Front Cover of Cape Cod Life Magazine Annual Edition - Bob Amaral Photography

It is an honor to have one of my photos on the front cover of the Cape Cod Life magazine annual edition! I was also interviewed. Make sure to pick up a copy if you are currently on the Cape or have plans to visit! 

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Interview

The Pursuit of Light

By Christina Galt 

“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”
– Ansel Adams

After moving to Cape Cod 15 years ago, washashore photographer Bob Amaral became enamored with the beauty of the region. “I owe everything to the Cape,” he confirms. Through exploration of our sand-swept shores, Amaral became obsessed with capturing the soothing energy of Cape Cod’s landscapes—its textures, lines, and hues. “When COVID hit, I was shooting night and day. I gained a lot more experience because I wasn’t at work and could really concentrate on photography,” he shares, as he compares the process to learning a musical instrument. “There is really no magical formula to becoming a good photographer, I’ve learned that it is all about getting out into the field and practicing.”

Scoping out locations, from Wellfleet to Barnstable, Amaral’s imagery is dependent on time of day, with his mornings usually beginning at four in the morning to ensure he has enough time to shoot before his nine-to-five. However, he doesn’t necessarily “plan” his photos. “I’m never in the same spot for long,” he laughs. “I know a lot of photographers who park in one spot and wait, but for me I’m always moving around to get a new shot.” Amaral jokes, “It’s also due to my short attention span.” As a Dennis resident, Chapin Beach, Mayflower Beach and Bayview Beach, he shares, are his “top three” favorite locations to shoot. “Those beaches, in my opinion, for sunrise or sunset, can’t be beat,” and if you’ve ever been to any of those spots, you know he’s right. 

Throughout the years, Amaral says he has dabbled with different types of photography, but always finds himself going back to landscapes. “When it comes to landscapes and beaches, that’s when I’m in my element,” he reflects. “Creating compositions of beaches, coastlines, dunes and sand just comes naturally to me. The light, the shadows, the textures, and the lines are my specialty—that is what I’m good at, that is what I love.” 

Shooting on both an iPhone and a range of cameras, Amaral doesn’t pigeonhole himself to a tool. When asked about which he prefers, Amaral shares that it depends on what he can easily grab, however, he admits, “I do prefer a camera. Specifically for the viewfinder because I can see things up close that I can’t with an iPhone.” Both tools landed him in the spotlight on social media as a featured photographer on Apple and Canon’s accounts. “They’re both instruments and like with any instrument if you know what you’re doing you’re going to have success,” he explains.

He laughs, “I like to call myself a semi-professional photographer. I make money with it, but not enough to retire on.” His dream is to open a studio in East Dennis, “Not just where I can showcase and sell my work,” he says, “but a collective space for photographers on Cape Cod to share tips and their favorite locations.” For now, you can find Amaral’s work on his website, social media accounts, and often up for auction at charity events benefitting local organization like Dennis Land Conservation or Dennis Union Church. “People reach out to me on social media or email me and ask if I can donate something—it’s the least I can do to give back to the community and place I love.”  

“If it wasn’t for the Cape, I wouldn’t have any work—it has given me everything,” expresses Amaral. “It has pointed me in a direction I could have never imagined. I never thought I would specialize in beautiful beaches, and if it wasn’t for Cape Cod or social media, I don’t even think my photography would be anywhere right now.”