Cape Cod is a pretty amazing place. I had been only once before, when I was around 10 or 11, so I was very excited to be able to go back. Ashleigh and I were meeting my mom and other family up at a beach house in Providence only one street from the water. With my D7000 backup camera and 85mm 1.8/16-35 f4 packed, we hit the road, going from Houston to Cleveland and finally up to Providence. From there we rented a car and drove the 2.5 hours up the coastline all the way into Provincetown, which is nestled right at the tip of Massachusetts as it juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. The food, weather, and scenery were all incredible, and it was pretty easy to take some great photos there! Surprising even myself, I woke up around 6am each day to drive out to get sunrise shots near Race Point Beach or Herring Cove. Although it was tough waking up earlier than normal for vacation, the results were definitely worth it.
We ate lobster, clams, mussels, and everything else that you should eat while visiting the East Coast. We spent lots of time just hanging around, not doing much, which is my idea of the perfect vacation. We also saw humpback whales and caught 11 bluefish out in the bay (including a monster 31-incher by yours truly). It was a great time, and it ended entirely too fast. Now I’m back here in Houston looking for things that are even half as nice to photograph as the subjects up there…Cape Cod, we will meet again!
On to the photos!
A small cottage on highway 6 going into Truro, a small town near Providence. I took this around 6:30 in the morning on the first full day in Provincetown. Always amazing sunrises and sunsets up there!
Sandy beaches mimicking the huge sand dunes of the desert. Below, seagull tracks littered the beach each morning as they caught clams, flew up high and dropped them back onto the rocks to crack them open for breakfast.
Cool lines and shadows in the morning at Race Point Beach.
Ashleigh on the whale-watching boat as we head out of the bay into the open ocean. Below, our shadows in the blurry water as we steam out.
Images from early morning at Race Point Beach: mom sitting on the beach taking in the morning air, my stretched shadow in the morning sunlight, an empty lifeguard’s seat and a sailboat passing along the bay.
Boats docked in Provincetown Harbor Marina.
Mom, Ashleigh and I all on the whale-watching boat.
4 humpback whales traveling together out in the open water. Below, one arching its back as it prepares to dive down to get some lunch.
Which way is up?
All our sunglasses laid out to dry after getting soaked on the whale-watching tour. Below, we prepare some migas for our northern guests who have no remote idea what it is.
Our “dining room” table at the beach house where we ate lunch and dinner quite a bit. Below, a view of “Suzanne’s Garden” with our beach house in the background.
Plants growing in Suzanne’s Garden, and another shot of our table.
I hadn’t seen stairs this steep since Amsterdam! More like a ladder than stairs. It was best to go down them sideways to avoid wiping out, haha.
One of the many amazing sunsets at Herring Cove Beach.
One of my favorite shots of the trip, achieved by looking like an idiot in front of everyone. Laying down flat on the wet ground and placing the D7000 with the 16-35 f4 attached directly on the rocks, I focused up close to make it seem like the rocks were huge even though they were no bigger than a tennis ball.
Mine and Ashleigh’s feet overlooking Herring Cove Beach. Below, Ashleigh playing model for me with the sunset behind her.
Early morning roads on the way out to Race Point Beach. Hoping to use some of these as composites for later car shots!
Photos just couldn’t do this road justice, it had to be seen in person. Perfect, black pavement against a “cave” of green from the overhanging trees.
Another morning at Race Point Beach.
Beaches overlooking Provincetown, with the Pilgrim’s Tower rising into the sky.
A warmer sunset at Herring Cove Beach.
Slowly shifting colors as the sun lowers down.
Awesome light.
Really cool rocks of all different colors and sizes at Herring Cove Beach. Below to the right, Mom, Rob and Ashleigh sitting on a blanket watching the sunset. Again, I got this shot looking like an idiot, lying on my back in the sand.
The morning of our departure, my mom and I headed out to the harbor to get a few last sunrise shots. With a little bit of rain coming in, we got an awesome double-rainbow (all the way!). Some amazing light as the sun came up, switching from cool purple to bright, warm orange. Pretty cool stuff!
And a few shots from the iPhone!
Flying in to Cleveland from Houston. Below, fishing out in the bay.
With the catch from the day, me with my 31″ bluefish!
The proof!