Tourism Australia
Let's see how the incredible Quokka photo was taken!
When it comes to the big stars of Rottnest Island in Western Australia, it's the quokka, of course! It always carries a "smile", but it captures the hearts of everyone from celebrities to ordinary tourists! Even "Sea Chief" Chris Hemsworth came here and couldn't help but "please" them for most of the day in order to get a perfect group photo!
As the Quokka Fan Club grows
Questions about how to shoot Quokka also came up
"Quokka is really too small, so cute but so hard to shoot"
"Quokka is so active that it disappears as soon as you slip away"
Isn't it cute Quokka
Can it only exist in someone else's lens?
(Torture of the Soul)
Of course not!
So today, Austro-Jun invited a photographer James Vodicka, an expert guest who can be said to be shooting Quokka, to teach everyone how to shoot the little angels on Rottnest Island. Of course, James Vodicka couldn't help but stop by his favorite Australian destinations and what else to do on Rottnest Island.
James Vodicka
Australian travel photographer
Quokka photos have exploded on social media and garnered over 150,000 likes on Tourism Australia's official Instagram account
The origin of the influencer photo
In fact, when I first went to Rottnest Island, I originally planned to photograph the other side of Rottnest Island – the beautiful natural landscape and the underwater world.
As I was setting up my shots at Stark Bay to shoot the sunset, a furry cute guy broke into my shot. It stayed curiously by my side for an hour, watching me earnestly wait for the sun to gradually bury itself into the ocean from the distant headland.
Of course, who can stand up to such a cute critical hit, so I helped it take a few photos.
Oh, got 150,000 people liked, is this "foul" little cute
I also did not expect that this beautiful encounter would make me lucky enough to get a social media preference, and this photo has become my most "Internet celebrity" work so far.
Teaching time is up
The birth of a good photo isn't just about the camera lens. From the location, to the composition, to how to get along with your subjects, these are all critical.
1. Where to Shoot Quokka _
On Rottnest Island, you'll find Quokka almost anywhere – especially near their habitat. Theoretically, a perfect Quokka photo would be best set against the backdrop of the beach or the ocean, but this is not a good idea.
I've found Quokka at these coastal spots on the island: The Basin, the cape of Stark Bay, the sandy beaches of Bickley Bay, the boardwalks of Parker Point, and Salmon Point.
Of course, if you want to use bush or land as a backdrop, you can try your luck at the bush at the tennis courts near bathurst Lighthouse, or pincky's Beach.
Perfect demonstration of how to set the beach (our models can pose)
2. Know Your Subjects _
Before shooting, get to know your subject – the big star Quokka is arguably the most important! Familiarizing yourself with their habits and the rules of getting along with them will help you take better pictures.
They're usually curious that you don't need to approach them actively, or surround them or tempt them with food. Just keep a distance from them, crouch down parallel to their line of sight, and wait for them to actively approach you.
Don't Touch Them When a Quokka comes close to you, it's easy to catch up with it and forget that it's a wild animal (and don't forget!). ）。 For your safety, and for their safety, do not physically touch and interact with them. In fact, touching Quokka is illegal and you will be fined for it.
Capture moments of smiles When Quokka stretches out their curious little heads, or looks up at your camera halfway through a meal, their smiles are usually the most visible, which is what photographers dream of. Wait patiently for this moment to appear.
The triumph of the five-headed body!
Quokka sometimes looks funny, does a lot of weird things, and is invincible and cute most of the time. You can also focus on capturing their funny moments, such as the cute little one who looks eager to become a boxer in the picture below. When you browse through photos, you can pick some potential comic photos and try to match them with interesting copy, which is sure to stand out.
Boxing, guys, don't be intimidated!
Of course, quokkas who forage among the bushes every day are not in good photogenic condition at all times, and you may find that some of them eat all over their mouths, and some of them have too much fun and cause muddy water on their paws and fur (Ao Lujun: suddenly poked in the cute spot). But that's okay, there are so many Quokkas on Rottnese Island that you can easily find the one that suits your lens.
Enter below
More professional tips for time
3. What device to shoot Quokka _
When you find Quokka, pull out your shooting equipment!
If you just want to take a selfie with Quokka, a regular phone or a portable shooting device like GoPro will do.
If you, like me, want to wait on the other end of the camera and take a perfect Quokka solo photo, here are some tips that might help you:
About the lens
Wide-angle lens Want to get closer and capture the angelic "silly white sweet" smile on Quokka's face? You'll need to bring a wide-angle lens that's pretty much 10 – 24mm and as close to your subject as possible until the closest focusing distance the lens allows.
Standard lens Any lens with a focal length between 30 - 60mm, the Quokka is the closest to the human eye visual effect.
Telephoto lens In fact I haven't tried to shoot Quokka like this, for the simple reason that it's okay but not necessary! In fact, it's easy to get close to Quokka on the island, so why shoot it from afar?
About camera settings
Continuous autofocus After all, you definitely don't want to see a Quokka photo that is perfect from posture to smile to composition, and then find that the photo is out of focus.
High Burst Speed To capture the brightest smile on Quokka's face, it is recommended to use burst shooting, so that at least you can pick out the one you are happy with from many photos.
High shutter speed 1/2000th of a second or even faster is recommended for shooting moving subjects (Quokka is quite fast to move) and can help avoid motion blur and make the finished film clearer.
About composition
Experienced photographers usually pick to start shooting at the prime time of the day (an hour before or after sunrise or sunset) where the light isn't too harsh and will also leave your subject with its own halo!
Smiles During the filming, focus on the smile on Quokka's face, which is the killer weapon of this group of small creatures to make everyone cute.
The closer you get to Quokka, the more immersive the photos you take will make you want to "touch" them across the screen!
Background The background of the photo is also important to ensure that it does not grab the camera and interfere with the subject of the photo. It is recommended to find a clean background, no fancy colors, no crowds and buildings, the ideal background is of course the blue ocean.
If you seriously study the above tips, I believe that taking a perfect Quokka photo is definitely not a dream! So start planning your trip!
4. What else is there to do on the island? _
In fact, I didn't go to Rottnest Island for the first time until 6 months ago. I live on the east coast of Australia, where New South Wales and Queensland have many beautiful islands, so I spent a lot of time traveling around the area, visiting the Whitsundays and some of the other islands of the Great Barrier Reef.
Even so, Rottnest Island still gives me a new and unique feeling, and I often wish I had been there sooner.
Apart from its pristine topography and abundance of wildlife, the biggest attraction of this land is its excellent location – you can get there just a short ferry ride from Perth, which is very convenient.
In my opinion: Rottnest Island is the best place to start a fantastic "West Coast road trip"
"Nature" and "adventure" are the two key words of this small island, you can ride a bicycle (O'Britneys Island is a car-free area), go to the West End to see fur seals, snorkel at Parker Point, or go boating at Pinky's Beach, and view bathurst lighthouse from the ocean... This is the place that will make you sigh that you can't play enough in a day.
Super-fire transparent bottom boat experience
Come and say hello
If you're not interested in the outdoors, just spending most of the day paralyzing on the beach at Little Salmon Bay and Little Parakeet Bay is enough to make you feel like everything is beautiful.
How to get to Rottnest Island
A ferry ride takes you to Rottnest Island.
Approximately 25 minutes from Fremantle, 45 minutes from Hillarys Boat Harbour at the northern tip of Perth, and 90 minutes from Barrack Street Jetty.
Companies operating round-trip ferries include Rottnest Fast Ferries, Rottnest Express and SeaLink Rottnest Island.
The charm of the Australian coastline
Because of the fun Quokka photo, James Vodicka, who became popular on social media, actually made up his mind to become a full-time travel photographer until 2018. At first, out of a love of photography, he would shoot some coastal scenery near Sydney (his hometown) in his spare time, and take some commercial shoots during his university holidays and walk around.
In interviews, he confessed that he was lucky to have access to some of Australia's most beautiful destinations, including the Whitsunday Islands, Lord Howe Island, Kimberley, Perth and Rottnest Islands, and some of the islands of the Great Barrier Reef in the south. We also asked him for personal favorite destination recommendations.
The coastline of Australia makes me feel like home.
We've noticed that many of your photos focus on Australia's coast and sandy beaches. You must love the Australian sea, right? Can you share with us some of your personal favorite destinations? _
Australia's coastline makes me feel like home. In my heart, Australia, with its world-class beaches, countless beautiful islands and pristine coral reef system, is one of the world's leading coastal resorts!
It's also a film-producing paradise for photographers, and I spend a lot of time exploring and shooting on the ocean, as close as Manly Beach on my doorstep to Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
The Whitsundays under James' lens
On The Great Barrier Reef sea dragon island under James's lens, the waters are blue as if they are unreal
In addition to Rottnest Island, one of my personal favorites is lord Howe Island, a World Heritage-listed island, about 2 hours flight time from Sydney. It is actually a volcanic island on the Coral Sea, home to the southernmost coral reef in the world, pristine wilderness woods, and many great sandy beaches.
It's worth mentioning that only 400 people are allowed on the island at the same time, so it's easy to find a little paradise here that's just yours!
Easily "contract" a beach
Old rule, please use three words to describe the Australia of your heart! _
It's - beautiful - great!
Just Unbelievably Beautiful