How would you like to see popular Sydney places of interest while having your memories captured in the form of artistic, flattering photos featuring you and your loved ones?

A few entrepreneurial shutterbugs in Sydney are offering two-in-one services. These creative individuals will take you on a walkabout tour while doubling up as your personal photographer.

Start with Sydney resident Averi Gerberding’s two-hour portrait session in the city. She’ll show you the beauty of Hyde Park and the Royal Botanic Garden, while stopping along the way at historic buildings—all for the sake of orchestrating your best photo opportunities.

Your tour (and photoshoot) ends at the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, so you can be assured that there will be must-have Sydney photos in your collection. A recent rave review by a satisfied customer: “Loved chatting with her, loved the places we visited, and loved the outcome of the shoot.”

Planning to spend a day at the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains? Let local photographer and licensed park guide Matt Tuapola show you around, as he creates stunning headshots and snapshots of candid moments, starring you.

“We started with having breakfast next to kangaroos, found hidden spots where there weren't mobs of tourists, visited some local towns... and ended the day with the most beautiful sunset,” gushed a recent Sydney visitor. “And of course, you get to relive it once you get the pictures.”

Note: the name “Blue Mountains” is a nod to the area’s distinctive blue haze, caused by light scattering off the oil droplets from the mountains’ oil-bearing Eucalyptus trees.

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Locals have claimed that Sydney’s greatest asset is its water. For many, Bondi Beach is the quintessential example of the “Australian beach lifestyle.”

Apart from surfing, people-watching, and admiring the sunrise or sunset, there’s now something novel that you can do at Bondi Beach: learn to play the ukulele.

Under the tutelage of a professional musician, you’ll pick up some easy chords and strum patterns so you can belt out your favourite tunes while revelling in the beach scene. And you won’t have to bring along your own instrument, as your host Dan will have a variety of ukuleles that you can try on for size.

It’s a skill that you can bring home with you, plus you’ll get a handbook to keep and revisit. “The most important thing was that [Dan] taught me to play in my own unique way,” says a participant. “That's really rewarding.”

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Accomplish this, and you would be joining the illustrious ranks of megastars such as Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Justin Timberlake, and Bruce Springsteen: they have all climbed the famous arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

“BridgeClimb is expensive but worth it. Great views, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says a tipster for Lifehacker’s Sydney feature. “The guides are very good... It’s not as scary as you would think.”

TimeOut would concur on that. It described the experience of scaling the “Cathedral of Steel” as being (mostly) akin to ascending a not-at-all-steep staircase, with plenty of stops along the way.

The only thing for visitors to note: from 1 October 2018, a new operator takes over the running of BridgeClimb Sydney. Transitional hiccups should be expected, but efforts are being made to ensure that all legitimate bookings accepted during this interim period will be honoured.

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Widely considered as one of Australia’s most famous landmarks, the iconic Sydney Opera House graces many Sydney photos. However, the performance venue’s beginnings were mired in controversy.

By the time the Sydney Opera House was formally opened on 20 October 1973, its construction was 10 years behind schedule. Moreover, building costs had ballooned to a staggering 1,457% of the original budget. The late architect Jorn Utzon was responsible for its design, but was forced to withdraw from his position as chief architect, whereupon he denounced the building efforts as “Malice in Blunderland.”

Within the walls of Australia’s premier cultural institution, there are insider secrets waiting to be spilled. Be privy to these clandestine chronicles by joining the Backstage Tour. Learn about the dressing room dramas and eyebrow-raising scandals that have unfurled behind the scenes, as your friendly guide pulls back the curtains with insider information you won’t hear anywhere else. Here’s a life lesson to take away: what you see on stage is only half the story.

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Have you watched the Jaws movie series? This will truly be a test of your mettle: sharing the same water space as grey nurse sharks in Sydney’s only cageless shark dive experience.

But take comfort in the fact that grey nurse sharks prefer to dine on bony squid and fish, not humans. They’re also said to be “placid creatures” that will give you little more than a curious glance as they pass you by.

This exhilarating experience at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium is open to participants aged 14 and above. No prior diving experience is required. Before you can proceed, however, you are required to attend a briefing and training session.

While in the water, look out for sharks, as well as other Australian marine life such as sea turtles and stingrays. When you do emerge from the waters, be sure to give yourself a pat on the back—your “I dived and survived” certificate is well-deserved.

Get tickets to Sydney Aquarium