Suburb No 37: Sydney CBD

The city? Yes, I know. But apparently it is a suburb.

Because I'm city-based for another photographic project I've just started, I decided to make Sydney's
CBD my suburb of the week. It meant I could finally explore on foot all those amazing buildings
that I've driven past so many times, rushing to work or whatever. Having missed out last year, I was
also keen to see Sydney sandstone (and that white building on the water) bathed in wild colour
courtesy of Macquarie Visions and Vivid.

By the way, in case you're not acquainted with the life and times of Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie
and are wondering what all the fuss is about, an explanation in 20 words or less: Arriving in 1810, they
basically built Sydney, were into the arts and gave poor old buggers like convict Francis Greenway
a second chance. 

Let's mosie.

Part 1: Sydney, in fairytale, magical colour

who were they in Lachlan Macquarie's times I wonder

 

vivid pink

wild

purple lines 

an icon on a beanie

Part 2: On the street

department of cool

eyelashes made for the stage

peace man

sparkles

in the financial district 

tall

starstruck

and falling off your heels

rocks

from Japan 

pearls, come rain or shine

pattern

a break from work

neck frills

off to High Tea

 

x marks the spot

it's a jungle out there

Part 3: It sure ain't Spring but there are flowers in Sydney town

The rain is making all the flowers grow...

black and white

sweet skeleton

wild red

circles

flower beads

Part 4: From behind the wheel

If you live in Sydney you'll know that it's Rain Time. Officially. It just keeps coming down. On one
visit to the city I was like, if I get out, all my shots will have big fat splotches of rain on them. 
So I may as well drive around and take shots from behind my wet, foggy windscreen.

waiting in the rain

QVB in the rain

walking in the rain

The Astor in the rain

easy for you to smile

Museum of Sydney in the rain

Of course I could have just made a beeline for Customs House where you can walk all over Sydney
without having to dodge the raindrops.

 

walking all over Sydney

Part 5: Adding colour to the grey

I couldn't drive around forever. So I decided to brave the wet - with my brand new technicolour
brolley. 

she had the same one 

what grey?

hair like Heidi

is he Superman?

Town Hall turns purple

purple light

you can never have too many technicolour umbrellas 

Part 6: Wedding

I wandered into the Hilton Hotel to continue adding colour to the grey when I noticed a whole swathe
of colour was already there - four bridesmaids dressed in purple and a bride wearing something
straight out of a Siberian storybook. They were there just to take photos, in between the ceremony
and the reception, and kindly let me tail behind for a while.

a purple wedding

halo of feathers

bridesmaids

and they're off again

Part 7: Bex

Driving past Hyde Park, I just had to stop - a woman by the name of Bex, off to a Femme leather do. 

an education indeed

a colourful way to walk

criss-cross 

hello sailor

femmes love their leather

strong lines

Part 7: Ending on a bright note

I have faith that the sun will shine once more. In fact, it sneaked through the grey briefly the
other day.

there is light at the end of the rain

sun!

And then this young man and his tattoo - 'love conquers all' - that's a ray of sunshine right there.

amor indeed

Beauty in Sydney's CBD? Loads of it. If they could just do something about that Monorail track ...

See you next week.