Fan Pier Park | Boston, MA
General Description & Location
Your engagement session is an exciting part of the wedding planning experience. It is an opportunity to get together with your fiancé and photographer and create some amazing, unforgettable portraits of you two. There is also the element of self-expression as well. If you and your fiancé are a loyal native the city of Boston and desire to express that fact in your portraits, then you would be hard pressed to select a location for your session more appropriate than the Boston Seaport Fan Pier Park.
Located in in the Seaport neighborhood on Boston’s east side, Fan Pier Park is a fascinating location in the city. It borders the southern edge of Boston Harbor. The Park itself is a three-quarter mile long segment of the Habor walk. The pathway starts out on a northly path under the Seaport Blvd, and turns more easternly as it approaches the harbor. The result of which is a large outdoor public space that offers epic views of the Boston skyline and ocean from numerous different views.
Why would Fan Pier Park be the perfect location for your Engagement Session?
Excellent views of the skyline
Boston is a city with unforgettable architecture and striking skylines. Many couples would love to incorporate this trait into their images for their engagement session as well as on their wedding day. Fan Pier Park allows you place the skyline into your shots in several different manners. Starting on the Harbor walk between Congress Street and Seaport Blvd., the opportunity to exists to shoot close to the skyline and as a result the couple appear much smaller, and the city likewise appears much larger and epic. This is an excellent opportunity for a wide angle Environmental Portrait.
As you make your way further north along the harbor walk and turn toward the east the city gets further way. As a result of your new location, you see more of the city, more variety in the buildings, and it becomes a bit more cinematic. Often you can see a variety of boat traffic as well
Lastly, if you walk as far as you can Eastward, you will get to the Marina. There is a floating dock here, that once you walk out onto, you will be greeted by this dead-on view of downtown with the water in front. It’s amazing view and I will talk about it more below.
Numerous views of water
Boston is a coastal city, there is often there is exciting activity happening in the water just offshore. This activity can include changes from the weather, as well as a diverse amount of boat traffic. Often, I have seen tall sailing ships, sleek racing boats, as well as large luxurious yachts. All of these can add interesting context to your shots and the park allows multiple views of it.
Year round, busy or empty, the park is amazing for portraits!
Boston is a city that has a very diverse climate. It can be very warm and cozy in the summer, and blistering cool in the winter. The seaport will look amazing regardless of which season you have your engagements session in. I have capture fun summer nights all along the harbor with sailing ships floating by as well as vibrant winter days where the water is active and choppy adding a unique dramatic flare to the scene. If you are daring enough to have you session in the cooler months, the pay off is worth it.
Boston can be a very busy place and the Seaport is no exception. Often times when you want to plan your engagement photo session in a popular, active, location, you need to take into consideration when the spot is full of people, when it is not, and then plan your day accordingly. This can be challenging when also coordinating with a time of day when the light is best. However, due to the active urban feel of the Seaport, this location can be just as useful full as it is deserted. If you shoot in the morning, the sun will be low and there will be fewer people. However if your schedule limits you to another part of the day, perhaps the early evening, there will be more people present but they will blend in. It is an urban location. Lots of people will be context, not distractions. Additionally, the park is rather large. The path ways are wide, and you will not find yourself striving for space. This is one of the reasons this is my favorite spots in the city. There is enough space for everyone.
No Permit Required
Fan Pier Park as well as the Seaport in general is one continuous public park. It is available and free to everyone. There is no permit required for scheduling your portrait session there. No appointment to be more or anything to that affect. All you need to remember is that you need to share the space and not be a nuisance. This can be a really amazing alternative to other locations, such as the Boston Public Library, which requires a $750 permit for portraits
Ease of parking and accessiblity
The Seaport neighborhood of Boston started becoming heavily developed in the early 2000s. One aspect of this growth that was mandated by the city was ease of accessibility and parking. You can get to Fan Pier easily by driving or public transportation. Just about every mid rise building in the area has a public parking garage in it’s basement to make finding a spot near the park quick and easy. If you would rather not drive into the city, then you can take the red line to the nearby south station or you can also ride the silver line directly there.
Where are the best Spots for portraits at Fan Pier PARK?
As I've mentioned before, this particular Park is absolutely amazing for portraits that feature the skyline in the background. And that's going to be the first thing you see when you get to it. However, if you look closely, there's also several other little hidden spots that make for amazing unique images as well.
The harbor Walk at martins Park.
This is a nifty little area where you are directly in front of the Boston tea party ship. It's in between Congress Street and seaport boulevard, right in front of Martin's Park. Here the skyline is much closer to you, and you will appear much smaller in relation and the look is very interesting and makes for a great environmental portrait.
the barking Crab
If you continue your stroll North on the harbor walk underneath seaport boulevard, you will come to a nifty restaurant called The barking Crab. This is a very unique seafood restaurant and bar with a colorful interior decorating. If you're very nice, they'll let you take pictures inside the bar. However directly behind it. You also have a lot of Boston lobster fishing related items as well as a Marina where you get a great view of the old Northern avenue bridge which is currently out of use but makes a great background for your engagement portraits.
The Courthouse
Continuing your walk even further north along the harbor walk, the sidewalk starts to curve towards the East and you walk behind the John Joseph Marconi United States courthouse. Here you will find a grassy area where you can move a little bit away from the water and get a more encompassing view of downtown. Additionally, the brick courthouse has several round alcoves that you can pose inside, which also make for an interesting view of the city with a sort of a picture frame from the brickwork.
The Marina
Continuing our walk East on the harbor walk. We will come to first the Roof Top Pavilion which is a building with a large inclined observation deck on the roof. You can walk up there for great views of the water, Logan airport, as well as the skyline and that can also make a great way of seeing the city for portraits.
The Dock
Lastly, on our list of locations is the seaport Marina. Here you will find a long narrow walk way that you can walk along and get a great debt on dramatic shot of downtown. This is excellent for activity-based shots with the skyline in the background.
FAQ
What is the best time of day for portraits at Fan Pier Park?
Although the harbor walk looks good almost all day long, there are a few benefits to scheduling your session with care. An early morning session, when the sun low and over the eastern water can look very tranquil and dream like. A session in the early evening can catch a colorful dusk sky as well as the lights of the city. Please keep in mind that in the summer, the sun rises very early in the morning and sets late in the evening. Likewise, in the winter, your dawn shoots will be later and you will have much less time in the evening.
Does this location require a permit or scheduling an appointment?
This locations does not require you to schedule an appointment or get a permit. This is a public park open to all!
IS there somewhere to change and use the bathroom at Fan Pier Park?
Yes! There is a public restroom inside the lookout platform where you can change. Additionally there are many restaurants around the park.
Can I bring my pet to the session at this park?
Yes! Of course!
How long does it take to receive the final edited photos?
What happens if the weather is unfavorable on the day of an outdoor shoot?
Are you looking for a Boston Wedding Photographer?
Hello! My name is Gregory Hitchcock. I am a wedding photographer serving the greater Boston area. My passion is capturing the story of your wedding day in a manner that is authentic, natural, but also insightful and artistic. Combing this process of elegant photojournalism with an artistic vision I have be refining for the last twenty years, I create coverage of your wedding day that is both true to you as well as beautifully expressed. Every package I offer includes pre-wedding planning meetings as well as an engagement session so that I can ensure your wedding photography perfectly matches your vision! Please take a moment to fill out the contact form below and we will setup a time to meet. Or if you are not feeling the contact form simply drop me an email: Gregory@Gregoryhitchcockphotography.com
Looking for the ideal Boston Engagement Session Location?
This article on Fan Pier Park is one part of a series I am working on highlighting the bests locations in the city. Please have a look at the link below to visit my article about the 10 Best Engagement Session locations in Boston.