The Lake Tyrrell tourist boom over the last few years has largely been due to people taking and sharing photos of the mirror-like reflections on the surface of the shallow salty water. If you’re looking to visit and hoping to see or photograph reflections like those in the photos below, this blog will give you some advice to help you maximise your chances.
Photo credit: James Smart
What makes this spot so special?
Lake Tyrrell is the largest salt lake in Victoria. The expansive and flat landscape creates clear reflections of the sky that stretch all the way to the horizon. This can create the feeling of almost being in amongst the sky itself, something that translates beautifully on camera.
Photo credit: Anne Morley
Time of year
Lake Tyrrell is located in the semi-arid Mallee region of Victoria and is a large, shallow lake. It is quite normal for it to be completely dry for most of the summer. Having at least some water is obviously vital if you’re wanting reflections, so mid autumn to spring would be your best bet. In winter, you are almost guaranteed to find water on the lake. At this time of year you should be able to find an area of the lake where you can re-create the sky-mirror effect that Lake Tyrrell is best known for.
Photo credit: Robert Armitage
Weather conditions
Ideally there should be no wind or rain if you’re looking for a clear reflection. The less wind there is, the sharper your reflections will appear. There aren’t a whole lot of sheltered spots at Lake Tyrrell so to minimise the amount of wind that getting in the way of your photos, you will need to look ahead at the weather forecast and try to get out there on a still day.
Don’t be scared off if you arrive on a day that isn’t perfectly still and sunny. Even if there are a few ripples and you can’t capture the crystal clear reflections you were hoping for, you’re still sure to have a successful photoshoot. Adjusting and playing around with your shutter speed is a good idea if there are inescapable ripples. A fast shutter speed will improve clarity but leave any ripple visible whereas a slow shutter speed will create a blurred effect on the water that can be very soft and beautiful.
Photo credit: Rohan Mott
So come visit Sea Lake this winter and see if you can capture these reflections yourself!
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