Too often we head to a wonderful destination with every intention of taking some memorable photographs only to return home with a handful of postcards and some less than stellar shots of the destinations we chose. This is an avoidable frustration, and one we want to ensure you don’t experience if you have booked a stay at a luxury villa in Turks and Caicos.
Now, we won’t be able to turn you into an Ansel Adams or Annie Liebowitz in a single article, we can point you to the right spots and make a few helpful suggestions that will allow you to really capture some of the great scenes and even moods of the island.
Beaches
This is an obvious suggestion, but don’t limit yourself to the standard, postcard-style shot, i.e. finding somewhere to stand a bit above and shoot down on the beach. Instead, turn things upside down and shoot low – as in at the same level as the sand.
Footprints in the sand, writing or drawing, piles of shells, or simply the graceful curve of the shore as it forms a bay in the distance…these are stunning ways to really document your personal experience of the beach. Choose your favorite spot and pay a few visits at sunrise, sunset and midday to see what gets the greatest results.
While you’re there, don’t neglect any of the colorful shacks that line some of the island’s best beaches. There are so many things you can do with the palm trees along the beaches, including using them to frame the shacks or even a sunrise or sunset.
If you are near the shacks, be sure you head inside to capture some fun and unique memories. The conch shacks are great for “collecting” conchs without the hassle of carrying them home (remember, you can’t buy more than three anyway!).
Half Moon Bay is a beach popular with photographers due to its limestone cliffs and palms, but be sure to get down to the rocks and look for the iguanas too!
Birds
Turks and Caicos also happens to be a world-class bird watching spot, particularly the areas around Provo. However, don’t neglect the flamingos that so often show up at the island’s golf course (yes, you’ll have to play to find them, but it is a great experience either way).
To get the best bird shots, you will have to go on a bit of an adventure. After all, Northwest Point National Park is one of the best birding areas, and a simple walk along its one mile of coastline from southwest to the lighthouse at Northwest Point is sure to provide countless opportunities.
Head southwest to West Harbour Bluff for the best pelican viewing, and drive along Tom Lightbourne Rd. in Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve, stopping three miles in to get some of the best birding on the island. If you are the type who likes to be scared, visit the coastal area of Frenchman’s Creek and book a guided tour into the Malcolm Roads Beach. Why? This is where the giant land crabs live and where you can watch Yellow Crowned Night Herons do some amazing fishing on land and where small sharks can be seen swimming in the shallows nearby.
Boats
You might love the look of a boat bobbing in the bay, and a visit to this island is going to give you many chances to photograph this sight. Remember that midday is going to wash out the colors and you will want to always try to document boats in the mornings or late afternoons when the sunlight is less potent. Silhouettes of boats at sunrise or sunset are great and there is little that compares to the calm and stillness of a harbor or marina at sunrise.
Don’t forget to capture the people, markets, gardens, and even the special details of luxury rentals – zooming in close rather than attempting expansive images – and you’ll have personalized, and even frame-worthy art to remember your luxury holiday.