Sometimes, even though as a commercial photographer I’m always looking for new clients and commissions, a subject presents itself that is so irresistible to the eye that I just have to jump in and shoot it. For the love of it. The newly built Regency Road to Pym St (R2P) pedestrian and cyclist overpass straddling South Rd at Croydon Park had been tempting me for months. Having passed it frequently during its build while en route to jobs on the north side of town I was struck early on by the boldness of its design and scope of the project. Not only was its geometry stunning but its constructors, PTP Alliance, acting for Department for Infrastructure and Transport, had created a space providing not just a safe crossing over one of Adelaide’s busiest arterials but an attractive public amenity. On top of its eye appeal, it’s a relatively rare thing in Adelaide to see a new structure in the public space that you want to photograph for its own sake.

Fair to say, I think, that apart from a signature building such as the SAMHRI “cheese grater”, Adelaide’s architectural spread is, at best, conservative, and at its worst, just plain boring. If that doesn’t sit well with you, let me direct your gaze to Melbourne’s skyline, or Singapore’s, or Shanghai’s. In any case, when I spotted a painter applying anti-graffiti film to the structure’s column supports on a balmy Adelaide autumn afternoon, I knew the overpass was ready for its close-up. Let me point out I didn’t set out to cut anyone’s lunch. A respected friend and colleague, Gary Francis, had been commissioned to shoot the structure, which I didn’t know until sharing some shots through Instagram. Gary spotted them within a couple of minutes and, understandably, fired a friendly shot across my bow. Most important of all in terms of making these captures was the need to record the structure in mint condition.

In this part of Adelaide, a nearly all-white object won’t stay that way for long, with either graffitists, vandals or traffic grime sure to leave a mark. I chose an evening/night shoot in order to exploit a darkened sky for emphasis of the structure’s striking geometry but otherwise little planning went into the shoot. Not my usual approach but without the constraints of shooting within a brief, I wanted to just enjoy the creative process.

Equipment: Fujifilm GFX 50s + Canon 17mm TS, Fujinon 110mm, Fujinon 23mm.