Reflecting on a day on the river.

Who doesn’t love a great reflection photo?  We think most people would be a fan and certainly, most of our cruise passengers would attempt to take a reflection shot if we are having the perfect conditions on the water – after all, what’s not to love about the gorgeous gorges and the watery landscapes we will take you through whilst on one of our tours?

Many of our guests join us for a tour and are snapping away photographs on their iPhone or iPad so, we would like to share with you the Top Ten Tips for taking stunning iPhone reflection photos as suggested by the iPhone Photography School.

Step One – Find a Reflective Surface

Easy – we have the perfect reflective surface for you – Lake Kununurra!  You will spend a number of hours on the Lake with us so hopefully the day will provide you with many opportunities for capturing your reflection pic.  Glassy conditions probably work best but unfortunately we have no control over the weather Gods who may like to whip up a bit of wind every now and then!

Step Two – Find a Unique Subject

Yes!  We can deliver on this one too.  Whether its a gorgeous gorge, an elusive Freshwater crocodile or a Comb-Crested Jacana walking on water – we are sure we can give you your very own unique photo opportunity!

Step Three – Mix Reality and Reflection

As the author says “your reflection photos should always show a healthy mix of reflection and reality”.  In the Kimberley and certainly on a Triple J Tour – it is all about the reality!  You would be hard-pressed to find anything false up here!

Step Four – Eliminate Distractions

This could prove difficult – what with the bird life and wildlife, distraction comes easily on the cruises as you don’t know what to take in first!  Try the KISS principle (keep it simple, stupid) – focus on what your subject is and its reflection.

Step Five – Get Close to the Surface

This could prove a little difficult from the boat however, the recommendation is to be less than an inch from the surface of the water – this provides you with the opportunity to have nothing but the sky in the background.  Might need a ‘selfie-stick’ for this one!

Step Six – Use Waves for Distortion

“Your reflections don’t need to be perfect like a mirror” – we agree!  A ripple of water within a photo can make an interesting focal point.

Step Seven – Photograph Imperfect Surfaces

Whether it be some Cumbungi or Lily Pads, having something uneven and imperfect in the foreground of your photo can add so much to the image.

Step Eight – Emphasize Symmetry

Reflection photos tend to show a degree of symmetry and it can be very effective!  Check out Dylan’s reflection of Carlton Gorge image in the gallery below – beautiful!

Step Nine – Take Long Exposure Photos

So – now you would be requiring some props (ie. a tripod) and perhaps some Apps on your phone (eg. Slow Shutter Cam).  This will allow you to create “blurred and dreamy reflections as long as there is some movement in the water”.  This could be great to try from the back of the vessel where we have the wake from the motors.

Step Ten – Take Hundreds of Photos

Yes!  Gone are the days of sending your roll of film off for processing, only to find a day (to a week) later – that you completely missed the ‘money shot’!  Digital really does rule.  If you don’t like any of the hundreds of photos you have taken on tour – you can delete them.  Fantastic.  Just make sure you have plenty of storage on your phone and remember to back up your images to a hard-drive when you get home – don’t want to be losing those holiday snaps.  And … after your cruise – tag your images on social media with #ordsome and we will feature them on our social media.

So there you have it – the top ten tips for that perfect reflection photo.

Check out some of these pictures taken on various tours with us and don’t forget to upload your pics and tag #ordsome as we are sure you will have an ‘ordsome’ time whilst on tour!