Vancouver Island Photo Locations
You’ve made it to my super secret locations page! Check out the list below for my favourite spots around Vancouver Island.
Nanaimo
The vibes:
- Rocky cliffs overlooking the ocean
- Forest & fall colours
- Pebble beaches
- Arbutus trees
- Tall grass
- Great lighting at all times of the day!
The vibes:
- Rocky cliffs
- Pebble beaches, calm water
- Arbutus trees
- Beach grass
- Best at sunset and just after
Accessibility: not recommended for those with major accessibility challenges. Requires a bit of a scramble over logs to get onto the beach.
No dogs allowed on the beach October – May.
The vibes:
- Mountain views
- Incredible sunsets
- Forest
- Arbutus trees
Accessibility: requires a 5-10 minute walk uphill on a rocky path. Not recommended for those with accessibility challenges. Due to being an unfenced cliff ledge, I don’t recommend this location for family sessions with little ones.
The vibes:
- Lakeside with forest/mountain views
- Sandy beach
- Forest/trails
- Viewpoint with amazing sunset views
- Warm water in the summer if you want to end the session in the lake!
Accessibility: the beach area is very close to the parking lot. The viewpoint requires a short uphill hike. Can be very busy in the summer.
The vibes:
- Open field with tall grass
- Lovely golden hour lighting
- Forest, farms, and Mount Benson in the background
There is a rough trail around the field and there are minimal hills. Dogs love this spot!
The vibes:
- Amazing ocean and city views of Departure Bay
- Best spot to catch a sunset
Accessibility: a few sets of stairs required to get to the viewpoint. We may also need to scramble up rocks. Not the best location for those with accessibility challenges.
The vibes:
- Wide, sandy beach – can feel like Tofino in Nanaimo at low tide!
- Great sunset lighting
- Dogs are allowed off-leash (great spot for zoomies)
Accessibility: huge set of stairs required to get up/down from the beach, so I do not recommend this location if you have accessibility challenges. The beach itself requires a short walk over rocks to get to the sand. Once you get there, it’s incredible.
Parksville & Nanoose Bay
The vibes:
- Sandy beach
- Beach grass
- Driftwood
- Does not get a direct sunset
- Forest
Accessibility: the trails are mostly flat and easy to access, so this location is great for wedding photos. The beach is sandy and very close to the parking lot so no hiking is required.
Please note: dogs are not allowed at this beach.
The vibes:
- Mountain/forest views
- Arbutus trees
- Great sunset lighting
Accessibility: no hike required, so it’s great for wedding portraits. There is no fence, so I do not recommend this location for family sessions with young kiddos (and please keep your pet on a leash)!
The vibes:
- Forest, waterfalls, & river views
- Pools of water perfect for a swim in the summer!
Accessibility: requires a 10-20 minute hike with hills. Suitable for elopements, engagement sessions, and family sessions with older children.
The vibes:
- Quiet oceanside coves
- Rocky beaches
- Forest
- Amazing post-golden hour (“blue hour”) colours and views of the mainland
Accessibility: some stairs. The best photo spots require walking on a rocky beach. Suitable for elopements, engagement sessions, and family sessions.
Comox Valley
The vibes:
- Old growth trees
- Ferns, so many ferns!
- Rocky, calm beach
- Usually very quiet
Accessibility: requires a walk up and down a big hill. Uneven footing on beach.
The vibes:
- Incredible mountain views
- The place to go for snowy photos in the winter
- Boardwalk trails are gorgeous in summer/fall
Accessibility: depends on the exact location – we can take nice photos in the parking lot or at the lodge! There are other locations that will require a bit of a hike and/or hills.
The vibes:
- Forest, lake views, and the perfect spot to end your session with a swim!
Accessibility: Lots of photo locations close to the parking lot for easy access. 
Chemainus & Ladysmith
The vibe:
- BIG trees
- Forest/stream
Accessibility: located in the middle of Chemainus. Although the pathway can be a little narrow, it’s very flat. The trail is very short so no hiking required.
The vibe:
- Waterfront
- Great fall colours
- Tall grass
- Rocky beach
Accessibility: very easily accessible from the parking lot. Some areas of the park require a short walk.
The vibe:
- Small beach area in Ladysmith
- Great fall colours
- Beautiful mountain view
Accessibility: Short walk from the parking lot to the beach. There is a ramp down to the beach, and the beach is sandy with some rocks.
Cowichan Valley
The vibe:
- Huge trestle bridge
- Forest, river, and some mountain views
Accessibility: 15 minute walk on a flat trail to the trestle. If we want to get down to the bottom of the trestle, it’s a scramble down a hill.
The vibes:
- Spring wildflowers
- Expansive views
- Tall grass
- Great sunsets
Accessibility: the trail is narrow in some areas. Some small hills required. Be careful not to step off trail on the wildflowers 🙂
Victoria
The vibe:
- Ocean views
- Wildflowers in the spring
- Grassy fields
- Close to downtown if you want some urban photos too
Accessibility: easily accessible for most. To get right on the beach may require stairs and a scramble over driftwood, but there are so many beautiful views from the top too!
I don’t have any photos handy, but downtown Victoria has so many incredible backdrops such as brick/stone walls, cobblestone streets, alleyways, cute cafes and breweries!
The vibes:
- Ocean views for days
- White observatory building makes an interesting backdrop
- Tall grass
Accessibility: No hike required! Built on a cliff so there is not a lot of space for big wedding parties to spread out.
Sooke & Jordan River
The vibe:
- Grassy meadows
- Forest trails
- Calm sandy beach (with a rope swing!)
- Views of the ocean from up on a cliff
Accessibility: from the parking lot to the beach it’s a short 10-15 minute walk. There are other trails around the park with great views. Some trails are narrow but many are wide and easily accessible. Some small hills.
The vibe:
- Incredible views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca
- Very quiet – there usually aren’t many people here if anyone!
- I would describe this spot as “wild Vancouver Island”
Accessibility: NOT a good spot if you have accessibility challenges unfortunately. A 15 minute hike up/down a large hill is required, and the trail is uneven and narrow. In some parts we need to scramble over rocks.
Note: I use the “Silver Spray” access point on Google Maps, not the main trailhead. It cuts 30+ minutes off the hike in/out.
The vibes:
- Long, walkable pebble beach
- Playground for the kiddos after the shoot
Accessibility: it’s only a 5 minute walk down a paved hill to the beach, which makes this the easiest accessible option in the Jordan River area compared to Mystic Beach and Sandcut Beach.
The vibes:
- Beach waterfall!!
- Pebble beach
- Crashing waves
- Great sunsets
Accessibility: 15-20 minute hike on uneven ground, and another 5-10 minutes to the waterfall.
The vibes:
- Beach waterfall!!
- Rainforest boardwalk
- Big waves
Accessibility: the hike in/out is around 45 minutes each way, and there are multiple staircases.
Note: due to the extra time needed to hike in/out, I have an additional fee for this location.
Port Alberni
The vibe:
- Mountain views
- Lakefront – docks, beach areas, and a good spot for a swim!
- Forest
Accessibility: lots of great spots close to the parking lot. Some small hills. Nice wide trails.
Tofino & Ucluelet
The vibe:
- Long sandy beach
- Great sunsets
- Surfers
The vibe:
- Sunsets, wide sandy beach, calm water
Accessibility: Access ramp located at Hellesen Road. Great spot for families with young kids!
The vibe:
- Killer sunsets!
- Rainforest trail
- Interesting rock formations
Accessibility: the beach is more difficult to access than the others in Tofino. There is a short trail involving some stairs, hills, and a boardwalk.
The vibe:
- Long sandy beach
- Great sunsets
- Surfers
- Walk to Pettinger Point for amazing views from above
The vibe:
- Rocky shoreline
- Sandy beach
- My favourite place to catch a sunset in Ucluelet
- Tall grass
I haven’t done a shoot here yet, but here’s a nearby photo with a similar backdrop (taken at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort):
The vibes:
- Rocky beaches
- Lighthouse!
- Trails through the forest (lots of GREEN!)
- Big, crashing waves
Accessibility: the lighthouse is easily accessible. Some of the trails require hills but we can tailor the session to you if you have accessibility concerns or if you’re in full wedding attire.
