Best photo shoot locations in Alanya: 16 spots, timing and a photographer’s tips

I have been photographing in Alanya for more than 13 years and have tried almost every beautiful spot in the city and around it. Here are the 16 places where the best shots happen — from the Red Tower and Cleopatra Beach to turquoise canyons and a hidden bay under a stone arch. For each location I explain what makes it special, when the light is best and how to combine it with others.

In the centre of Alanya — 7 locations

The big advantage of the central locations: they are 5–15 minutes from most hotels, and you can easily cover 2–3 spots in one shoot.

1. Red Tower (Kızıl Kule)

The octagonal 13th-century brick tower is the symbol of Alanya and probably the most recognisable backdrop in town. The warm colour of the brick looks beautiful next to the turquoise sea. Best time — sunrise, when the harbour is almost empty, or the evening, when the port lights come on.

2. Seljuk Shipyard (Tersane)

Five stone arches right above the water next to the Red Tower. The most spectacular angle is from the sea, so the shipyard combines perfectly with a yacht photo shoot.

3. Alanya Lighthouse

A white lighthouse on the cape beyond the Red Tower. Rocks, waves and a view of the harbour and the city — ideal for sunset portraits and couple shoots. It is always windy here, so light dresses and loose hair look especially alive.

4. Alanya Castle and Ehmedek

Old walls, narrow lanes with bougainvillea and a panorama of both bays — the eastern one with the harbour and the western one with Cleopatra Beach. These are the best viewpoint shots in Alanya. It is easiest to go up by car or cable car; mornings are cooler and less crowded.

5. Cable car

Shots in the glass cabin above Cleopatra Beach and on the upper platform with a view of the whole city. A great option for couples and families with children — a photo shoot and a small adventure at the same time.

6. Cleopatra Beach

Alanya’s most famous beach: two kilometres of light sand, clear water and the castle rock in the background. It is busy during the day, so for a photo shoot it is best to come at sunrise (almost empty) or in the last hour before sunset, when the light is soft and warm.

7. Damlataş Beach and Cave

A small beach at the foot of the castle rock with a stalactite cave next to it. Easy to combine with the cable car and Cleopatra Beach — everything is within a five-minute walk.

Beaches outside the city — Ulaş and İncekum

8. Ulaş Beach

A small cove 5 km west of the centre: stairs down, pine trees, rocks and turquoise water. There are no crowds like on the central beaches, so the shots feel calm and personal. Especially good in the afternoon and at sunset.

9. İncekum

A pine forest that runs right down to a sandy beach — a rare combination. At sunset the light shines through the branches and the portraits look very atmospheric. About 25 km west, convenient if you stay in Avsallar or Okurcalar.

Nature: river, cave, mountains and canyon

10. Dim Çay river and Dim reservoir

A mountain river 12 km from the centre with icy clear water and wooden pavilions right above the stream. Further upstream there are waterfalls and a turquoise reservoir among the mountains. In summer it is an escape from the heat and a completely different look: greenery, rocks and water instead of sea and sand.

11. Dim Cave

One of the most beautiful caves in Turkey: stalactites, warm lighting and an underground lake at the end of the trail. It is cool inside even in August. The cave sits on the mountainside above the Dim Çay valley, so it is easy to combine with a walk by the river.

12. Parkorman (Gedevet plateau)

A pine forest in the mountains above Alanya, wooden cabins and a view of the city and the sea on the way up. It is noticeably cooler than by the sea, so in summer it is a great alternative to the beach for a family or couple shoot.

13. Sapadere Canyon

A narrow canyon with waterfalls and a wooden boardwalk above the water, about 40 km from the centre. The sun reaches the bottom of the canyon around noon — a rare case when it is better to shoot in the middle of the day.

14. Alara: castle, river and Alarahan

A 13th-century Seljuk caravanserai, a castle on a rock and a turquoise mountain river 40 km to the west. Stone arches, ancient walls and water in one place — a great location for stylish portrait and wedding shoots.

Gazipaşa: an ancient city and the King’s Bay

15. Antiochia ad Cragum

Ancient columns and walls on a cliff above the sea, surrounded by banana plantations. There are almost no tourists, and the photos look as if you had found your own lost city.

16. Delik Deniz Bay (Kral Koyu)

A huge stone arch and a turquoise “bowl” of sea next to the ruins of Antiochia, about 65 km from Alanya. One of the most impressive locations on the coast, but the path down to the water is steep — bring comfortable shoes and water, and change into your outfit on site.

When to shoot

The main rule for photos by the sea is to shoot in soft light. At noon the sun creates harsh shadows under the eyes, people squint and the water and sand are overexposed.

• Sunrise and the first hour after it — empty beaches and promenades, soft pink-golden light. The best option for the Red Tower and Cleopatra Beach.
• Golden hour before sunset — the most popular option: warm light, soft shadows, beautiful sky. The exact times for today and the week ahead are shown by the golden hour widget on the home page.
• Noon only works for canyons, caves and mountain rivers — the light there is softer thanks to shade and reflections from the water.

By season: the most comfortable months for a photo shoot are April–June and September–November. In July and August we shoot only early in the morning or in the evening. More about light — in the article “When is the best time for a photo shoot in Alanya”.

How to choose a location and what it costs

• 30 minutes in Alanya — €100. One location in the centre or on the beach: Red Tower, Cleopatra Beach, lighthouse.
• 1 hour with hotel pickup — €150. I pick you up at your hotel and bring you back, and we cover 2–3 spots in the centre.
• Trips outside Alanya — from €200. Side, Belek and other places on the coast.
• Photo tour of Alanya — €400, 4–5 hours. Several locations in one day: castle, beaches, Dim Çay, mountains and a sunset by the sea. See the photo tour route.

Current prices and what each package includes are on the home page. If you are not sure what to choose, message me and I will suggest a location for your style, your children’s age and your holiday dates.

What to wear for a photo shoot by the sea

• Light and pastel colours — white, beige, light blue, powder pink — go well with sand and sea.
• Light flowing fabrics: in the wind by the lighthouse and on the beach a dress moves beautifully.
• No large logos or loud prints — they draw attention away from faces.
• For couples and families choose one colour palette, but not identical clothes.
• Bring comfortable shoes for the castle, the canyon and Delik Deniz bay; the nice ones are for the photos.

More ideas — in the article “What to wear for a beach photo shoot”.

Location photos in this article are from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; the authors are credited under each image.

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