Seaport Engagement Photos at Fan Pier | Evan & Juliana

My studio is on Congress Street in the Seaport, a short walk from Fan Pier Park, so this is the neighborhood I know best in every kind of light. Fan Pier gives you the whole Boston harbor in one place: a wooden boardwalk over the water, the Financial District skyline straight across, a garden path with towers rising over the hedges, and a lawn big enough to sit down on. Evan and Juliana’s spring engagement session covered all of it.

Quick facts

• Where · Fan Pier Park, Northern Ave and the Harborwalk, Boston Seaport
• Best light · the last two hours before sunset; mornings for an empty boardwalk
• Best seasons · spring and early fall
• Getting there · Silver Line Courthouse stop, a two minute walk; garage parking nearby
• Bring · a layer for the wind on the pier
• Studio · Perla Images, 374 Congress St, Suite 305, a short walk away

Evan & JulianaThe spotsLight & timingFAQ

Evan and Juliana at Fan Pier

We started on the boardwalk at the tip of the pier, with blue sky, big clouds and the harbor behind them. Juliana wore a long white lace dress and Evan wore navy, simple colors that hold up against the water and the glass.

Just inland, the garden path curves through tall hedges with the downtown towers stacked above them. It is the one spot in the Seaport that feels like a park and a skyline at the same time.

Then the lawn. Under the trees at the edge of the park, with the harbor and the brick wharf buildings behind, they sat in the grass and we slowed everything down.

As the sun dropped behind the Financial District we went back to the water’s edge by the old iron bollards and chains. At that hour the skyline is backlit, the light comes through the gaps between towers, and everything on the harbor turns silver.

Where to take engagement photos in the Seaport

The five best Seaport spots are the Fan Pier boardwalk, the Fan Pier garden path, the lawn by the Moakley Courthouse, the Harborwalk toward the wharves and the brick and glass streets a block inland.

The Fan Pier boardwalk

Wooden decking, glass railings, boats and the full skyline across the water. It is the most open spot in the neighborhood, best in the first and last hours of the day.

The Fan Pier garden path

Curving brick, tall hedges and towers above. Great in bright midday sun too, because the hedges give you shade.

The lawn by the Moakley Courthouse

A big green lawn with trees at the edge, the harbor on one side and the courthouse’s curved glass on the other. The easiest place in the Seaport to sit down and slow down.

The Harborwalk toward the wharves

Brick promenade, iron bollards, chains and the brick wharf buildings. This is where the golden hour backlight is.

Seaport streets and walls

Brick, glass canopies and hard angles a block or two back from the water. Good for a moodier look, and good if the wind on the pier is too much.

Light and timing for a Seaport session

The best time for Seaport engagement photos is the last two hours before sunset in spring or early fall.

The skyline is west of Fan Pier, so the sun sets behind the towers. The last two hours before sunset give you warm, backlit light with the city glowing behind you; a morning session gives you the skyline lit from the front with far fewer people on the boardwalk. Spring and early fall are the sweet spots: green trees, soft evenings, and none of the midsummer haze. Wind on the pier is real, so bring a layer and pin back anything that moves.

Getting there, and where to meet

Fan Pier sits between Northern Avenue and the Moakley Courthouse. The Silver Line’s Courthouse stop is a two minute walk, and there is garage parking all around the Seaport, which is easier than hunting for a meter on a summer evening. A good plan is to meet on the lawn by the courthouse, walk the boardwalk first while the light is higher, and save the Harborwalk for the end.

A Seaport proposal

The same spots make Fan Pier one of the most popular proposal locations in Boston. The tip of the boardwalk is open and dramatic; the garden path is the place to hide a photographer in the hedges. If you are planning a surprise, we pick the spot, the time and a signal together, and I will be there early, looking like any other person with a camera on the pier. Afterward we keep going and turn it into a short engagement session while you are both still glowing.

Many couples pair the Seaport with a second, very different look: the brownstones and magnolias of Back Bay, a short ride away. For every location I shoot around the city, see my Boston engagement photographer guide. And if you are planning the wedding here too, here is how I photograph Boston weddings and my guide to the best Boston wedding venues.

Plan your Seaport session

Seaport engagement photo FAQ

Where are the best spots for engagement photos in the Seaport?

Fan Pier Park has most of them within a five minute walk: the boardwalk over the harbor, the garden path with the skyline above the hedges, the lawn by the Moakley Courthouse and the Harborwalk toward the wharves. A block or two inland you get brick, glass and hard angles for a moodier look.

What is the best time of day for Seaport engagement photos?

The last two hours before sunset, when the sun drops behind the Financial District and the skyline is backlit. Early morning is the best choice if you want the boardwalk to yourselves.

What is the best season for engagement photos at Fan Pier?

Spring and early fall. The trees are green, evenings are soft, and the harbor is clearer than in midsummer. Evan and Juliana’s session was a spring evening.

Is Fan Pier Park good for a proposal?

Yes. The boardwalk and the tip of the pier are the classic spots, and the garden path gives you a place for me to wait out of sight. Get in touch and we will plan the timing together.

Is your studio near Fan Pier?

Yes. The Perla Images studio is at 374 Congress Street in the Seaport, a short walk from Fan Pier Park.

Are engagement sessions included in your wedding collections?

Engagement sessions are included in most of my full day wedding collections, and standalone sessions are available. See pricing or start your inquiry.

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