake! Its a pretty new event but at least you know about it now and you can add to the list of fun things to do next year! ๐
These pictures are literally so stunning! I am blown away!
I want to go to VIvid so badly now haha – it looks amazing,
The photos of the Opera House are next level beautiful – you have done such a great job
Aww, thank you so much Caitlin for your lovely comment! It certainly was an amazing event and sunrise before I left! haha. So glad I have inspired you! ๐
Omg – the sunrise was amazing – your photos are stunning! I’ve never been to vivid – it looks like so much fun! It’s great that Sydney hold an event like vivid!
It was the craziest and most beautiful sunrise ever Ella! The colours in the sky went nuts for about 30 minutes! We were all standing there in awe of it! Vivid was so much fun! You will have to check it out next year! ๐