Western Australia is Australia's largest state, covering more than one-third of the continent and offering an extraordinary range of landscapes from pristine coral reefs and red outback deserts to verdant wine regions and cosmopolitan coastal cities. Home to Perth, one of the world's most isolated yet vibrant capital cities, Western Australia rewards adventurous travellers with World Heritage sites, unique wildlife, and some of the planet's most spectacular natural wonders.
Best photo spots
Iconic and lesser-known locations worth shooting.
The Pinnacles at Sunrise/Sunset
The thousands of limestone pillars rising from gold desert sand are most spectacular at sunrise and sunset, when the low-angle light creates long shadows between the pillars and the sand glows in warm orange tones. The contrast between the pillars, sand, and blue sky (or dramatic clouds) makes this one of WA's most iconic photography locations.
Best time: Sunrise (April-October for best orange light) or sunset
Tip: Visit 30 minutes before sunrise for the most dramatic light · The western entry to the pinnacles loop has the densest pillar clusters — best for wide compositions · A polarising filter reduces glare on the sand and saturates the blue sky · The full moon rising over the Pinnacles is spectacular — check lunar calendars
Kings Park Wildflowers
Kings Park's annual wildflower season (September-October) produces one of the most concentrated and accessible wildflower displays in Australia. Masses of kangaroo paws (WA's floral emblem), banksias, grevilleas, hoveas, and hundreds of other native species burst into bloom. The Kings Park Wildflower Festival in September includes guided botanic tours and photography events.
Best time: September-October for wildflowers; all year for city views and landscape
Tip: Morning light (before 10am) is best for wildflower photography · Use a macro lens to photograph individual wildflower species · The botanic garden area has the densest plantings — ask staff for current flowering locations · The State War Memorial offers excellent city/river backdrop for wildflower foreground shots
Wave Rock Golden Hour
The extraordinary wave-shaped granite formation is most photogenic in the golden hour before sunset, when the warm light plays across the dramatic horizontal colour banding (greys, reds, and ochres created by water seeping over the rock). Early morning mist occasionally adds atmosphere. The wide flat terrain around Wave Rock means the entire formation can be photographed from a low angle for dramatic perspective.
Best time: Golden hour before sunset; early morning with possible mist
Tip: Shoot from low down (knee level or lower) for the most dramatic wave perspective · Late afternoon in winter (May-August) gives the warmest, longest light on the rock face · The top of the wave at sunrise gives a different perspective looking back towards Hyden · Wildflowers in the surrounding bush in spring (August-October) offer excellent foreground subjects
Rottnest Island Quokka Portraits
Rottnest's quokkas are famously friendly and unafraid of humans, making them one of the world's easiest and most rewarding wildlife photography subjects. Quokkas are found throughout the island but are most concentrated around the Thomson Bay settlement, the Wadjemup Lighthouse area, and wherever there is native vegetation.
Best time: Morning (before 11am) when quokkas are most active and light is directional
Tip: Get down to ground level (lie down) for eye-level quokka portraits · Use a wide-angle lens at close range for environmental quokka portraits with the island landscape · Do not feed quokkas — human food harms them and it is illegal. They will still approach happily · The shade-dappled areas under trees near the settlement give natural lighting without harsh midday shadows
Cable Beach Camel Sunset
The silhouette of camel trains against the blazing orange and red Indian Ocean sunset at Cable Beach is one of Australia's most iconic images. The combination of the warm-toned red pindan cliffs, the gleaming white sand, the turquoise ocean, and the geometric shapes of the camels and their riders creates extraordinary photographic opportunities every clear dry-season evening.
Best time: Approximately 30-60 minutes before sunset in the dry season (May-October)
Tip: Position yourself on the beach south of the main public access point to photograph camels walking towards the sunset · Silhouette shots are most dramatic — expose for the sky, not the camels · Arrive 45 minutes before sunset to claim the best beach position · A telephoto lens (70-200mm) lets you compress the camels against the sunset from a distance
Lake Hillier Aerial Photography
The bubblegum-pink saltwater lake on Middle Island is extraordinary from the air — the vivid fuchsia pink contrasting against the deep blue of the Southern Ocean and white coastal vegetation is unlike any other landscape on Earth. Scenic flights from Esperance Airport typically bank over the island multiple times for photography.
Best time: Midday (10am-2pm) for the most saturated pink colour and best visibility
Tip: Request a window seat on the most photogenic side when booking · Shoot from slightly above perpendicular for the clearest view of the lake and its colour · A UV/clear filter reduces haze on the flight · The contrast with the blue Southern Ocean is the composition — try to include both in frame
Monkey Mia Dolphin Feeding
The morning dolphin feeding sessions at Monkey Mia provide incredible close-up wildlife photography opportunities as wild bottlenose dolphins glide into the shallows to interact with rangers. The clear shallow water and low morning sun create exceptional conditions for dolphin portraits from the water's edge.
Best time: First feeding session at 7:45am — low morning light is most flattering
Tip: Position yourself at the waterline before the dolphins arrive — the angle makes a huge difference · A telephoto lens (200-400mm) fills the frame with dolphin heads and faces from the shallow edge · Use continuous autofocus and burst mode to capture movement · Watch the rangers for cues about where dolphins will surface
Karijini Gorges
The narrow, cathedral-like gorges of Karijini — with their billion-year-old banded iron formation walls glowing in reds and purples, crystal-clear blue-green plunge pools, and dramatic shaft lighting — are among the most photogenic landscapes in Australia. The gorges create naturally dramatic compositions with high contrast between dark shadow and lit rock faces.
Best time: Midday for shaft-light entering narrow gorge sections (counterintuitively, midday gives the best gorge light); early morning for wider gorge sections
Tip: Fern Pool and Fortescue Falls are accessible and highly photogenic for all fitness levels · Handrail Pool in Weano Gorge requires swimming to reach — keep your camera dry in a dry bag · The colour contrast between the red rock and blue water is most saturated in bright overcast or diffuse light · Use a waterproof housing or housing bag for gorge swim photography
Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk
The elevated walkway through the canopy of ancient tingle trees offers extraordinary forest photography — looking down into the dappled forest floor, up into the canopy, along the walkway ramp itself, and of the massive gnarled tingle tree trunks at ground level. The forest photography conditions here are genuinely unique in Australia.
Best time: Overcast days give the most even, diffuse light for forest photography — avoid sunny days which create harsh contrast
Tip: Overcast soft light is ideal for forest photography — embrace cloudy days · The Ancient Empire walk at ground level gives access to tingle tree trunks with circumferences up to 24m — use a fisheye or ultra-wide lens · Long exposures from a tripod can blur any movement in the canopy for a painterly effect · Early morning gives a chance of mist in the forest
Perth City Skyline — South Perth Foreshore
The South Perth foreshore offers the definitive Perth city skyline view — the gleaming glass CBD towers reflected in the Swan River, with Elizabeth Quay in the foreground and the Narrows Bridge connecting north and south. The view is best at blue hour (15-20 minutes after sunset) when the city lights balance with the remaining sky colour.
Best time: Blue hour (15-20 minutes after sunset); also excellent at sunrise facing east for the Perth Hills
Tip: Use a tripod for blue hour long exposures for reflection in the Swan River · The foreshore has several good composition positions — explore north and south of the ferry terminal · The Narrows Bridge lit at night is a foreground element for long-exposure city shots · Include the reflections in the Swan River for double-skyline compositions
Fremantle Street Art
Fremantle's laneways and warehouse walls have one of WA's best urban street art collections, particularly concentrated around the Fremantle Arts Centre precinct, Market Street, and the East End warehouses. Large-scale murals by local and international artists cover dozens of buildings, creating a vibrant open-air gallery that rewards those who explore on foot.
Best time: Overcast days for street art photography (avoids harsh shadows and reflections); golden hour for murals facing west
Tip: The Fremantle Arts Centre on Finnerty Street has excellent murals on its stone perimeter walls · The East End warehouse district around Elder Place has hidden murals · Include people and the street environment for urban context · Wide-angle and fisheye lenses work well for large mural walls
Photography tips
Make your shots stand out.
Shoot during golden hour (1 hour after sunrise, 1 hour before sunset) for warm, directional light.
Always ask permission before photographing people, especially in religious or cultural contexts.
Carry spare batteries and storage — opportunities for great shots appear unexpectedly.