Seychelles is one of the most photogenic places on earth and one of the easiest. The light works, the geography works, the scale is human. Here’s how to make the most of it.
Light windows
Golden hour. Sunrise around 6:00–6:15 year-round (we’re 4° south of the equator). Sunset around 18:00–18:30. Both quick. About 20 minutes of usable light each. Set up 30 minutes before.
Mid-morning (9–11am). The water at its bluest, granite at its warmest, before the trade winds hit.
Midday. Hard light, blown highlights on white sand. Bad for portraits, great for aerial and abstract.
Blue hour. 30 minutes after sunset. Granite goes silhouette, water goes inkwell. Underrated.
The signature locations
| Shot | Where | Best time |
|---|---|---|
| Granite boulders in the surf | Anse Source d’Argent | Late afternoon |
| The classic palm-on-beach | Anse Lazio | Mid-morning |
| Aerial / drone of jungle-backed beach | Anse Intendance | Sunrise, calm wind |
| Cross-island sunset panorama | Mission Lodge | 30 min before sunset |
| Tortoise portraits | Curieuse Island | Mid-morning shade |
| Coco de mer in deep canopy | Vallée de Mai | 10am–12pm (light reaches the floor) |
| Underwater wide-angle | St-Pierre, Aride Bank | Mid-morning, sun overhead |
Drone rules
Drones are permitted but restricted around airports, military areas, government buildings and certain reserves. Declare at customs. Most beaches are fine. No filming people without permission. Wind drops at dawn and dusk. The only realistic windows for clean footage.
Underwater
Surface snorkelling is fine on phone-in-housing. Real underwater photography needs a strobe. The colour drops below 5m and goes blue/green without flash. Local dive operators rent rigs but bring your own if you care.
Frequently asked questions
Best season for photography?
April–May and September–November. Settled seas, lower humidity, longer warm light. Trade-wind months (June–August) have blue skies but the wind shows up in palm fronds and water surface.
Do I need a permit to fly a drone?
Declare at customs on arrival. Some reserves (Vallée de Mai, Aride, Cousin) and the area around the airport are no-fly zones. Beach use is generally allowed if you respect people.
Where do I hire a professional photographer in Seychelles?
To Happy Endings (Salim’s brand). Wedding, family and lifestyle photography across all three main islands. Book ahead, especially in peak season.
What gear do I bring?
One full-frame body, a 24–70 and a 70–200, ND filters (for the bright daylight), polariser (for the lagoons). Phones with computational photography handle a lot of the casual work surprisingly well.