Hollywood Forever Cemetery Engagement Portrait Session

While it’s probably not the first destination you think of for an engagement session, trust me when I say that the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the perfect location for your photo shoot. Hear me out: the venue is brimming with Hollywood history. The gardens are gorgeous all throughout the year. And you can even get shots with the Hollywood Sign in the distance. So, let’s take a walk on the wild side as we tiptoe through the tombstones with Jane and Casey on their Hollywood Forever Cemetery engagement portrait session.

How to Schedule a Photo Shoot at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

While it is free to enter and take casual photos in the cemetery, structured photo shoots require a photo permit from the front office. A permit can easily be obtained by simply contacting the Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s front office at 323.469.1181. The cost for the permit is $750 per hour. And while this price might seem a bit steep, you have to take him to consideration the unique location. A shoot here is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Rules for Taking Photos at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

The team at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is quite familiar with the filmmaking community, and a permit grants you full access to the entire grounds. The only rules are that you be respectful during your time at the venue. This is a public place, and you will still have bereaved family members visiting lost loved ones, as well as tourists, in the background. Active funerals, and those visiting gravesites should always have the right of way in the cemetery.

The Best Time to Take Photos at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. I recommend you schedule your shoot first thing in the morning at 8:30 a.m. on a weekday in order to give you the best light and to cut down on the crowds. My session with Jane and Casey was scheduled for 8:30 AM on a Monday. While we did encounter a large funeral at the end of our session as well as a yoga class, we only encountered two tourists.

Note that the Hollywood forever cemetery is a buzz with activities first thing in the morning. The landscaping crew has that place in ship shape starting first thing in the morning. Your early morning photo session will have you dodging lawnmowers, but it’s worth it.

The Best Photo Shoot Locations

Where to Start

Most visitors who come to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery head straight for the beautiful white building in the middle of the lake. This building is officially known as the Clark Mausoleum. I recommend that you start your photo session in this area so that you can get in and get out before any tourists sneak into your background.

One scheduling item to note is that the Cathedral Mausoleum, which is the large mausoleum on land behind the lake, does not officially open at 8:30 a.m. The staff at the cemetery keep the doors shut so that they can clean the floors and prepare the mausoleum for the public. You should still start your photo session at the entrance to the Cathedral Mausoleum, however, and take advantage of the beautiful doors being closed. Once your photos are done here, spring over to the lake.

Clark Mausoleum and Lake

The Clark Mausoleum is architectural highlight of the cemetery. You’ll want to take photos of your subject, both from across the lake as well as on the island itself. While it is very bright on the island, there are a few trees, offering a bit of shade here and there. Oh, and watch out for the inquisitive ducks that are very tame.

Once you’ve tackled the Clark Mausoleum, start walking your way around the lake. Here you’ll find a low tree branch. This branch is a great photo opportunity to have your subject pose with the Clark Mausoleum in the background.

Nearby is what I find to be the best, and largest angel statue in the cemetery. I used the large angel statue to hold the engagement ring for this particular photo shoot. There’s also a bench right next to the statue that you can use for photos.

Interior of the Cathedral Mausoleum

If you’ve been taking photos around the lake at this point, the Cathedral Mausoleum should be open so you can now enter and take photos with your subject by the stained glass windows. The first set of stained glass windows, while more simple, will admit the most light on your subject.

The most beautiful windows, however, can be found two rows back. These are the Tiffany windows. And while they will not be lit as well in the morning, they are still magnificent and definitely worthy of being photographed.

Exterior of the Cathedral Mausoleum

The last remaining photo opportunity at the Cathedral Mausoleum is the water feature, found in the Fairbanks Gardens area to the right of the building if you are looking at the entrance. Very often in the morning there is a yoga class that takes over this area. But if the class is not there – and they are there on Mondays and Wednesdays – this is a great spot for photos.

The Ancestral Forest Walkway is a cool oasis that divides the park in half. While probably not as ancient as the name would imply, the pathway is shaded with lovely tall trees and is a beautiful area for portraits.

Front Entrance Area

At this point, I would move forward to the Abbey of the Psalms Mausoleum. This Egyptian-styled mausoleum is architecturally striking. This is also where you’ll find the placemat with the sign for the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in case you want a photo of the cemetery name.

The cemetery entrance is also a great spot for photos. Note, however, this is a very busy traffic thoroughfare. During our photo shoot, a large funeral entourage started to enter, so we had to end our session and move onto our next location. But of note in the entrance is an antique well and a rose garden. There is also a vintage Rolls-Royce with the Hollywood Forever Cemetery license tag parked in the front.

Gower Mausoleum

The Gower Mausoleum is the latest edition to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. When you enter this building, it feels like you are walking into a modern office building rather than a crypt. The owners have taken meticulous care in selecting stone from Brazil for the walls throughout the building. They are putting the finishing touches on a water feature, which will be finished in the next two weeks. While the reflective blue walls in the center of the building are magnificent, the true gem of the building can be found on the roof.

On the fifth floor, you can find stunning 360-degree views of Hollywood. From downtown LA to the Hollywood Sign and the studios in between, you really get a sense of the magnitude of this town. And the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is clearly in the heart of it all.

The Peacocks

It goes without saying that you should try to take photos with the peacocks. But it also goes without saying that the peacocks may not be exactly cooperative. The pen for the birds is found along the Santa Monica Blvd. side of the venue, and the peacocks tend to congregate by the Courtyard Mausoleum in the back of the cemetery. You can often hear the birds crowing, and if you are lucky enough (as we were during out shoot), the males will put their feathers up in a mating display.

The peacocks roam the cemetery freely, and please do not feed, chase, or try to pet the birds. They will peck if provoked, but look very pretty from a distance.

Meet Jane and Casey

I would be remiss if I didn’t introduce Jane and Casey to you. These two met two years ago at a lounge in Eagle Rock. Yes, you read that right – they met the old-fashioned way. They are an inspiration to all of us who are still using the dating apps.

While they are not ‘Goth’ types, they wanted something a bit alternative for their engagement shoot, and I suggested the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. They kindly took me up on the offer, and I am happy to report that no one was spooked during our session.

Final Thoughts

Sure, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is not the idyllic engagement portrait location for every couple. Still, if you’ve only thought of the cemetery as a Halloween or Goth location, then think again.

As I illustrated in my photo shoot with Stephanie and Shane during our engagement session at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, cemeteries can be quite beautiful. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is certainly that. The landscaping is lush, the history is abundant, and the architecture is stunning. Heck, you even have a view of the Hollywood Sign. What more could you ask for? So, if you’re looking for a non-traditional location, make sure that you have the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on your list. Even if you’re not planning to get married in October.

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If you found this article on my most recent Hollywood Forever Cemetery engagement portrait session useful, then check out these related posts:

Looking for an alternative engagement shoot location in or around Los Angeles? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how we can creatively collaborate.

To view more images from my portfolio, please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com