St Thomas and Charlotte Amalie

The Island of St Thomas offers nothing but amazing photography. The character of Charlotte Amalie and Frenchtown along with the historic ruins is found in many professional commercial and travel photographers portfolios.  Gorgeous beach scenes are ubiquitous and the sailing ships bring ocean scenes to life.  This is where many award winning photographers come to build their photography portfolios and capture great shots for commercial use, particularly travel photography.

St Thomas has two major towns; Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook. Charlotte Amalie is where most tourists from the major cruise ships which dock at the St Thomas Harbor. It has a population of about 15,000 people.

Attractions in Charlotte Amalie include the many shops and boutiques and of course the banks and commercial businesses. There’s plenty of history near the town as well. Fort Christian is a centuries old Dutch Fort built to fend off attacking European invaders. It is the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands and is frequently photographed. At various points in time, this fort was used as a police station, court, jail, government house, community center and even a church. There are great views from the roof of the Fort of St Thomas harbor.

Just north of Fort Christian, is Lutheran Church known for its yellow-gold color and its large wide staircase. It was built in 1793 and is the official church of the Danish West Indies.

For a little exercise, try walking up the 99 Steps. Constructed in the mid 1700s, by the Danish who preferred streets of steps as an easier way to climb the steep hills of Charlotte Amalie. The bricks used in 99 Steps were originally brought from Denmark acting as a ballast in the hulls of sailing ships.

High atop the 700 foot Flag Hill is Paradise point and you can ride the Paradise Sky Tram for great views of Charlotte Amalie and the St Thomas Harbor, and even do some hiking.

The port of Red Hook is a small community known for its marinas. Many private sailing charter boats are located here. There is a major hotel resort here and a good number of stores and shops. It’s located in the more isolated western part of St Thomas. Book a St Thomas car rental and visit Red Hook.

Great photographic opportunities await in Charlotte Amalie, Red Hook and all other areas of St Thomas. Be forewarned, you’ll be taking lots of pictures. If you see spots in town or the mountains or on the beaches and you’d like to use these images in your commercial marketing materials, contact Ashley about commercial photographer services.

AshleyPhotoVI - St Thomas & St John Photographers