Best Outdoor Photo Shoot Locations in Seattle by Category
With the abundance of beauty the greater Seattle area offers, it can be tough to actually nail down a location for your engagement, family, or maternity photo session. Whether you have 20 options or not even one because you’re just too daunted, there’s an easy way to go about it. How, you ask?
Categories!
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll go over photo session location categories, share some of my most successful shoot locations for each category, and summarize what each has to offer.
My 10+ years in Seattle on top of hundreds of shoots around the city will help save you time and research. Simply pick a location category below that feels right for you and decide which location in that category you like best! It’s seriously that easy.
Beach Photo Session
It’s no surprise a beachy session is a popular option. The sand, the waves, the wind through your hair making you look like Beyonce, even if just for a moment. Thankfully, Seattle is chock-full of great beach options. Here are some of my top beach photo session locations.
Alki Beach
If you are really wanting to go hard on that beach vibe, Alki Beach in West Seattle feels like the epitome of just that. Sunsets are absolutely magical at Alki if you’re doing a golden-hour photo shoot.
This location is particularly nice in the off-season to avoid the crowds that come with the summertime, but with such a long beach line, it’s easy to get photos without anyone else in them.
Don’t forget—you can get some amazing Seattle skyline photos right around the corner near Salty’s! Hop over for part of your session for a great secondary photo shoot location.
P.S. Never hurts to stop by Marination Mai Kai after your session for some delicious kimchi fried rice.
Carkeek Park
Carkeek Park, located in the Broadview neighborhood of Seattle, is a whole different kind of beach photo session location. If you’re looking for a traditionally pacific northwest Sound beach, this is your spot!
Huge trees and the peeking mountains in the distance make this park feel so truly Seattle. Additionally, the passing train offers the most special element of all (that kiddos go nuts for).
On top of that, Carkeek Park offers a great playground that’s perfect to blow off some steam after a session or do some fun swing shots! This park works great for sunset shoots or morning sessions and provides plenty of space for a private, easy shoot.
Golden Gardens
Golden Gardens in Ballard is a no-brainer for any kind of lifestyle photo session. This photo shoot location is perfect for both daytime and evening sessions in almost any weather. With knockout sunsets and daytime strikingly-blue water, Golden Gardens makes an incredible backdrop full of interesting colors and textures.
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park in West Seattle is a special Seattle photo shoot location since it offers a special mix of both the classic pacific northwest beach feel (with a frequent photobomb from the Vashon Island ferry) and a true forest vibe.
This spot is invaluable in the way it can provide such different environments so close together. This is your pick if you want a mix of beach and forest for your family, maternity, or couples session!
Park/Woodsy Photo Session
Love hiking or just love the look of those Instagram forest photos? You’re not alone. This is my personal favorite location category for photo shoots since the woods allow photographers to play with light and backdrops in a way we can’t with wide-open spaces (cue the Dixie Chicks).
Subsequently, this is the location category that has the most options—dig in!
Boeing Creek Park
Live up near the Shoreline area? There’s a great hidden gem photo shoot location for you! It’s called Boeing Creek Park and is filled with gigantic, old trees and magical little spots just begging to be photographed.
Luther Burbank Park
If you live on or near Mercer Island, Luther Burbank Park is an incredible option for a Seattle photo shoot location. This park offers beautiful trails winding down to Lake Washington, public docks for photos by the water, as well as an amazing playground that kids always love.
Luther Burbank Park is perfect for morning sessions and has a great mixture of both forest, water, and big grassy spaces. Thinking about doing a fall photo session? This park is a knockout in the fall!
The Washington Park Arboretum
The Washington Park Arboretum in Capitol Hill probably seems like an obvious location choice for a Seattle photo shoot location. There’s a good reason for that!
This park is HUGE and includes beautiful features like bridges, ponds, and some of the rarest and most amazing flowers and trees you’ve ever seen. Every time I shoot there, I find a new little spot to shoot in. The Washington Park Arboretum is also a park that looks beautiful in all seasons (seriously—they have an actual winter garden).
This Seattle photo shoot location is beautiful for both morning shoots and those late afternoon warm light sessions. Since the Washington Park Arboretum is so large, there’s always a way to find a little spot to ourselves so fun, relaxing photo session magic can happen.
If you’re looking for a photo session location with flowers, huge trees, bridges, and water, look no further than The Washington Park Arboretum.
Volunteer Park
Volunteer Park, also located in Capitol Hill, is the location in Seattle where I’ve done most of my shoots. Why? I keep finding new little pockets that are incredible for family, maternity, and photo shoots in EVERY season.
In the springtime, Volunteer Park is flooding with pops of pastel and in the fall, the enormous trees are covered with warm tones. Additionally, the Volunteer Park Conservatory makes a picture-perfect backdrop, itself.
This is one of those locations that’s even gorgeous in the non-stop rainy winter months. Whether it’s winter, spring, summer, or fall, Volunteer Park will deliver a breadth of gorgeous backdrops.
Viewpoint Photo Session
Interested in doing a photo session with sweeping views behind you? That’s actually really doable in Seattle. Check out the parks below for a couple of great options for a panoramic backdrop.
Discovery Park
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Discovery Park is vast. This park, located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, is full of stunning panoramic views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
Discovery Park is one of my favorite options for sunset family or maternity photo sessions since the golden light hits the grounds so perfectly. It’s also equipped with a gorgeous little chapel that makes for a perfect backdrop.
Marshall Park
Looking for an amazing view of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains without a hoard of people around? Look no further than Marshall Park in Queen Anne, Seattle. This beauty has become one of my all-time favorites for sunset sessions.
The surrounding neighborhood has a gorgeous stone barrier that makes a beautiful backdrop too! Additionally, right across the street is the stunning Parsons Gardens (more on that in the Garden category).
Marshall Park will always offer magnificent photos no matter the time of year thanks to its incredible vista.
Garden Photo Session
Ballard Locks
I know what you’re thinking, “Ballard Locks… shouldn’t that be in some kind of water category?” Yes and no. If you’ve never been before, you’ll be surprised to know that the grounds beside the Ballard Locks (also known as The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks) are breathtaking.
Multiple gardens make for magical photos and huge green spaces create the perfect simple backdrop. Looking for a little more variety in your garden photo session? Just pop over to the water for some backdrop variety.
Parsons Gardens
If I could compare anything in Seattle to a Secret garden, it would be Parsons Gardens, located in a quiet Queen Anne neighborhood. The second you walk in, you feel like you’re in a different world. Cozy, private, and full of amazing foliage, this is one of the best-kept secrets for a Seattle photo shoot location.
Parsons Gardens is as close to perfect as it gets in the springtime. Magnolia trees, amazing flowers, and hidden stone staircases creates a certain intimacy in photos I haven’t been able to find in other locations. Paired with Marshall Park across the street and you’ve got yourself an incredibly dynamic, magical photo shoot.
Landmark Photo Session
I wholeheartedly believe there is a way to do a photo shoot at an iconic Seattle landmark without it being cheesy. The problem photographers run into is when the landmark is just so… big, it takes away from the subject.
There’s a tricky way of making the subject the spotlight instead of the landmark allows clients to shine while something iconic acts as a supporter. Take a look at the categories below to see what I mean.
Olympic Sculpture Park
The Olympic Sculpture Park in Belltown, Seattle, is a shockingly great place for a shoot! No, you don’t need to stand right next to the sculptures with a Vanna White pose (in fact, you really shouldn’t).
These statues make for a fun background and the city behind the Sculpture Garden offers a great opportunity for Seattle skyline and Space Needle photos without it being like… this is the SPACE NEEDLE!
On top of that, PACCAR Pavilion provides a beautiful window-filled indoor area if it’s raining and you can always pop down to the water for some variety in your background.
Gas Works Park
Gas Works Park in Fremont, Seattle is one of the key examples where I think it’s crucial to let the background play a supporting role instead of the lead.
This iconic park offers that magical Seattle skyline view, is lovely in the late afternoon/early evening, and super fun to move around and shoot in. It also offers an indoor area to pop into if it starts raining.
Depot Park + Confluence Park
So this is a bit outside of Seattle, but I really love Issaquah. If you live in the area (or just like it), Depot Park with a Confluence Park combo can make for a perfect location for a photo session.
These parks feel so iconic to Olde Town Issaquah. Both of them provide a variety of background options including the forest and the charming downtown (which features the train tracks and adorable historic Shell Station).
Pike Place Market + Pier 62 & 63
Pike Place Market with a Pier 62 and 63 combo is a great option for an iconic downtown Seattle photo shoot… with a big disclaimer—as long as it’s after hours. I know this location is tempting to choose during the hustle and bustle (which is really what makes the market … the market), but from my experience, it’s incredibly difficult to do a shoot during normal business hours due to the number of people around.
We want you to be the star of these photos, not you plus a photobombing Cindy with her 6 rowdy kids on their big Seattle vacation (no offense, Cindy). After hours at Pike Place Market can be magical, though—see below!
Recap of The Best Locations for an Outdoor Photo Shoot in Seattle
In case you don’t feel like scrolling back up to recheck those Seattle photo session location categories, let’s go over them quickly.
Beach. Golden Gardens, Alki Beach, Carkeek Park, and Lincoln Park all offer their own unique aspects of a Seattle beach. If you’re feeling like doing a beachy photo session, you can’t go wrong with any of these.
Park/Woodsy. Want to have the essence of the northwest as your backdrop? A park or forest may be your best bet! Volunteer Park, The Washington Park Arboretum, Luther Burbank Park, and Marshall Park are all solid location options depending on the time of day. You’ll get a mix of flowers, huge trees, and a variety of background options at all of these parks.
Views. If you want those big beautiful Seattle views as the backdrop for your photo session, consider Discovery Park or Marshall Park. These panoramic views will act as perfect supporters for a family, engagement, or maternity photo session.
Garden. Take advantage of Seattle’s incredible foliage with a photo shoot at The Ballard Locks or Parsons Garden. Both of these options are stunning (especially during springtime).
Landmark. Looking to do more of a northwest landmark photo session? The Olympic Sculpture Park, Gasworks Park, Depot Park, and Pike Place are all great locations depending on what you’re looking for. Just make sure that these landmarks don’t end up hogging the spotlight—that’s your job. :)
Which one of these is your favorite? Did I miss a fantastic location? Pop a comment below and be sure to share this post.
All the photos above are taken by Kiersten Marie Photo—learn more about family, maternity, and newborn photo sessions today!