Cataumet on Buzzards Bay. Photo by Brian Shortsleeve

My love of photography was a major motivator when I began publishing Cape Cod Life almost 40 years ago. From the beginning we have done our best to creatively capture and lovingly share with our readers the profound natural beauty of the Cape and Islands.

In our 2018 Annual Guide issue, we have striking photos from all 15 towns on the Cape and shots from Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cuttyhunk. Plus, we suggest marvelous locations for great photo opportunities in each area.

Also in this issue, our “Changing Shape of the Cape” article focuses on our entire Atlantic shoreline. Thanks to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History we have renderings of the changing shape of the Cape over thousands of years. Thanks to the drama of today’s photo capabilities we are able to share important examples of changes occurring yesterday, today and tomorrow! For example: barrier beach breaks in Chatham, the growing Nauset Spit in Orleans and Eastham, the Ballston Beach breakthrough to the Upper Pamet River Valley in Truro and the Cliffs of Cahoon Hollow in Wellfleet. The power of Mother Nature is overwhelming!

Our 2018 Seascapes Wall Calendar has proven to be very popular with our readers this year. A few of my favorite photos are Sunset over the Cape Cod Canal (January), by Tyson Junkers; Sea smoke in Oak Bluffs (February) by Michael J. Skelton; Start of Falmouth Road Race (August) by Paul Rifkin; The Old Harbor Lifesaving Station in Provincetown (November) by Mike Potenza. Our calendar photographers contribute a relaxing and joyful element to any room year round.

If you really enjoy photos of our beloved region, click on “Guide to Cape & Islands.” My favorite is “Aerial Tours”—we photographed the entire coastal perimeter of the Cape & Islands from an open helicopter. Starting high above the Cape Cod Canal, I visit my favorite areas from West Falmouth to Woods Hole, Osterville to Orleans, Chatham to Provincetown, and all of the Cape Cod Bay shoreline back to the Cape Cod Canal. Then we do the same on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands.

When you are viewing the Aerial Tours, if you see a shot of your favorite area and want a print of it, there is a purchase information click button on each photo. Included in the Guide to Cape & Islands you will also find captivating photos in Shoreline Walks, Lighthouse Tours, Historic Sites & Museums, and our general Photo Galleries.

No talk of our photo collections is complete without mentioning our Annual Photo Contest winners. Online, click on “Best Of” and scroll down to see all of the winning photos. Click on each one to enlarge and learn the location and photographer’s name. So many creative photographers share our love of the Cape & Islands’ profound natural beauty.

Gunkholing is the art of getting a boat into any small shallow cove, forbidden to boats of deeper draft and out again, without running aground much over a dozen times. – J.Benjamin

Check out the following feature articles in the 2018 Cape Cod LIFE Annual Guide:

2018 Annual Guide: Upper Cape

2018 Annual Guide: Mid Cape

2018 Annual Guide: Lower Cape

2018 Annual Guide: Outer Cape

2018 Annual Guide: The Islands

Curious to see the changes throughout the entire Atlantic shoreline? Check out our “Changing Shape of the Cape” article from the Annual Guide.

Check out our Annual Photo Contest winners here

See the Cape & Islands from a helicopter view in our Aerial Tour

Interested in seeing beautiful Cape Cod photos for 365 days? Purchase Cape Cod Life Publications’ 2018 Seascapes Calendar here