Australia’s South West is our favourite place to explore in all of Western Australia. It is filled with so many beautiful spots that will have you taking out your camera every time! If you love photography and finding Instagram-worthy locations, then Western Australia’s South West will leave you speechless! We visit the region multiple times a year and are constantly discovering new Instagrammable places to add to this list!
After visiting each destination, we have devised a catalog of the best Instagram places in Australia’s South West. To help you get the best photos on your trip we are sharing our top photography tips for the region. With tips for when to visit, props to use, camera tips and location specific tips for getting a great photo, this guide will help you capture the best of Australia’s South West!
You can visit all of the destinations in this guide following our 2-week road trip itinerary for this Region. As we continue to travel through the Australia’s South West, finding more beautiful places, I will update this post with our top photography spots.
Photography Places in Australia’s South West:
- Black Diamond Lake, Collie
- Bald Head, Albany
- Elephant Rocks & Greens Pool, Denmark
- Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, Walpole
- Boranup Forest
- Hamelin Bay
- Vineyards, throughout Australia’s South West
- Injidup Natural Spa, Yallingup
- Sugarloaf Rock, Cape Naturaliste
- Busselton Jetty, Busselton
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Black Diamond Lake
Black Diamond Lake is the most visited attraction in Collie and easily accessible for a day trip from Perth. It is currently an up and coming Instagram-worthy hotspot, despite being located in a remote destination. As a former mine site, Black Diamond Lake is a stunning turquoise blue, created by the limestone bed. Surrounded by natural Australian vegetation, this popular waterhole is great for a refreshing swim.
In order to see the water at its bluest, be sure to visit on a sunny day! However, during the summer months Black Diamond Lake fills up quickly. So, if you would like to take a photo without other people, arrive early. This means that the best time of the day for photography is just after sunrise. This is when the sun is high enough that the water looks blue, but it is still early enough that the crowds haven’t arrived. It is also a great time of day to avoid harsh lighting, which makes it difficult to get great photos.
If you are looking for a way to make your photos interesting, take a cute float to use as a prop in the water. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch to spend the day relaxing by the water. If you are looking for something more to do in the area, there are plenty of great things to do around Collie.
Read More: Ultimate Guide to Black Diamond Lake, Collie
Bald Head
Located in the Torndirrup National Park near Albany, Bald Head is a spectacular hike along a peninsula. The hike itself tasks between 6-8 hours return. However, you don’t need to hike it all to get a great photo. When we visited Bald Head we didn’t come prepared to hike and spent just 1 hour exploring the peninsula. All you need to do is walk far enough that you can get a good photo of the peninsula with the head in the background. Nevertheless, I am sure the photos will be more incredible and rewarding if they are paired with the hiking experience.
Albany is often a very overcast destination, so most days should be suitable for photography. However, if you are looking to capture photos with great lighting, then come at sunrise as the sun rises in the east over the head of the peninsula. Make sure you use a wide aperture setting on your camera so that the whole scene is in focus.
As the setting surrounding Bald Head has a lot of blue and green colours, make sure your subject wears a contrasting colour so that they stand out in the photo.
Elephant Rocks & Greens Pool
Some of the most instagrammable spots in Australia’s South West include Elephant Rocks and Greens Pool. These stunning beaches are located in William Bay National Park near Denmark. During the school holidays and the summer time they are a popular destination, with the beaches and car park filling up quickly!
If you are coming here to capture Instagram-worthy photos, where there are no other people in your images, be sure to arrive early. Not only will this help you get a parking spot and avoid the crowds, it is also when the light is best for photography. I suggest arriving before 7:00am; especially in the summer months as there are often swimming lessons happening at Green’s Pool.
When you arrive first visit Elephant Rocks for some photos, then head toward Greens Pool where you can get some more photos before relaxing on the beach. There is a walk trail between the two beaches so you don’t need to walk back to the car park area.
Elephant Rocks
Elephant Rocks is a beach with huge boulders scattered through the water, that resemble a large herd of elephants. If you have a drone, this can be one of the best ways to capture the scale of these boulders. A popular drone shot is one taken from the beach side, between two boulders, looking out toward the ocean with the subjects walking on the sand. If you are taking pictures from the ground, a wide-angle lens will be very useful to help you capture the whole scene. Don’t forget to take the iconic photo of you entering the beach through the narrow walks (you will know when you see it!)
Greens Pool
When you arrive at Greens Pool, take a photo of you relaxing on the beach or swimming in the ocean. Some popular activities at this beach are paddle-boarding and snorkeling. If you have access to the gear, use these to get some great action shots!
Read More: Top 10 Things to Do in Denmark, Western Australia
Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk is located between Walpole and Denmark. It is a popular nature-based tourism attraction in Australia’s South West and a great place to visit if you are travelling with kids. While it is a stunning place, the Tree Top Walk will set you back $21 per adult and $10.50 per child (aged 6-16).
Also located at the Valley of the Giants (and free) is the Ancient Empire Walk. So for those that are on a budget, you can still visit this destination! However, if you do get tickets for the Tree Top Walk, I suggest that you go around twice to make it more value for money. Once for photos and a second time to appreciate the nature.
If you are planning on getting some Instagram-worthy photos on your visit, make sure you don’t visit when it is bright. Being amongst the trees, bright light casts a lot of shadows making it difficult to capture great photos. Also, be sure to wear contrasting colours such as red, orange or yellow so that you can stand out in the photos! A unique way to capture a photo here is to use a low aperture setting where you can have your subject in focus, with the background blurred.
Top photography tips for visiting with kids:
- Play Peek-a-Boo through the Tingle Tree in the Ancient Empire Walk
- Let Your Kid Lead the Way as You Walk Along the Bridge
- Have a Cuddle in the Middle of the Bridge
- Dare to Look Over the Edge (safely of course) and Look for Animals in the Trees
Read More: Complete Guide to the Valley of the Giants Tree Tip Walk
Boranup Forest
Boranup Forest is a lush green hidden gem of Australia’s South West, one of the top Instagram locations in the Region. Situated between Margaret River and Augusta, along the Cape-to-Cape Track, the forest is filled with magnificent karri trees. There are plenty of walk trails, making it an easy place to explore with kids.
Again, this is a destination where it is best to visit when the light is soft. If the sun is too bright there will be a lot of shadows cast from the trees, making it difficult to capture an Instagram-worthy photo. We have visited this destination in both summer and winter, and it was beautiful during both seasons. If you are able to, head here during sunrise or sunset to capture light flares coming through the trees!
Being a very green setting, make sure to wear colours that will contrast with your surroundings. For a unique photo, use a drone to capture a picture of Caves Road winding amongst the stunning karri trees.
Conto Campground in Boranup is also a great spot to go camping with the family!
Read More: Tips for Camping with a Baby
Hamelin Bay
If you are looking to capture any unique photos with sea life, you should definitely visit Hamelin Bay! Located near Augusta, this beach is popular for its wild stingrays that love to come in close to the shore. Visit outside of school holidays and peak season if you want to avoid crowds. When the stingrays come out, so do the people.
As you are taking photos of the water, make sure you go when the sun isn’t too bright to reduce the glare. Consider using a wide angle lens or a drone to make it easier to capture photos with the stingrays.
You can also take photos with the iconic Hamelin Bay ‘arches.’ The limestone rocks at the end of the beach also make for a stunning photo. It is best to head there at low tide.
Photo in the Vineyards of Australia’s South West
Australia’s South West is filled with wineries that are great spots photography. At some of the wineries there are vineyards that you can walk through, a great photo opportunity! Just make sure you follow the wineries rules as you wander through the vineyards.
When taking photos in the vineyards use the long lines of the rows of grapes to compose your photo. Capture close up details of the vines or use them in the foreground of your photo.
A great prop to use when walking through the vineyards is a hat or wineglass. Hold onto your hat as you wander or capture candid photos of your subject tasting wine amongst the vineyards. Consider purchasing a bottle of wine as a thank you for the free tastings and photo opportunity!
Read More: Top Things to Do in Margaret River in the Winter
Injidup Natural Spa
Located along the coast near Yallingup, Injidup is a natural spa that fills up with water at high tide. When there is a large swell the water splashes over the rocks, a very unique sight to see!
You definitely need to visit when the sun is low, as harsh lighting will cause a lot of glare with the water. It is a popular destination throughout the year, especially in the summertime. If you are coming during this time make sure you arrive early. Wear your bathers here; it is a unique place for a swim!
To capture a stunning shot at these rocks you will need to do some rock climbing to get to a higher vantage point. Alternatively you can use a drone. Using a long exposure on your shot will make the water coming over the rocks nice and smooth. However, this might make your photo over exposed so consider using a polarizing filter to reduce the brightness. Just make sure your subject holds still so they don’t end up blurry!
Read More: Top Free Things to Do in Australia’s Southwest
Sugarloaf Rock
Sugarloaf Rock is one of my favourite sunset and photography spots in Australia’s South West. Located on Cape Naturaliste, this photography hotspot faces west so that the sun sets directly over the ocean.
As you watch the sunset, try to capture sun flares as the sun disappears behind the huge rock. Take a blanket to wrap around you, as once the sun is gone it generally get cold – it also makes for a cute prop! Don’t forget to put the camera away, after you have captured a few photos, and just enjoy the moment.
Busselton Jetty
Busselton Jetty is one of the most iconic landmarks in Australia’s South West Region, a great place to get some Instagram-worthy photos!. As it is a busy place throughout the year, taking photos can be a challenge. Also note that during the winter months there is often a build up of seaweed on the beach, making it much less attractive for photos.
Photography Ideas for Busselton Jetty:
- Take photos of you on the Jetty (there is a small fee to walk the jetty)
- Find a spot on the beach to take photos of the blue houses
- Use a drone for a shot that includes the whole jetty
- Find a unique perspective and take photos from out on the water
- Go fishing on the Jetty at Sunset
Read More: Australia’s South West 2-Week Road Trip Itinerary
With all of these incredible spots to see in Australia’s South West you will definitely be coming home with some beautiful photos!
Taking kids along on your photography adventures? Get our FREE photography guide with all the tips you need for taking photos with kids! Filled with 12 different pose ideas that make photography with kids easy, you will be coming home with plenty of Instagram worthy photos of your family!
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