Buildings – Evolving Picture

Buildings, their design, designers, construction and use. Buildings within their environment.

The lighthouse in Byron Bay is at Australia's most Easterly point. In 1991, when this photograph was taken, a volcanic eruption in the Philippines was altering the weather patterns in the region and creating dramatic sunsets in Australia. A long exposure created the continuous light in the turret. The red lit window is called a "sector light". It is cleverly designed so that its recess points at the hazardous Julian Rocks in the bay. It is a warning to any vessel approaching in this direction.

Byron Bay Lighthouse

Sydney domestic airport terminal building, prior to opening

Airport Terminal

Tall ships from Pyrmont bridge, Darling Harbour 1988

Tall Ships

Architectural photography can benefit hugely from being able to wait for the right light. Unlike an object in a studio, you can't just move lights around. Often you can plan when to take the photo though. If it is impractical to visit the building a site in advance, tools like Google Earth can help greatly in predicting how the light will fall on your subject at a given time of day and season. Sometimes you just have to wait. That wasn't an issue with this image as it was the view from my studio window in Surry Hills. I waited until the shadows of the chimneys were perfectly placed on the gables of the terraced buildings. Moments later this spectacular light was gone.

Chimneys

Renowned international architect, Frank Gehry, infront of his design model of the Dr. Chau Chak Wing Building. Designed for the University of Technology, Sydney

Frank Gehry

Birdseye view of paved concourse at Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush NSW

Birdseye View

Kitchen interior of Vodaphone Australia, Chatswood NSW

Funky Kitchen

Stairwell at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre on the UNSW campus, Randwick. This building is the headquarters of the Children's Cancer Institute Australia

CCIA Stairwell

Hair salon interior. One to One Salon, Elizabeth St. Sydney

Hair Salon

Tower cranes at a construction site in Gosford NSW. Barclay Mowlem.

Gosford Cranes

onstruction of a large tank for the SITA Australia advanced waste treatment plant at Jack's Gully NSW. Constructed in 2008, the facility was the first of its kind in Australia and one of the first in the world.

Inside Tank

Construction of a log house at Santa Barbara California. I was a carpenter on this project.

Log House

Detail of a newly constructed facia board.

Fascia Detail

The beautiful interior of Sydney's Great Synagogue in Castlereagh Street. This image was taken as part of an archival recording undertaken by Orwell & Peter Phillips Architects.

Great Synagogue

Detail of cobbles on a street in the old part of Groningen, Netherlands

Dutch Cobbles

Night view of the Gold Coast, Queensland

Gold Coast Tower

Sydney city skyline at dusk. Taken with a long telephoto lens from Marrickville.

Sydney Skyline

Upward view to the towers of Chatswood, taken from Victoria Avenue for management consulting firm, Evans & Peck

Chatswood Skyline

Spiral stairs at the Sydney University, Kolling Building, Royal North Shore Hospital.

Spiral Stairs

Residential Interior. Bellevue Hill NSW

Bean Bag Lounge

The are no shortage of pictures of Sydney's iconic Opera House. It is one of the most photographed buildings in the world. For this image I wanted to exclude as many elements as possible that gave reference to the time it was taken. It is not always easy on such a busy harbour. The treatment of the image also eludes to the timeless design of this amazing building.

Opera House

Quiet study room at the University of Technology Sydney's Building 10. UTS Braodway campus NSW

Quiet Room

ANZ Stadium (Formerly Stadium Australia), photographed upon completion in 1999

ANZ Stadium

The Qantas international transfer area of Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport, prior to opening.

Qantas Transfer

Corporate Express retail showroom. Designed by Custance Associates, Australia

Retail Space

Sydney Water offices at Liverpool NSW. Designed by Custance Associates, Australia

Ghost in Office

Sydney Skyline from Mosman

Sydney From Mosman