2022 Sydney VIVID Festival of Lights & Beyond

Our annual photography adventure is back – who’s keen to join our small group of 6.  Sydney’s Festival of Lights (VIVID) is one of our annual guided photographic adventures and will inspire and motivate you if you keen to enhance your photographic skills during a four-day, three-night Sydney adventure filled with opportunities for all levels, beginners to advanced.

The nights are dedicated to Vivid, Sydney’s annual festival of lights, with a dinner cruise with the chance to capture amazing images of the light displays at Darling Harbour and Sydney’s harbour.

The adventure includes one sunrise and one sunset shoot, evening harbour bridge session, a beach long exposure session where we can also capture surfers in action and lots of street and urban photographic opportunities.

We visit the historic Coal Loader area with its green rooftop and old tunnels, a visit to Redfern for the picturesque terraced houses and the aboriginal murals; a walk through Sydney’s laneways which showcase street art, graffiti and great cafés; and Manly Beach, complete with surfers.

This will be a great learning environment with expert guidance, instruction and personal attention. The adventure caters to all levels, from beginners to advanced photographers, but you should have a basic understanding of your camera’s settings.

You will leave the this adventure with new skills, new friends, inspiration and some really, really, stunning photos to show off.  Of course, we will have time for photo reviews on 1st June before we enjoy a farewell lunch.

Itinerary:

Sunday 29 May

After checking into our hotel, let’s enjoy lunch and get to know each other before we head out to Manly to capture some amazing seascape images which include surfers in action, while maybe not good for the surfers, let’s hope for some really stormy weather.  Tonight we walk to dinner and dine at one of Lesley’s favourite restaurants before continue our walking to McMahons Point where we will capture evening images of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge lighting spectacular as well as long exposure images of the ferry’s crossing the harbour.  Board our ferry and off we head to Darling Harbour for a magical night to capture the festival of lights.

Monday 30 May

No sleep in this morning as we’re being picked up early so we can capture images from our really special vantage point (Balls Head), here we are looking to photograph Sydney’s Harbour in blue hour and the sun rising over Sydney’s Harbour Bridge.  After such an early start, let’s enjoy our cooked breakfast at Coal Loader Cafe, then we spend the morning walking around Coal Loader which is an amazing place with so much to photograph – from leading lines to dilapidated wharf and artistic structures.    Before lunch, we’re picked up and taken back to our hotel so we can do a quick freshen up then head over to Redfern for lunch. Here we’ll find some amazing street photography plus if the fire engines are around, we will likely be able to capture images from within the Redfern Fire Station (this is always a treat)!

Before we head out for our dinner cruise, we have time to freshen up and another battery recharge.  Tonight you will have the most amazing vantage point to be able to capture images of Sydney’s Festival of Lights from onboard our boat.

Tuesday 31st May

A little (😂)sleep in this morning as we’ll have breakfast and lunch in Sydney’s central area – spend the morning walking the laneways and exploring the Queen Victoria Building which has the most amazing architectural photographic opportunities. We also visit one of Sydney’s train stations to capture the most amazing architectural and leading lines!  If you’re into long exposure you’ll have a ball with this location.

Mid afternoon we have a little free time – we’ll need charge our batteries as tonight we’re exploring more of the VIVID light festival’s light structures but before dinner we head to Bangaroo and setup for sunset over Sydney’s upper harbour.

Wednesday 1st June

Let’s enjoy breakfast at our hotel this morning, then it’s photo review time before our farewell lunch – let’s raise our glass of bubbles and toast our newfound #photographybuddies.     After lunch it’s time for those goodbye hugs!

What’s included:

• Three nights twin-share accommodation at North Sydney Harbourview hotel which affords the most amazing harbour views.
• Transport to all activities outlined:  train, ferry & mini-van
• Breakfast, lunch & dinner as outlined above – alcohol is own cost
• Photography review session
• Lots of photography mentoring
• Women in Photography Alumni discount applies if you’re a member
• A5 photo diary which is invaluable for making notes on where you’ve visited plus also a quick reference camera setting guide on the front.

What’s Not Included:

• Return airfares to Sydney
• Transfers to/from Harbourview hotel from Sydney airport
• Morning, afternoon teas
• Drinks or snacks not outlined above
• Purchases or spending of a personal nature
• NZ & Australian Government COVID testing.

All prices quoted are NZD – T&C’s, camera gear & equipment list available here

Women in Photography has the necessary protocols in place to operate under the the COVID-19 Protection Framework red, amber and green levels. For your safety, that of your fellow passengers and those leading leading Women in Photography’s events, we are have robust processes in place to ensure that we can operate safely at red, amber and green levels of the COVID-19 Protection Framework. Click here to know more about this policy and the requirements of you as an attendee.

Limited to a maximum of 6 a $500 deposit secures your place.  If you want your own room, just an additional cost of $300 for the three nights is payable upfront with deposit.

Book now by paying your deposit – balance of payment in 1st May.

We recommend you purchase Travel & Pandemic Travel Insurance to provide cover should you not be able to travel due to COVID – please contact kerry@privatetravel.co.nz to discuss this policy.

NOTE

We require a minimum of 5 for this tour to go ahead – your deposit is fully refundable if we do not achieve this minimum number.