Key Takeaways
- Western Australia is home to some of the world’s most visually dramatic landscapes for aerial photography work
- Salt lakes, remote coastal bays, red gorge systems, and outback terrain each offer distinct visual opportunities depending on the season
- Drones, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft each suit different locations and composition styles
- Shooting from altitude turns familiar terrain into abstract art you simply can’t replicate from the ground
- Commercial aerial photographers must hold the appropriate CASA accreditation before flying for business in Australia
- Most of the best locations are only truly accessible with local knowledge, the right aircraft, and solid planning
Australia from the air is something else entirely. What looks like flat, featureless scrub at ground level often reveals intricate patterns, impossible colours, and geometric shapes that seem almost computer-generated from altitude. We’ve spent over 15 years exploring this country from helicopters, Cessnas, and drones, and we’re still finding new spots that stop us cold.
If you’re searching for the best places to shoot aerials in Australia, whether with a drone or from a chartered aircraft, this guide covers the locations we keep returning to and why each one works so well from above.
Why Australia Is Exceptional for Aerial Photography
Not every country offers what Australia does. The combination of ancient geological formations, hyper-saline lakes, a remote coastline that stretches thousands of kilometres, and consistently strong natural light makes it genuinely world-class for aerial work.
It isn’t just the scenery, either. The sheer scale and remoteness of outback Western Australia means you can fly for long stretches without any human infrastructure in frame at all. That kind of visual isolation is difficult to find elsewhere.
We base our work primarily out of Western Australia, and it’s not by accident. The concentration of photographic subjects here is unlike anywhere else we’ve shot.
Western Australia’s Wheatbelt Salt Lakes
If you’ve ever seen vivid, abstract aerial photographs and wondered whether the colours are real, the Wheatbelt region will answer that question. These salt lakes, scattered across the farmlands between Perth and Kalgoorlie, change colour depending on the season, algae levels, and the light. Some run deep pink. Others look almost violet. A few turn white as porcelain when they dry out completely.
What makes them ideal for aerial work is their compact geography. You can cover several lakes in a single day, which matters when you’re hiring aircraft by the hour. Drone photography works especially well here because the lakes sit in open terrain, away from restricted airspace.
We run dedicated aerial photography workshops in the Wheatbelt most years, and the images participants walk away with consistently surprise even experienced photographers. The scenes simply don’t look real until you’re standing next to them.
Hutt Lagoon (Pink Lake), Port Gregory
Hutt Lagoon near Port Gregory and Kalbarri is probably the most visually arresting single subject we shoot. The pink colour comes from a carotenoid-producing micro-algae called Dunaliella salina, which thrives in the high-salinity water. From above, the lake reads as a wash of pink and deep rose, set against pale coastal scrub and the blue of the Indian Ocean.
The best conditions tend to be mid-morning light with some cloud softening the shadows. Midday can work too, particularly if you want full saturation in the colour.
Worth knowing: the intensity of the colour varies by season and year, so what you see on one trip won’t necessarily match the next. That unpredictability is part of what keeps us returning.
You can see prints from this location across our fine art print series, which gives a good sense of the tonal range it produces depending on conditions.
Shark Bay and Useless Loop
Shark Bay is one of Australia’s most extraordinary coastal environments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the air, the salt ponds at Useless Loop produce a colour palette running from deep turquoise through to rust orange, depending on salinity and the time of day. It’s one of those places where the abstract and the documentary sit right next to each other in a single frame.
We’ve run workshops at Shark Bay aboard a vessel, accessing remote bays and lagoons that most photographers never see. Flying over the peninsula gives you a completely different understanding of its shape and scale. The water clarity here is staggering from altitude.
The Kimberley: Broome, Derby, and Beyond
The Kimberley in WA’s far north is genuinely remote. Broome and Derby sit at the gateway to some of the most dramatic coastal and inland terrain in the country, and from altitude, the contrast between the red pindan soil, the mangrove creek systems, and the turquoise ocean creates compositions that don’t need much editing at all.
Derby in particular offers extraordinary tidal mudflats that shift colour as the light changes throughout the day. Helicopter work tends to suit this region well because of the range it provides and the ability to drop into tight gorge systems that a drone can’t safely reach.
So what does a Kimberley expedition actually look like in practice? We’ve structured aerial photography tours through Broome and Derby covering both regions back to back, giving participants two very different visual environments in a single trip.
Lake Lefroy and Kalgoorlie
Lake Lefroy, near Kalgoorlie in the WA goldfields, is a vast dry salt lake. The combination of the lake’s white surface, the surrounding red earth, and the Super Pit mine just to the north creates something almost cinematic from altitude.
The scale here generally calls for aircraft rather than drones for the wide compositions, though drones are ideal for detailed abstract work along the lake edges. The textures at the waterline, where the salt crust cracks into geometric patterns, are as good as anything we shoot.
Mining country from the air surprises most people. Industrial and natural subjects sit side by side, and the visual contrast between them is exactly what we look for.
Karijini National Park
Karijini in the Pilbara region is primarily known as a gorge system at ground level. From above, though, those deep red gorges cut through flat ochre-coloured plateau in ways that create layered, almost painterly compositions. The scale of these formations only becomes clear once you’re looking down on them.
Drone operations within national parks require specific approvals from the relevant state or territory authority before flying. Planning ahead matters here. That extra logistics step is worth it, because the results are unlike anything else in the region.
New Zealand’s South Island
While this post is focused on Australia, we genuinely can’t write about our best shooting locations without mentioning the South Island of New Zealand. The alpine terrain, the braided rivers of the Canterbury Plains, and the fiords of the southwest produce some of the most compelling aerial work we’ve ever done.
We’ve built a South Island workshop around locations we’ve spent over a decade exploring from the air and on the ground, and it’s worth considering if you’re already making the trip to this part of the world.
What Makes a Location Work from the Air?
Not every beautiful place translates well to aerial photography. Sound familiar? We see it often: spots that look stunning at ground level simply don’t have the visual structure that reads from altitude. Here’s what we look for when scouting a new location:
- Colour contrast: Strong tonal or colour differences between elements like water, soil, vegetation, and salt
- Pattern and texture: Geometric formations, cracked mud, ridgelines, or wave patterns visible from above
- Scale ambiguity: Locations that don’t immediately read as a specific size, which creates that abstract quality
- Light angle: Early morning or late afternoon light rakes across the terrain and creates shadow detail that midday light flattens out
- Practical accessibility: Remote is usually better, but it has to be reachable with the right aircraft
These factors explain why Western Australia performs so consistently well. It has a higher concentration of all five criteria in a relatively accessible region than almost anywhere else we know.
A Note on Drone Regulations in Australia
If you’re planning to shoot commercially with a drone in Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) requires you to hold a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) and your operation must hold an operator’s certificate (ReOC). The standard altitude limit is 120 metres above ground level, and most national parks require separate approvals before flying within their boundaries.
The CASA drone rules and licensing requirements are the definitive source for staying current on what’s required. Regulations do change, so checking before each new project or location is worth making a habit.
For participants who join our workshops and tours, we handle all aircraft logistics and airspace planning. You focus entirely on the photography.
How We Approach These Locations
We don’t just turn up and fly. Every location we run workshops at has been personally scouted over multiple years and seasons. We know where the colour peaks, which time of year gives the best conditions, and how high to fly for different compositions at each specific site.
That depth of local knowledge is the core of what makes our aerial photography workshops and bespoke tours different from a standard photography trip. Whether you’re joining a small group expedition or booking a fully customised private aerial photography tour that Scott designs around your specific creative goals, every session is built on that accumulated field experience.
Ready to Shoot These Locations?
If any of these spots have been on your radar and you’re serious about shooting them properly, the most direct path is joining one of our workshops or enquiring about a custom expedition. Spots are limited, and the most popular workshops fill well in advance.
Browse our upcoming aerial photography workshops and tours to find what fits your schedule and creative goals. Or if you’re after something entirely tailored to your style and preferred locations, get in touch and we’ll build it from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best location in Australia for aerial photography?
Western Australia consistently offers the most concentrated range of aerial photography subjects in the country. Locations including the Wheatbelt salt lakes, Hutt Lagoon, Shark Bay, Karijini, and the Kimberley coast each offer distinct visual opportunities, and most can be reached with a combination of charter aircraft and drone equipment. The Wheatbelt and Hutt Lagoon are particularly well-regarded for their vivid natural colours from altitude.
Can I use a drone for aerial photography in Australia?
Yes, but the rules depend on how you’re using it. Recreational drone use is governed by CASA’s drone safety rules, with a standard altitude limit of 120 metres above ground level. Commercial drone operators must hold a Remote Pilot Licence (RePL) and their operation needs an operator’s certificate (ReOC). Many national parks also require separate approvals. The CASA drone rules page is the best place to check current requirements before you fly.
When is the best time of year to photograph the pink salt lakes in Western Australia?
Hutt Lagoon and the Wheatbelt lakes tend to show the most vivid colour during the cooler months, roughly April through August, though conditions vary significantly from year to year. The micro-algae that produces the pink and rose tones responds to salinity, temperature, and light levels, so exact timing can be unpredictable. Booking a workshop with a photographer who monitors these conditions closely is one way to improve the odds of shooting at peak colour.
Do I need photography experience to join an aerial workshop?
Not necessarily. The workshops run by Scott Jon Aerial Art are designed for all experience levels, from people shooting aerials for the first time through to seasoned professionals who simply want direct access to specific locations and expert guidance. Groups are kept small, which means the instruction adapts to suit each participant’s level throughout the trip.
What aircraft are used in aerial photography workshops across Western Australia?
Depending on the location and creative goals involved, workshops and tours operate using drones, Cessna fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. Each platform suits different locations and composition styles. Helicopter work is common in remote coastal and gorge regions, while drones are preferred for detailed abstract work over salt lakes and open terrain. Some workshops combine multiple aircraft types across the same trip.
How is a private aerial photography tour different from a group workshop?
A private or bespoke tour is designed entirely around you. Rather than following a set itinerary with a small group, Scott designs the expedition based on your creative goals, preferred locations, and schedule. Private tours can range from drone-only sessions to multi-day expeditions involving helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft across multiple regions of WA. Group workshops follow a set programme with four to five participants and cover pre-planned locations.
Do photographers from overseas travel to Australia specifically for aerial photography tours?
Yes, a significant portion of participants who join Scott Jon’s workshops travel from overseas, particularly from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Many plan their trip specifically to photograph Western Australian locations that are difficult or impossible to access without local expertise and pre-arranged aircraft hire. The combination of unique landscapes and guided access is a major drawcard for international photographers.
