If you’re looking for an amazing spot near Boston to do engagement photos at a beach, look no further! Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts, is pretty much the perfect spot.

I’m so glad Amy and Shawn chose it for their engagement session last September. And, by the way, September is also an incredible time to do photos there. In the summer months of course it is swarmed with tons of sunbathers and walkers and everyone else who wants to enjoy a beautiful beach in the hottest time of the year! In September there are definitely still some crowds, even later in the day (I think around 5 or 6 pm was when we arrived), but it is definitely more manageable.

Just FYI, watch out for Greenhead season - if you are not acquainted with them, believe me, you don’t want to be! Greenheads are usually in full force from mid July to early August in this area. And if you’re a horse-lover, horses are allowed during the off-season from October through March. What a fun engagement session that would be if you have a horse and want photos with it!

Crane beach also has not been built out too much because it is a conservation project as well for nesting piping plovers, an endangered species. So, it still has the beautiful dunes and grasses as well for a beautiful backdrop, and the beach has a very natural and wild feel to it. There’s also a fun boardwalk that goes over the dunes that is also one of my favorite spots for engagement photos at Crane Beach.

I can’t wait for Amy and Shawn’s wedding day this fall! This session was so fun and I loved walking around, getting to know them and seeing what poses and prompts helped bring smiles to their faces.