Images of Sydney sunbathers, street art and a sock thief are just some of those shortlisted for this year’s Little Sydney Lives.

Children from 5 to 12 years-old across the harbour city have shared pictures of their family, pets, play time and sports for the City of Sydney photography competition.

More than 284 entries were reviewed by a judging panel of professional photographers who selected this year’s finalists.

The images will feature in an exhibition on level 2 of Customs House, Circular Quay from 2 August. The shortlisted photographs and the story behind each image can also be viewed in the virtual Little Sydney Lives exhibition.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the competition and exhibition of finalists is run as part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About program, presenting events and temporary art projects in unusual spaces to enliven the city.

“We are absolutely delighted to see more children letting their imagination run wild in this year’s competition,” the Lord Mayor said.

“This has always been a popular event, but to see nearly 300 kids taking part is fantastic. The perspective they bring is unique and unfiltered. Creativity has no minimum age, and these creative snapshots of Sydney give us all an opportunity to see our city in a new light.”

The finalists and their images are:

  • Oliver Simpkin, Sunbathers At Wylies
  • Sariel Zhou, Selfie with my Mario Castle
  • Zoe Battersby, Gladiator walk
  • Ziheng Zhong, A Blue Heart
  • Ezra Bor, Golden Moments
  • Matthew Parker, World Time Attack Race
  • Oscar Cremona, House of coolness!
  • Charlotte Seeto, Just hanging about
  • Claudia Deitz, Bubble boy
  • Massimo Moraro Tabbò, Brother at work
  • Emile Espinosa, Sydney Street Art
  • Pina Macedone, Flipping Football
  • William Lakeman, My best friend, the sock thief!
  • Cecilia Clarke, Contemplating silence
  • Ruby Menzies, Bored in the car
  • Flynn Ruane, Mystical Creatures
  • Cillian Ruane, Backyard bonfire
  • Zoe Morris, A Fish Dinner
  • Madeleine Hand, When Life Gives You Lollipops
  • Ari Tzortzatos, Greek Independence 1821-2024
  • E.T.A., Flowing River

The winner and runner up will be announced at the opening of the Australian Life exhibition on 2 August. They will both receive an OM System prize pack worth around $1,300.

Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives are part of the City of Sydney’s Art & About program, presenting events and temporary art projects in unusual spaces. OM System is the official partner of the event.

More details on the Little Sydney Lives finalists, Australian Life and Art & About are available at artandabout.com.au

  • Sunbathers At Wylies

    I love going to Wylies with my friends and family. I took this photo of all the people sunbaking on a warm day. The water looked so beautiful, and the people were all relaxing by the pool. I just knew that I had to take a photo.

    Credit: Oliver Simpkin

  • Selfie with my Mario Castle

    Taking a selfie with my favourite toys in the mirror and I found it’s a really good angle to show them, including my camera.

    Credit: Sariel Zhou

  • Gladiator walk

    The Sydney Swans walk from their training building to the SCG before their game against Essendon. They are heroes and gladiators to many young Swannies supporters. The fact that this picture is taken from the height of an 8 year old shows just how big and imposing the players look.

    Credit: Zoe Battersby

  • A Blue Heart

    The waves were strong and sea water kept gushing out of the holes. When I was checking those holes, I realised if you change the angle, the holes will form into interesting shapes, so I found a blue heart. Wonderful surprises if you look at the world from a different angle. I borrowed my mom’s cell phone and captured this charming blue heart. Later I took my sister to find the heart, I just couldn’t find it anymore. How magical! I hope others will find this beautiful heart by surprise as well.

    Credit: Ziheng Zhong

  • Golden Moments

    I was playing with my dad’s tilt-shift lens on our rooftop deck and my big sister looks like a little toy with this lens.

    Credit: Ezra Bor

  • World Time Attack Race

    Racing at Eastern Creek. The car is a Nissan GTR

    Credit: Matthew Parker

  • House of coolness!

    I walk past this building on the way to swimming every week. It’s the house of coolness because the building looks like cool waves.

    Credit: Oscar Cremona

  • Just hanging about

    I noticed this little guy just hanging about on my ceiling. His translucent wings are so fine and delicate and simply intrigued me. I was taken by the contrast between the translucent wafer thin wings and the enormous glossy eyes that are as dark as night.

    Credit: Charlotte Seeto

  • Bubble boy

    I have always loved bubbles!

    These gigantic bubbles were incredibly difficult to create so my big brother had a turn and my little brother ran into the bubble at speed, I heard a loud popping sound as my brother ran into the bubble – it was like he was inside the bubble: Bubble Boy.

    Credit: Claudia Deitz

  • Brother at work

    Here’s a shot taken with Dad’s phone of my 2 year-old brother in his daily endeavour: watching from the window to see what’s happening in the city.

    Credit: Massimo Moraro Tabbò

  • Sydney Street Art

    I like walking in the city streets and taking photos of things that catch my eye. This afternoon the sun was really bright, and it looks like it is shining into the eyes of the girl in the poster.

    Credit: Emile Espinosa

  • Flipping Football

    My sister Frankie and I play soccer. Frankie is never the right way up. She cartwheels and handstands, rather than ‘running’ up and down the field after the ball. Her coach said she could be upside down as LONG as she wanted AFTER the game. The game ended…. but we didn’t leave that afternoon till the sun had gone down and the park lights were on.

    Credit: Pina Macedone

  • My best friend, the sock thief!

    My dog Frankie loves stealing our socks! Mum can never make a matching pair these days. No sock is safe!

    Credit: William Lakeman

  • Contemplating silence

    My brother was sitting in our hotel room, thinking about who knows what. I loved the view of the Ken Done Gallery out our window. He attended primary school where I go to school. I liked the contrast between the peaceful inside of the room to the bustling city outside.

    Credit: Cecilia Clarke

  • Bored in the car

    This is a picture about what kids look like in the car when they are bored.

    Credit: Ruby Menzies

  • Mystical Creatures

    This picture is so funny because it shows my dog Coco meeting a strange unicorn that appeared in our house. Coco does not even seem scared, she even likes it!

    Credit: Flynn Ruane

  • Backyard bonfire

    This picture shows a campfire I made with my brothers in the back garden in the school holidays. We told ghost stories and played our favourite songs and played charades, it was so much fun!

    Credit: Cillian Ruane

  • A Fish Dinner

    This is my small bear called Boo Boo and his friend Cookie which my sister owns. I had to take about 100 photos til I got it right. I like collecting small food and other kinds of miniature things.

    Credit: Zoe Morris

  • When Life Gives You Lollipops

    My little sister and cousin like to dress up sometimes. I made a deal that they would ignore me if I turned on the sprinkler and gave them each a lollipop. I think they are cute, but my sister gets angry when I call her that. She is sassy.

    Credit: Madeleine Hand

  • Greek Independence 1821-2024

    This is the march for Greek Independence Day. We did a long, long amazing walk from Martin Place near the Town Hall to the big pointy Opera House. My brother is wearing the boys national Greek costume from when Greece was not even a country and was not free.

    Credit: Ari Tzortzatos

  • Flowing River

    I took this photo while standing on the balcony of my riverside house. This image represents the nature of these Aboriginal lands that we are lucky enough to live on.

    Credit: ETA
by jay