Sapphire Coast
Photograph: Destination NSW/Davey Rogers
Photograph: Destination NSW/Davey Rogers

Australian travel photographers share their favourite places

We asked those with an eye for beauty to show us Australia’s most picture perfect destinations

Advertising

From sun-dappled coastlines with jewel-toned waters, to the red heart, to the rainforests, bushlands and sprawling outback – Australia has so many gorgeous landscapes to explore. With international travel not due to return to normal anytime soon, it's the ultimate time to explore our own backyard, as soon as interstate borders reopen. 

But where do you get started? We’ve sought the advice of some people with the ultimate eye for beauty. These top travel photographers seek out the country’s most aesthetically captivating places, and capture them on film for all of us to enjoy. 

Here you’ll find a mix of NSW and interstate destinations that you can embark on a journey to. 

Want to explore? Check out the most underrated holiday destinations that you should be visiting in NSW.

Australia's most beautiful places, according to photographers

Karijini National Park, by Mark Gray

“Located in the Pilbara mining region of Western Australia, Karijini National Park is one of Australia's most incredible places. The amazing colours of natural minerals are displayed throughout the park, most noticeably in it's beautiful gorges.” 

A leading international landscape photographer who has accrued more than 200 awards and sold his work for tens of thousands of dollars, Mark’s main muse always has been Australia’s landscapes. You can follow his striking work on Instagram at @markgrayphoto and find out more about his gallery and photography workshops at markgray.com.au.

The Sapphire Coast, by David Rogers

“I had the great fortune to grow up in one of the idyllic seaside towns on this amazing coast, and spent my youth rock-hopping along unspoiled coastlines and exploring the numerous National Parks, lagoons and forests. After many years of living and working in cities I recently returned to focus on my photography. My goal is to capture this spectacular landscape in an intimate way – by watching and understanding how each location reacts under different environmental conditions – whether it be the seasons, the wildlife, sun-angles, swell-size, tide-levels, wind directions, cloud patterns, star trails or moon cycles. For me, loading the backpack with photography equipment and hiking out to explore the Sapphire Coast is the ultimate bliss.”

David is a self-described over-enthusiastic landscape photographer, currently based on the Sapphire Coast in NSW. You can follow his coastal captures on Instagram at @davey_rogers and his website.

Advertising

Dairy Farmers Hill Lookout, by Catarina Rodrigues

“One of my favourite spots to shoot is Dairy Farmers Hill Lookout at the National Arboretum in Canberra, particularly at sunrise. It's always a chilly start to the morning, but you’ll be treated to a 360-degree view of Canberra where you can watch the sunrise over the lake as the morning fog lifts or the hot-air balloons float over the city.”

Catarina is a Sydney based photographer with a strong eye for composition and colour, follow her work on Instagram at @travel.notebooks.

Uluru, by Andrew Barnes

“Photography is all about the light. Without great light, there is no image. And that’s why I love being at Uluru, camera on tripod, immersing myself in the silence, taking in the desert majesty, and capturing just a fleeting moment of light forever. The one thing that those that have never visited Uluru will not appreciate is just how much the light changes. Not only from season to season, or from dawn to midday, but each and every hour, Uluru presents itself in a different colour, and a different mood. Truly majestic.”

A Sydney based photographer, Andrew has had a camera firmly in his hand since he was six. He is passionate about taking photographs of the wonderful world we live in, its moods, atmospheres, its wild ways and its serenity. You can follow his work on Instagram at @andrewbarnesphotos and purchase prints on his website.

Advertising

Shark Bay, by Lisa Michele Burns

"The coastline of Western Australia has so many photogenic regions but Shark Bay and Francois Peron National Park are my favourites. Contrasting ochre-coloured dunes spill into turquoise water creating such a vibrant palette to photograph! Photographing this region from the air is particularly inspiring, watching through the lens as the patterns, tones and textures of this landscape appear beneath the plane, I couldn't stop taking photos and can't wait to go back one day or even further north to The Kimberley."

Over the course of her life travelling around the world as a journalist, Lisa Michele Burns is all about seeing her world through a different perspective. Her underwater, extreme environment photography is all about capturing the dynamism and movement of her surroundings. Check out her work at www.lisamicheleburns.com or @the_wanderinglens

The Red Centre, by Emilie Ristevski

“The colour palette found throughout the Red Centre of Australia has to be one of the most magical places to capture. As the sun goes down the entire landscape begins to glow deep burnt oranges and reds, while a beautiful stillness fills the atmosphere. I’ve always been fascinated by the Dreamtime stories connected to this land, I feel there is so much we can learn from a living culture that has connected and lived on our harsh but beautiful land for so many thousands of years. Once your feet have wandered through this red earth, the feeling will stay with you forever.”

Emilie is a photographer and self-professed wanderer with a nose for finding otherworldly landscapes. You can follow her on Instagram at @helloemilie and pre-order her book Forever Wandering which documents the endless beauty of the natural world through her gaze.

Advertising

Kangaroo Island, by Faye Martin

"Kangaroo Island has got to be one of the most photogenic spots in Australia. With pristine white sandy beaches, the bluest sea and clear skies, she has no bad angles."

Photographer, registered nurse, and part-time yogi Faye can be found combing the country and embarking on adventures in a 2003 Nissan Patrol called ‘Goldie’ with her bearded beau, Max. With Faye behind the lens, the pair document their travels on Instagram at @maxandfaye.ps and on their blog.   

Start planning your next trip

  • Things to do

International borders look set to remain closed for several more months, so globe-trotting may be off the cards for the foreseeable future. But worry not intrepid traveller, there's still plenty to satisfy your wanderlust right here in Australia. Check out our top picks for the best holiday destinations Down Under.

 

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising