Travel Photography How To

The island of Martha's Vineyard is located just seven miles off the Massachusetts coast. Its quaint atmosphere, beaches and proximity to Cape Cod make this area a very popular resort destination. Martha's Vineyard also offers a variety of photo opportunities, ranging from multicolored cliffs to colorful cottages and picturesque lighthouses. Whatever you choose to photograph, your images will reflect the distinct charm of the Eastern seaboard.

What To Photograph
This island offers a variety of scenery--rolling hillsides that tumble down to the ocean, historic whaling towns, and of course, miles of beaches can all be found in Martha's Vineyard. Here are just a few places you might want to explore with your camera:
l Vineyard Haven: If you enjoy photographing boats and the sea, you'll want to head to Vineyard Haven's lovely harbor. The Tashmoo Lake overlook on State Road, West Chop Lighthouse, and the area around the drawbridge on Beach Road are also popular spots for photographers.

Oak Bluffs: To get great shots of some of the most colorful architecture you're likely to encounter, visit the Gingerbread Cottages at the famous Campground of Oak Bluffs. These cottages are located where family tents once stood in the late 1800s during a religious revival movement. The tents were later replaced with vacation cottages. Then the cottages multiplied, trying to outdo one another in brightly painted gingerbread fantasies. You might also want to check out the Flying Horses Carousel, with hand-carved carousel horses that date back to 1876. The East Chop Lighthouse and surrounding beaches offer more photo opportunities.

Aquinnah: The mile-long expanse of the Aquinnah Cliffs feature brilliant colors in its layers of sands, gravel and clays of varying hues. The red lighthouse at Gay Head Cliffs is also a great place to shoot. Beach access is restricted, but you can view these cliffs from a short trail and other vantage points along the road.

In addition to its many beautiful beaches, Martha's Vineyard offers a variety of scenic photo possibilities. One of the location's charms is that there are no bridges or tunnels connecting it to the mainland. That means you'll have to arrive by plane or boat.

Edgartown: You'll love photographing Edgartown's picturesque Main Street, along with its harbor and waterfront. This seaport village has been preserved from the early 19th century, and is still one of the world's great yachting centers. To best explore this historic community, it's best to walk its streets. Edgartown also has an often photographed lighthouse, along with several beautiful beaches.

Getting There
Martha's Vineyard can be reached by sea or by air. Many travelers journey by car or passenger ferry from Cape Cod to Vineyard Haven year-round, and to Oak Bluffs during the summer. Summer passenger service operates between Oak Bluffs and Falmouth and Hyannis, and between Vineyard Haven and New Bedford. There's a year-round flight service from Boston, Hyannis, Nantucket, and New Bedford.

Weather
August daytime temperatures average between 72--80°. Bring a light sweater or jacket for the evening, when temperatures will hover around a comfortable 65°.