The Backs Cambridge: Wedding & Engagement Photography on the River Cam

The Backs — that magical stretch of the River Cam behind the great Cambridge colleges — is the most photographed landscape in the city. Weeping willows trailing in the water, ancient stone bridges, punts gliding past, and the soaring pinnacles of King's College Chapel framed in blossom. For wedding and engagement photography, it is simply one of the most beautiful settings in England.

What Is "The Backs"?

The Backs refers to the open green spaces and riverbanks behind several Cambridge colleges — principally King's, Clare, Trinity, St John's, and Queens'. The colleges face the city streets at the front, and their private gardens and grounds extend back to the River Cam, creating a continuous parkland ribbon of extraordinary beauty.

Parts of The Backs are publicly accessible via footpaths and the riverbank. Other sections — particularly the Fellows' Gardens of individual colleges — are private and require permission to access for photography.

Best Photography Spots Along The Backs

• ◆The King's College Lawn: The famous view of King's Chapel from the riverside — best photographed from the far bank of the Cam with the willows framing the shot.
• ◆Clare Bridge: The oldest surviving bridge in Cambridge (1639) — a perfectly proportioned stone arch with stone ball decorations. Beautiful for couple portraits.
• ◆The weeping willows: A series of ancient weeping willows along the King's-Clare section create the quintessential Cambridge riverside shot when trailing in the water.
• ◆The blossom walk (April): Cherry and apple blossom transforms The Backs in mid-April. The avenue approaching King's from the south is particularly spectacular.
• ◆Punting on the Cam: A punt provides an entirely different photographic vantage point — a romantic floating portrait session on the river itself.
• ◆Mathematical Bridge (Queens'): The wooden mathematical bridge at Queens' College creates a beautiful rustic contrast to the stone architecture.

Seasons Along The Backs

The Backs offers completely different photographic opportunities in every season:

Spring (March–May): Snowdrops in February give way to crocuses, then the extraordinary blossom of April and May. The light is soft and the tourists haven't yet multiplied. This is peak photography season.

Summer (June–August): Long golden evenings — golden hour at 9pm in June means portraits with warm light and long shadows. The downside is crowds; early morning sessions (before 9am) solve this completely.

Autumn (September–November): The copper and gold of the beech and chestnut trees against the ancient stone is extraordinary. Lower tourist numbers and beautiful warm light make this a favourite season of mine.

Winter (December–February): Frost on the bridges, bare trees against grey stone, misty river mornings. An atmospheric and completely different Cambridge from the tourist-brochure images.

Using The Backs for Your Wedding Day

Many Cambridge wedding couples build in a 30–45 minute portrait walk along The Backs during their wedding day, even if their ceremony and reception are elsewhere in the city. It's a short walk from most city centre venues, and adds an unmistakably Cambridge dimension to the wedding album.

For engagement sessions, pre-wedding shoots, and non-wedding portrait sessions, The Backs is one of my first recommendations for Cambridge clients. The variety of settings within a small area means we can produce very diverse images in a single session.