New South Wales Archives - Ed O'Keeffe Photography

22 February 20264 July 2026

Sydney Harbour Bridge from Observatory Hill at night

Dusk cityscape showing a bridge over a street with buildings illuminated by soft evening light.

Observatory Hill is one of my favourite places to photograph the Sydney Harbour Bridge from. This iconic view is looking along Lower Fort Street. It is a busy image with a lot going on but these layers to the photograph makes it for me. In the foreground there are a few red and white light trails from cars. Obviously the harbour bridge is the focal point. Off to the left on the other side of the harbour is Luna Park. If you look closely your can see the glowing purple light of the Ferris wheel. This photograph was captured a few years back now. It was at this same location on the same night someone walked in front of my camera with a sparkler. This created an even more striking image. See Sydney Harbour Bridge from Observatory. I prefer the slightly earlier and less chaotic photograph above.  

24 February 20193 March 2019

Hornby Lighthouse

Constructed in 1858 this is one of Australia’s most important lighthouses. Standing bright at the southern entrance to Port Jackson and Sydney Harbour. In my two week trip to Sydney, this was location was the furthest I ventured from the city. Taking a ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay. Then walking the 3 kilometres around Green Point Reserve and Camp Cove to the lighthouse. On the other side of the water is North Head on the right and the lights of Manly behind the light house.

17 February 20191 January 2019

Watching the sunrise at Circular Quay

One hour after watching the moonrise over the Sydney Opera House the sun started coming up. Now there were a few more people around. Looking at the round street lights made me wonder. Would it be possible to compose the sunrise behind one of these lights? This experiment turned out much better than I’d hoped. Especially with the couple stood under the light and the two ferries in the harbour.

9 February 201911 January 2025

The Rocks, Sydney at night

Searching the Museum of Contemporary Art of Australia online, I saw a similar photograph. Only taken in the daytime. At first, I assumed it had been captured using a drone. The large building the centre of the image is the museum. On the last day of my trip, I took a lift next to the train station. It took me up to the pedestrian walkway alongside the Cahill Expressway. Walking about 100 metres along it from above Circular Quay station. I ended up on a bridge right over George Street looking over The Rocks area of the city. Watching the cars moving below me I wanted to return at dusk. Due to the heavy highway traffic close behind me and the narrow walkway. It was hard to keep the camera still a long enough exposure time to capture the light trails from the traffic.