Cape Cod might just be one of the most romantic places in New England, which makes it a perfect backdrop for your couple or engagement photography shoot. Everything from the air’s salty smell to the sunsets, the fields of wildflowers, or the beautifully manicured public gardens – it all becomes part of your photography package.
There are so many perfect locations for an engagement shoot, including the beach, dramatic dunes, lighthouses, harbors, and quaint town settings, that I decided to write two posts about locations on the Cape. Let’s start with the beaches and Cape Cod Lighthouses.
The Beach
Seriously – Any Beach on Cape Cod is a fantastic location for a couple, engagement, or proposal shoot. Some couples even elope on one of Cape Cod’s iconic beaches! When you think “Cape Cod”, you think of “the beach.” In the summer, the winter, spring, or fall, on a sunny or overcast day, or even in the snow, the beach is always the perfect location for a couple’s shoot, dramatic or traditional – you simply can’t go wrong with a beach shoot. Of course, I prefer the less crowded beaches like South Cape Beach in Mashpee or Nauset Light Beach in Eastham on the Outer Cape, but we can make any Cape Cod beach be the perfect setting for the shoot. These Cape Cod beach pictures capture the natural beauty so well.
Buzzards Bay Beaches
As soon as you drive over one of the bridges that separate Cape Cod from the mainland, you will find yourself in the best place on the Cape for all types of photography – Buzzards Bay Beaches! There are so many places to photograph your couple’s shoot; as an added benefit, you can stay after the shoot and be a tourist.
South Cape Beach, Mashpee, is a great location – a 10-minute walk from the parking lot, and we will find ourselves on an empty beach, except for the seagulls. The beach’s soft sand and warm waters are perfect for a shoot. The only downside (really, the only one) is that you have to pay for parking.
Kite Surfers Beach, also in Mashpee. It’s not its official name, but that’s where many kite surfers come to play. This small beach features very shallow, warm water from June to September, making it ideal for engagement photos in water. I can comfortably shoot right from the water itself!. As long as there is no wind, the beach is deserted, which works great as a photography setting, and as a bonus, there is plenty of parking! This beach is a hidden secret, but luckily my son is an avid kite surfer, and he showed me this special spot.
The Knob (yes, that’s what its called) is in Falmouth. Located on a narrow strip of land where Quissett Harbor meets Buzzards Bay, The Knot is just the spot for a great engagement shoot. Not only does it offer great sunsets but before we make our way to the beach, we can walk along a short nature trail and use it as a different backdrop to your engagement portrait! Crescent Beach, which has beautiful sand and views of Quissett Harbor, is right nearby. The only downside is the parking: there isn’t much of it, but the good news is that The Knob is never crowded.
Old Silver Beach and Chapoquoit Beach, also in Falmouth.
Old Silver Beach and Chapoquoit Beaches in Falmouth are crowded for a reason—they are beautiful and very popular destinations for photographers who do couples’ shoots, family shoots, and proposal shoots. Parking can be a problem in the summer, but I am a resident of Falmouth and have a beach sticker – problem solved! If you choose Chapoquoit Beach, especially during the sunset, you will be treated to one of the best shows on Cape Cod. Locals visit this beach year-round to watch the sun slowly descend into the Atlantic, and if we are lucky, we can take some WOW beach images and shots. Keep in mind that sunsets don’t follow our schedule, so sometimes you come expecting a sunset for the shoot, and the sky turns gray. But not to worry; gray skies make for very dramatic photos. Pro tip – go barefoot! No one has ever looked bad barefoot on a beach photography shoot.
The Outer Cape and National Seashore
If you are ready to drive further, the Outer Cape offers some great locations for the perfect couples’ shoot: the shoreline of Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and, of course, Provincetown are part of the wild coastline of the National Seashore. It’s dramatic, cinematic, and fun! These wild, untouched stretches make for some of the most breathtaking pictures of Cape Cod beaches you’ll ever see.
On most beaches of the Outer Cape, all you have to do is walk away from the parking lot, and you will find yourself among epic dunes that are as high as some building; seals swimming so close to the shore, it feels like you can come in and touch them (not recommended, my dog tried), sharks – yes, where there are seals there are sharks and some mushroom picking opportunities in the fall. I will give you some true and tried methods to cook the mushrooms courtesy of my wife – no additional charge! If you plan to go into the water, beware that it is not as warm as it is around Buzzards Bay. I love shots that include the water, but the couples have to be ready for some goose bumps!
Some favorites spots are:
Marconi Beach
Not only does Marconi Beach offer all the beauty of the National Seashore: yes, the dunes, the sea grass, the parking, the soft sand, and a beach that stretches into forever, but if you want your engagement shoot to include your dog, this is the place to be. Dogs have to be leashed, but if you go out far enough, you can take your dog off leash, at least long enough to be included in your shoot. Other amazing locations for Cape Cod engagement photos on the Outer Cape include Nauset Beach in Orleans and Mayflower Beach in Dennis.
Lighthouses
Nobska Lighthouse, in Falmouth
I’ll say it: Nobska Lighthouse is iconic. And yes, everyone wants to shoot there. And although it is not my favorite location for an engagement or a proposal shoot, I am in the minority. The lighthouse is beautiful, but the cliffs that are right across the street and the little beach just down the road provide a variety of photos that are hard to find in other locations.
Edgartown Lighthouse: Martha’s Vineyard
If you’re staying on Martha’s Vineyard, Edgartown Lighthouse is great. I photographed several elopements there, and the photos came out amazing! Is it worth the ferry ride just for a shoot? Maybe, maybe not. Lots of couples enjoy the ferry ride and make a day of it. However, if you’re already on the island, it’s a no-brainer.
How to pick a location?
In my blog post “10 best places for an engagement photoshoot in Boston” I suggested that couples choose a location that is meaningful for you. Of course the same applies to a location on the Cape. But if you are visiting for the first time and have not developed a connection with a particular spot – no problem, just find a beach, any beach, not only the ones I described in this blog post and I will come to your location and we will take some amazing photos!
Hope to see you in front of my camera soon!
Leave a reply