Queen Mary Photo Shoot: Best Photo Locations, Rules & Tips

You’ve seen the majestic Queen Mary ocean liner floating against the Long Beach skyline, but have you ever imagined the ship as a backdrop for a photo shoot? Most people know the Queen Mary as a unique attraction in the harbor. But it is much more than that, and you can indeed schedule a photo shoot on board. In today’s post, I’ll tell you everything you need to know to schedule a Queen Mary photo shoot on this iconic ship. From how much it costs and the rules involved, to the best places to take photos, I have all the behind-the-scenes details, along with some stunning photos to get you shipshape for your next shoot.

Meet Christiana and Masaccio

First off, let me introduce my first mates for this voyage: Christiana and Masaccio. These two have been married for three years and met five years ago at a church in Virginia. Masaccio is a pastor in training and was working at the church where Christiana came in to do some community service work. They hit it off and have been together ever since.

The proposal took place on a romantic hike in the Shenandoah Valley. The couple knew they were going to have to move for Masaccio’s seminary training, and so they decided to tie the knot. They now live in North Hollywood.

Masaccio’s mother, who is an accomplished photographer in her own right, took photos at their wedding. However, the couple have never had any other professional photos taken beyond their wedding portraits. They jumped at the chance to be part of my photo shoot to celebrate their three-year anniversary and their new move to Los Angeles. Masaccio will be graduating from seminary soon, and hopefully he’ll become an officiant who can then help other couples say “I do.”

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: The Cost

A photo session on board the historic Queen Mary is a unique experience. As such, it comes at an above-average cost. In my opinion, though, it is an excellent value for the time allowed, the number of spaces available to be photographed within the ship, and the distinctiveness of the venue itself. The cost (as of October 2026) is $1,000 for two hours of photography. Without this permit, formal photography with professional camera gear is not allowed on the Queen Mary.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: What Is Included

This price includes your access to the ship and your location fee. There are some non-public areas of the ship that are off-limits, such as the offices, service areas, and any ballrooms or venues booked during your session. But other than this, you pretty much have a free run of the ship.

You will need to have an escort from the Queen Mary with you during your session, but this is a benefit, as this person will open doors and take care of crowd control as necessary. Also, it’s easy to get lost on board the ship, so it helps to have someone experienced who knows exactly which staircase to go up or down.

The fee also includes complimentary parking for the couple and the photographer.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: Photographer Requirements

Typically, sessions are limited to one photographer, though exceptions can be made if an assistant is needed. Photographers must provide a certificate of insurance prior to the photo shoot proving $1 million in general liability coverage.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: The Rules

The Queen Mary does not have a formal list of photography rules. When I asked the staff prior to our session, they did not provide have any specific gear restrictions. For my photo shoot, I used all handheld equipment, including an on-camera flash, and there were no issues. As always, confirm any unusual equipment needs, such as light stands or large lighting equipment, prior to your photo shoot.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: When to Schedule Your Photo Shoot

Sessions may be booked Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. During the months of September, October, and November, photo shoots are subject to approval due to the Dark Harbor haunted house operating dates and event schedules.

It is good to keep in mind that the ship functions in many different capacities. It is at once a hotel, and a venue with two restaurants and three bars. In addition, there are numerous tours, including the paranormal tours that go on during the day and evening. Furthermore, the ship can host up to four weddings on any given weekend. All of this is to say, the ship is busy…very busy.

As a popular tourist attraction, the Queen Mary is a public venue with limited space. While the ship does look large from the ground, once you are on board and you only have a small passageway to walk through, you will realize how little space you have and how difficult it is to keep bystanders out of your background.

Thus, my recommendation is that you choose a morning to schedule your photo shoot here. The light can be quite intense on board as there is little shade in the outdoor deck areas. Golden hour – the time just after sunrise or just before sunset – will offer you the most beautiful light. This is also the best time to get waterfront views with the Long Beach skyline in the distance.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: How to Book a Photo Shoot

The best way to get in touch with the staff at the Queen Mary is through the website. If you go to the “Meetings and Events” tab, and then select “Book Your Event,” you will be directed to a “Request Information” form where you can contact the staff directly. Or, you can click on the link below:

Book Your Event Contact Form

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: Parking and Logistics

Parking can be found directly in front of the Queen Mary. Note that parking is quite limited during the months of September, October, and November since the Dark Harbor attraction takes up half of the parking lot at this time.

All photo shoots begin by meeting your escort on the ground level at the security stand, where you will take the elevators together to begin your session.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot: The Best Queen Mary Photo Shoot Locations

For my portrait session with Christiana and Masaccio, we started on the Sun Deck, walking toward the stern, and then circled around the deck toward the bow. Along the way, we took photos on the Bridge. We ended the photo shoot when the sun was at its highest with interior shots in the main bar outside the hotel lobby, then the Observation Bar, and finally the Royal Salon. This is the schedule I would recommend for any photo shoot to take advantage of the best light for your exterior shots, and end with your interior photos.

Exterior Locations

Sun Deck, Gantry Walk

I always like to start any photo shoot by having my subjects walk. It gets the nerves out and gives them an easy task that makes them look good on camera. Anyone can look like a model walking.

The gantries are a cool bit of industrial gear that makes for an interesting frame around your subject. You can use this area for walking shots or for portraits within the gantry areas themselves.

Sun Deck in Front of the Verandah Grill

This area looks great when you shoot from the ground using a wide lens. Be aware that it gets bright here, so watch your exposure settings.

Along the starboard edge is where you’ll find your best view of the Long Beach skyline. This is where I had Christiana and Masaccio try their hand at dancing. Just remember, kids: if it’s still photography, it doesn’t matter how bad you are at dancing. The camera will lie for you and make it seem like you are Fred Astaire.

Stern

This is the place where you can get your Titanic moment and take photos with full access to the water. Unfortunately, during my shoot with Christiana and Masaccio, there was a large Carnival cruise ship, parked there. So, no beautiful waterfront view for us. But if you don’t have a cruise ship parked in front of you, this is what the view looks like.

Sun Deck, Walking Starboard to Bow

Along the starboard side of the ship is where you will find some nice wooden benches here, as well as access to the large red and black funnels.

What sets the Queen Mary apart from other venues is the one-of-a-kind architecture, and I made sure to take every chance I could to photograph Christiana and Masaccio with these unique architectural elements. I mean, how often can you say you took photos on a ship? Take the photos to prove it.

The Bridge

The Bridge technically opens at 10:00 a.m., but it was actually open at 9:30 a.m. during our visit. While the interior of the wheelhouse has some interesting brassy wheels, I think your best photos are going to be outside the room due to the lack of light inside the space. The green machines just outside the wheelhouse make for fun photos and they are in fact functional.

Bridge Walkway

These are some of my favorite photos of the entire photo shoot. At this point, Christiana and Masaccio were comfortable in front of the camera. In addition, this area is quite private so you are almost guaranteed not to have anyone else walk in on you in this narrow space. If you have a wide enough lens, you’ll get a cool view of the waterfront and the mast along with your subject in the walkway. On the other side, you can use the window from the wheelhouse to get a reflection. That shot was a happy accident.

Bow

This area is going to be your most shipshape spot for photos. You have the inoperable guns, the mast, and the chain for the anchor. The naval ambience flows effortlessly in this area, so soak it up and take a lot of photos here.

Interior Locations

Ship Model Gallery

This room can get quite crowded, as guests tend to rest in the rocking chairs and enjoy the coffee shop. But the light, not to mention the air conditioning, in this area is delightful. It can be a bit tricky to shoot here since it is so bright outside and so dark inside, but the reflections of the model ships offer interesting shots.

Main Bar Outside the Hotel Lobby

The front bar on the main deck is a little area which curiously used to be the doctor’s office. You can take photos by the bar itself or take silhouetted shots by the interesting windows as I did during Christiana and Masaccio’s shoot.

Observation Bar

This is the grand bar on the ship, and I would absolutely recommend taking photos here if you can. It helps to have additional lighting, especially for photos along the main bar. There are details, such as the ornate railing, that echo back to the ship’s art deco history.

The three main shots here are by the main bar itself, along the mirror in the back of the bar, and silhouetted shots along the windows where you can catch a glimpse of Long Beach in the background.

Ballrooms

If the ballrooms are available, I recommend taking photos in these sumptuous, palatial rooms. The Queen’s Salon is the most beautiful of all the ballrooms. The dueling unicorn fireplace is gorgeous. The height of these rooms, plus the art deco details, all beg for an epic photo with your subject in the center of the room. Quite often these rooms are already booked, so you may have to make do with a smaller room, as we did with the Royal Salon. But honestly, that’s still a win.

Promenade Deck

The Promenade Deck is more than just a passageway. This deck gets a delightful amount of soft light, making it the perfect place for portraits. In addition, there is a fun photo booth tucked away on the side, which you can have some fun with as well.

Queen Mary Photo Shoot Tips

Schedule a morning session. Time is money, so schedule your session such that you have the perfect light and fewer crowds to deal with.

Ask about ballroom availability. If you can, ask ahead of time to see what ballrooms are available and try to schedule your shoot so that the Queen’s Salon is available.

Dress up for the occasion. I would lean in by dressing up and even selecting a vintage wardrobe for a photo shoot here. This is not a time to wear jeans and a T-shirt.

A warning about wardrobe. While I do advise dressing up for the location, keep in mind that you will be going up steep, steel stairs, so watch where you step.

Final Thoughts

A photo shoot on the Queen Mary is well worth the price tag attached. For the amount of time and the exclusive backdrop, you can’t beat the value. And now with this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to sail into the sunset with some beautiful photos.

Enjoy the images, and I’ll have lots of photo adventures for you next week!

One last word of thanks to the Queen Mary team and for giving Christiana, Masaccio, and me access to the ship and answering my many questions for this post.

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If you found this article on my recent Queen Mary photo shoot useful, then check out these related posts:

Looking for a Los Angeles photographer for your proposal, engagement shoot, or wedding? Drop me a line and let’s chat about your vision.

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