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The Sydney Opera House was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, opening in 1973 after a long gestation that had begun with his competition-winning design in 1957. Utzon received the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honour, in 2003. The Pritzker Prize citation stated; there is no doubt that the Sydney Opera House is his masterpiece. It is one of the great iconic buildings of the 20th century, an image of great beauty that has become known throughout the world – a symbol for not only a city, but a whole country and continent.
This statement couldn’t have hit the nail on the head more accurately. I’m by no means claiming to have architectural blood in my body, but I do know what I like, and I could gaze at the opera house all day long. It just ooze’s mid centaury design and still looks the latest building to be crafted in the port of Sydney. We made the walk to the point where Mrs Macquarie’s chair is located; the sun was high and the sky clear as glass. My ideas for working this photograph where thinning out as I prefer a bit of impact in the light and sky. Walking past a tree I noticed the braches where hanging down repeating the arch and framing the scene. Infrared (IR, Black & White) soon came to my mind with the thought that I could possibly make a photograph that could have been taken decades ago. With the shutter tripped and the usual slow exposing process you get with IR photography at a start the next thought entered my mind, how could I go about pinching one of the original brown leather Arne Jacobsen swan chairs in the Sydney Opera House restaurant?
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