“Rottnest Island has so much beauty to photograph, from the white sand beaches and crystal blue water to the quokka selfie. It’s a place I’ll definitely return to, always with my camera in hand.” James Vodicka is a travel photographer from Australia. Do you know where to go on Rottnest Island to see quokkas and take quokka selfies?
HOW TO GET THE PERFECT QUOKKA PHOTO?
James Vodicka, one of Australia’s finest budding travel photographers, shares his advice for photographing a quokka.
Overview of Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is only a 30-minute boat journey from Perth on the Rottnest Express. What more could you want than a turquoise sea, pristine sand beaches, and adorable quokkas wandering the island?
Quokkas may be found across the island, especially near the village. The Basin, Stark Bay headland, Bickley Bay dunes, Parker Point boardwalk, and Salmon Point are some of the most popular places I’ve seen on the coast. If you’re looking for wilderness or an inland background, the scrub surrounding Bathurst Tennis Courts and towards Pinky’s Beach is usually a popular place.
So, Rottnest Island is where you can see many cute quokkas and have a beautiful quokka selfie!
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Tips for quokka selfie photography
The most significant aspect of any quokka photograph is, of course, the quokka itself. Here are some pointers to help you take the prettiest quokka photo possible.
- They are naturally curious – Because quokkas are naturally curious, you do not need to approach them or offer them food to get close enough to photograph them. Simply approach them on their level and wait for them to approach you. See quokka and let them see you!
- Capture the grin – When a quokka looks up and towards the camera, stretches their neck out inquisitively, or is mid-meal, their smile becomes obvious. Wait for these moments to take your images – it will be well worth it.
- Focus on the amusing – Quokkas are active creatures who frequently strike photogenic positions. Keep an eye out for unusual occasions to photograph a quokka.
- Hand-pick your quokka – For the finest quokka selfie in Rottnest Island, choose the cutest quokka from the herd.
- Do not touch them – Photographing a quokka is a magnificent experience, and it’s easy to get caught up in it. However, because quokkas are wild creatures, you cannot contact them. This is for your and the quokka’s protection.
The camera
After you’ve found one, you’ll need the correct camera to picture a quokka selfie. Like most tourists to the island, an iPhone or GoPro is all you need if you’re looking for a selfie. If you, like me, prefer to stay on the other side of the camera, there are a few possibilities for taking the greatest shot, depending on the aesthetic you want to achieve:
- Wide Angle – Want to get up close and personal with the quokka’s intriguing smirking expression? You’ll need a wide-angle lens, preferably one with a focal length ranging from 10 to 24mm, and you’ll want to get as close as your lens allows before reaching its minimum focusing distance.
- Standard – Anything between 30 and 60mm will seem the most ‘natural,’ as that is the focal length of the human eye and what most phones shoot at.
- Telephoto – I haven’t explored this length for shooting quokkas for one simple reason: you don’t need to. Because you can go extremely close to quokkas without effort, why not photograph them up close?
In terms of camera settings, the following are the best to see the quokka movements and increase your chances of capturing the ideal shot selfies:
- Continuous Auto-Focus – Quokkas are fast and their grains are fleeting. You don’t want to get the perfect photo to discover it’s out of focus.
- High Burst Rate – Despite the profusion of images on social media, a quokka’s smile is a fleeting moment that is difficult to preserve. When this happens, a high burst rate will provide you with many photographs to pick from.
- High Shutter Speed (1/2000s or faster) – As with any moving subject, a fast shutter speed will help eliminate motion blur and produce a perfectly sharp photograph.
The combination
While shooting quokkas selfies, most people overlook a few minor details, but they might make all the difference in capturing the ideal shot.
- Photographers know that the golden hours of the day (one hour before or after dawn and sunset) are the finest times to photograph. The light is softer, and the person is lit by a radiance that can transform anyone into a supermodel.
- The Grin – When framing the photo, keep the smile in mind. This is the cash cow and the part of a quokka shot that drives people insane with cuteness overload.
- Approach Closer – The closer you get to the quokka, the more immersive the shot becomes for the spectator. You’ve nailed it if the photo makes viewers want to reach in and cuddle the tiny man.
- The Backdrop – It is critical that the backdrop not detract from the photograph’s subject. Make an effort to use clean backdrops, subdued colors, a lack of people and buildings, and, if feasible, the ocean.
If you follow the majority of these guidelines, you’ll be well on capturing the perfect quokka selfies. So, what are you holding out for? Begin planning your trip by visiting Rottnest Express and booking ferries, bike rentals, or tours.
If you want to discover more destinations, you can find at here: Destinations
