Top 10 Seattle Locations to Shoot FOR FREE (Plus PRO TIPS from a Local Photographer)
The Washington Park Arboretum
We’re starting the list off strong, the Washington Park Arboretum never disappoints! With sprawling lawns, gorgeous giant trees, and unique plants, you’ve got yourself a variety of colorful backgrounds for any season. Pro Tip: parking is extremely limited. Park along the side streets outside of the park and walk in, you’ll thank me later!
2. The University of Washington Campus
The University of Washington Campus dates back to the 1890’s and it’s filled with enormous intricate buildings and gorgeous lawns. Any season of the year is absolutely gorgeous, but especially spring with the cherry blossoms and fall with the autumn leaves! Pro tip: make good use of those beautiful old buildings! Have your clients lean up against a pillar, sit on the benches and position your frame to capture all of those yummy architectural details.
3. Seahurst Park
A lot of my locations I’ve got stored in my back pocket like a special secret, but this one was suggested by my client simply because they loved going there. When interviewing my clients about locations, I always ask them “Is there somewhere nearby that is meaningful to you?” and oftentimes I will get great suggestions that I never would have seen otherwise! Seahurst Park has it all: easily walkable (important for kids or maternity), lush wooded areas filled with moss and ferns, and a beautiful beach. Pro tip: the beach has plenty of large driftwood that is great to use for sitting poses!
4. Inside of a Local Business
Want to flex your extrovert skills? Ask a local business if you can shoot inside! I’ve had great luck with casually approaching local businesses and getting to photograph in unique spots, the key is to approach them with clear expectations: 1. What the shoot is for, 2. How many people are involved in the shoot, and 3. How long you will be photographing for. If it’s just you, your client, one camera and 20 minutes, they will more likely say “yes”. If you have a more involved photoshoot, it’s best to contact the business ahead of time and get clearance with the owner, they may even let you shoot before or after hours! Top tip: be respectful, buy something or tip the servers, and always tag them on Instagram!
5. Kerry Park
Want a Seattle Cityscape with the Space Needle in it? Go to Kerry Park. It’s literally perfect. If you go on a weekday, parking will be way easier and the park won't be as crowded with tourists. Pro tip: play around with your depth of field, and bring a circular polarizer in order to make the skyline and Space Needle really POP.
6. Carkeek Park
Up in North Seattle, there’s plenty of gorgeous areas to photograph, but my top favorite is Carkeek Park. Located in the Broadview neighborhood, this peaceful and unique park offers you plenty of woods to play around in, although the trails can get a bit steeper (something to keep in mind for certain clients). The beach is also very pretty, a typical Washington rocky beach. Pro tip: one of my favorite features of this park is the railway running in between the beach and the rest of the park. Where else can you get woods, beach AND a cool industrial look? There’s something for every client here, and its the perfect place to go and play.
7. Discovery Park
Discovery park is a local favorite for good reason. It's easy to walk around, but HUGE, so it's easier to meander around while remaining relatively private. My favorite are the big fields full of grass and foliage, it’s perfect for a romantic couples session in my opinion. Pro top: golden hour is magical here, give your clients some time and space to just be themselves and soak in the peaceful nature around them. Use a long lens and instruct them to just chat together, pretending like you’re not even there. You’ll be happy with the cute results!
8. Volunteer Park
Located right in Capitol Hill, this is one of my favorite locations for a quick and easy headshot because of its centrality, and the buses go up there pretty often (great for a client who uses public transportation). Pro tip: don’t miss the water tower observatory! Not only are there incredible views of the city, but the interior is gorgeous with exposed brick and giant windows letting in the perfect amount of light for a natural portrait. Plus, it’s great to have a public indoor option if it happens to be raining!
9. Pioneer Square
Looking for industrial old-world charm? Pioneer Square is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Seattle, rich with beautiful details like wrought iron lamp posts and cobblestone streets. There’s so many photo opportunities here, once you try this location you will definitely be back for more! There’s ivy covered buildings, cafe terraces, and the largest concentration of art galleries in all of Seattle. Pro tip: Day or night (but especially night), Occidental Square is breathtaking! The string lights are perfect for romantic portraits or a cinematic headshot. Also, the short walk to shoot inside King Street Station is TOTALLY WORTH IT (and a great indoor option).
10. Greenwood
If you are looking for something in between a neighborhood and a city, Greenwood is perfect for you. This cute little pocket of the city is north of Seattle, and they’ve cultivated their own unique flair, with old movie theaters, shops, parks and pretty streets. I love shooting headshots here, it gives them a down-to-earth appeal that some professions aim for, but you could also take a family or couple here for a fun “date” (walking down the street with ice cream?? How cute would that be?!). Pro tip: play with dragging your shutter or using shallow depth of field to get people blurred out walking in the background to give more of a “city” vibe, and it’ll also draw the viewer's attention to your subject.
