Göltürkbükü lies on the north coast of the Bodrum peninsula and is made up of two neighbouring settlements, Gölköy and Türkbükü, that share one name. It has a reputation as the most fashionable bay in the area: yachts at anchor, boutique hotels on the hillsides and wooden decks built out over the water. For photography it offers something quite specific, which is a polished, summery, waterside look. If that is the mood you want for a honeymoon, proposal or wedding, this is the right bay. If you are after ruins and old stone lanes, Bodrum town will serve you better.
What the bay looks like
There is no wide sandy beach here. Instead, the shoreline of Türkbükü is lined with wooden jetties and platforms where people swim, sunbathe and dine directly above clear, calm water. A narrow waterfront path runs behind them past restaurants and small shops. Hills covered in scrub, olive trees and white villas rise behind, and the bay is dotted with boats through the season. Gölköy, next door, is a little quieter and more low-key, with mandarin groves inland.
Locations and access
- The jetties. The signature image of Türkbükü: a couple on a wooden deck with turquoise water beneath and boats behind. Almost all of these decks belong to hotels, restaurants or beach clubs, so you need the venue’s consent to use them.
- The waterfront walk. Public and easy to use, at its best early in the morning when the decks are empty and the water is flat.
- Hotel grounds. Many sessions take place where the clients are staying: terraces, pools, private piers and gardens. Hotels often have rules about outside photographers, and some charge a fee or ask for notice.
- The hillside roads. The roads climbing out of the bay give views down over the water, the boats and the opposite shore.
- On the water. A short trip by boat gives a view back to the shore and access to quieter coves nearby.
Because so much of the shoreline is private, access is the main planning question in Göltürkbükü. Sort out permissions before the day rather than hoping to talk your way onto a deck.
Light, wind and season
The season runs from late spring to early autumn, peaking in July and August, when the bay is at its liveliest and most crowded. For photographs, June and September are easier: warm sea, softer light and more space. Outside the season, many venues close and the village becomes very quiet.
Midday sun over water and pale decking is extremely bright and creates hard shadows. Sessions are best scheduled for early morning, when the bay is still and almost empty, or for the last hour or so before sunset, when the light turns warm over the hills. The north coast of the peninsula is exposed to the meltem, the northerly summer wind, which can make the sea choppy and hair unmanageable on some afternoons. Mornings are usually calmer.
Sessions that fit
Honeymoon and couple shoots, proposals on a private pier, family holiday sessions at a hotel and wedding coverage at hotel and waterside venues are the usual requests. Fashion and lifestyle shoots also suit the setting. Clothing in white, cream and light linen matches the surroundings; bare feet or flat sandals are the practical choice on wooden boards. Drone views of the bay are attractive, but drones must be registered, flights may need permission, and flying over swimmers, boats and private property raises obvious safety and privacy concerns.
Choosing and booking a photographer
Most photographers who work in Göltürkbükü are based elsewhere on the peninsula or travel in for the season. Ask the following before you book:
- Have they shot at your hotel or venue before, and do they know its policy on photographers?
- Can you see full galleries from waterside sessions, including ones shot in strong sun?
- Is travel within the peninsula included? Summer traffic between Bodrum town and the bays is slow, and timing matters.
- How many edited images are delivered, how, and when?
- What are the deposit, cancellation and rescheduling terms, and are they set out in a written agreement?
- For weddings: is a second photographer included, and how many hours are covered?
High-season dates are in demand, so contact photographers as soon as your accommodation is confirmed.
You can compare options in our photographer directory; photographers who cover the Bodrum peninsula can add a free listing. For nearby destinations, read more Türkiye photography guides.
Cover photo: Göltürkbükü-Bodrum-Muğla, Turkey – panoramio (2).jpg by bynyalcin, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
