Turquoise Coast Instagram Trail Map

While often known for their adrenaline and adventure, we think the Lancelin sand dunes are also amazing for photography! While you will need a 4wd if driving through the dunes, if you don’t have one, don’t fret! You can easily park your car and walk in! Our favourite time to photograph these dunes is during golden hour as the lighting is soft (and the shadows not so harsh). We visited one hour before sunset but one hour after sunrise would also work well. Pay attention to the wind forecast when you visit too - anything over 25kph will make things pretty tricky (and sandy)! We think any camera will work great here! You can use a drone to capture the sheer size of the dunes or a phone/camera to capture the beautiful patterns in the sand. To make the ripples more prominent in your photos, we recommend setting your phone/camera quite low to the ground. The dunes are a great spot to get creative too – try throwing sand, holding ribbons/scarves in the wind, or, if like us, you visit during golden hour, try playing around with the shadows and light.

Sure to have you reminiscing on the good ol' days as soon as you arrive, "wedge" is a quirky, yet idyllic settlement. While we think a 4wd is best here (as you can set up on the beach for the day), wedge island is still 2wd accessible (just park in the clearing by the phone box and take the short walk to the beach!). Our favourite beach to photograph here is to the southeast of the settlement – the sand has a golden tinge, the water is crystal clear, and you will likely have the entire place to yourself! In terms of photography, a regular camera/phone works great here! You can shoot yourself out in the water (e.g. paddle boarding!), relaxing up on the shore, or, your set up (4wd) on the beach! While the water is bluest during the day, our favourite time to shoot here is sunset as the sun sets right over the ocean. We love using the wet sand to create colourful reflections! Otherwise, drone wise - there are 101 photo opportunities! You can shoot wedge island itself or our favourite - the sandbar! (We personally like to shoot this on a low tide so more is exposed!)

While you drive right past them, and they are easily spotted from the window, the Cervantes sand dunes are still a bit of a hidden gem! And an epic one to photograph at that! To get to these sand dunes, we recommend parking at the roadside pull-off just north of the grey settlement and walking in. Safely cross the road and find the track to your north (~150m). It's an approx. 10 min walk. With any sand dunes, we recommend allowing extra time to explore/ figure out what you want to shoot. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re standing at the base of giant white dunes! We think the best time of day for shooting here is golden hour (one hour after sunrise or before sunset) as the light is nice and soft and you don't have any harsh shadows. Any type of camera will work great too – phone, regular camera, drone. A drone will provide height and allow you to capture more of this unworldly landscape, while a phone or regular camera will allow you to capture more of the finer details like the different textures and colours of the sand.

One of our favourite places in all of Western Australia to photograph! The pinnacles truly are unworldly. While the pinnacles can be photographed any time of day, our favourite is sunrise or sunset. The limestone pillars glow with the soft light and seeing the sky above explode with colour is truly magic. We also love golden hour as it makes for the most amazing shadows - if you have a drone - this is the time for you! Try capturing your defined shadows amongst the tall pillars! You can get creative by adding movement to the frame too (like twirling). Other photo ideas include shooting the stars above a single pinnacle, your car driving along the defined dirt road (we love the way the curved road creates leading lines), or yourself sitting on a picnic blanket surrounded by the mars-like landscape. Tip - we find a wide angle shot can seem empty here, so try getting close to a pinnacle and using it to frame your shot! Please ensure you do your research before flying a drone, permits may be required.

One of a kind (and family owned too!), the lobster shack is a real Western Australian icon. No trip along the turquoise coast is complete without stopping at the lobster shack for lunch (kitchen open from 11am-3pm daily). In terms of photography, our favourite section to shoot is the entrance. We love how it feels like we are in a SpongeBob SquarePants episode with the big wooden sign and funky lettering! We recommend visiting during the day to include a nice, contrasting blue sky in your frame! (tip - if you visit on a cloudy day you can use these to your favour and avoid the plants casting harsh shadows on you!). We think a regular camera or phone works best here and we recommend using the path to create some movement – twirling, jumping, even walking works great! To shoot this, set your phone to 'burst mode', or your camera to 'continuous'! Using portrait mode on your phone also works especially well to capture you super sharp and the background slightly blurred. Alternatively, you can get your insta-worthy shot out the back as the beach views here are unbelievably beautiful! Use a selfie stick to snap yourself (and your delicious meal!) Against the bright blue waters!

While Jurien Bay is also home to a newer jetty, we can’t help but love this old soul – especially for photography. Made of wood back in the mid – 1850’s we love that no two visits here are ever the same. To get here, park at the skate park and walk! In terms of photography, you can either shoot the jetty at eye level with a regular camera/phone or from above with a drone. To shoot with a drone, we recommend visiting at golden hour as the water colour is absolutely stunning with the early light. Shooting early on in the day also means you will avoid the glare that comes with the harsh midday sun. To shoot with a phone/regular camera, we recommend visiting at sunrise. While the sun does set over the ocean (behind the jetty), we personally think the soft pinks and purples of the reverse sunrise contrast beautifully with the turquoise waters and old wooden structure. Plus - if visiting at sunrise, you can snap yourself in the photo by getting creative with the wet sand - e.g. creating leading lines by making defined footprints or capturing colourful reflections.

A small sandy beach, sparkling blue waters and a sheltered bay. Need we say more? To get to Sandy Cape, take the 7km unsealed road off the highway (easily 2wd accessible). To explore this stretch of beach (and cove!) We recommend parking at the main campground (or if you have a 4wd you can drive right onto the beach). To reach this awesome wee cove, we walked around the coastline (heading west) for about 5 minutes (n.b. - you will need to walk through water - knee height only). To photograph the cove we recommend using a drone as the height really helps you to capture the entirety of the landscape. Paddle boards, kayaks, even floaties work extremely well here and provide a great contrast to the blue waters and white sand. In terms of best time of day to shoot, low wind is your priority! Alternatively, you can use a phone/regular camera or underwater camera/ housing if you have one. Tip - we found several (playful!) Sea lions just north of the cave (who were definitely keen on having their photo taken!)

Another hidden gem along the turquoise coast! Nothing like a soak in your own private rock pool! To access these epic rock pools, park your car at Point Louise lookout and follow the walking track to the point (note - you will need to climb down to access the beach). While we think a drone is best for shooting these rock pools, you can also use a phone/camera as the point is elevated and looks directly down onto the rock pools. In terms of when to shoot, we recommend mid-morning/late afternoon so the water is bright blue but you don't have to worry about the glare from the harsh midday sun. Another favourite photo spot here is the little beach to the north of the point - where the whitest of rocks meet the bluest of waters. To shoot this picture-perfect spot, we recommend using a phone, camera or even a (low) drone and snapping yourself sitting out on the rocks, (or even the beach) – just note you will want to wear a colour other than white so you stand out!