We are headed into engagement season and one of the most common questions I get from couples is “Where should we do our engagement photos!? We need ideas!” Seattle is full of awesome and often overlooked locations for engagement photos and I love helping couples choose where to do their engagement session based on what vibe they want and what would be most meaningful to them. It’s important to consider the season when choosing a location and I always recommend shoots early in the day or closer to sunset for the best lighting. There are some overwhelmingly popular places that a lot of couples gravitate to in Seattle, understandably, but I have a love of choosing something a bit off the beaten path. Read on for five of the best hidden locations perfect for engagement photos in Seattle!
Olympic Sculpture Park - Downtown Seattle
The Olympic Sculpture Park is such a dynamic and unique location for engagement photos! It provides a great combination of urban and water views without having to worry about getting lots of cars and distracting objects in the frame. Weekdays, off-peak season dates (when it’s a little cooler perhaps), or early morning times often result in the park being fairly empty of pedestrians so there’s also very few people to compete with in the photos. My husband and I actually used the park for our own engagement photos, too. I’m always a fan of this location because the art is so interesting with so much variety and the views can’t be matched!
Deception Pass State Park - Whidbey Island
One of my favorite locations in the entire Puget Sound is Deception Pass State Park. It’s a long drive from downtown Seattle and in the summer time the drive can be especially brutal with ferry traffic to compete with, but there is nothing like the rocky shorelines featuring tall evergreens that run straight up to the water’s edge. I’ve used this park for creative projects and multiple engagement sessions and it gives us something new to work with every time. There are rocky beaches, bridge views, romantic pathways through the trees, and so much space to explore that it’s easy to feel like you have the entire park to yourself. Deception Pass State Park requires that you enter with a Discover Pass in order to shoot professional portraits in the park and restrooms are tricky to find, so be prepared! It is always worth the adventure.
Seward Park - South Seattle
You don’t really think of old growth forest when you think of a busy, urban city like Seattle, right? But surprise! We’re lucky to be blessed with Seward Park in South Seattle and it is such an underrated option for engagement and family portraits. The park provides ample options for water and forest vibes, has easy parking (some summer dates late enough in the day have been more tricky so I suggest morning shoot times) and there are also some spots with Mt. Rainier views. The park is popular with runners but I’ve rarely had to share space with other families enjoying the park or photographers. A couple playground areas are also available to entertain kiddos if you’re thinking of using the park as a family photography spot as well. Double check you don’t plan your photo session for the same weekend as the Seattle Marathon - as I made that mistake once and the entire park was closed!
In Your Own Home
When it came time to plan my own engagement photos several years ago I really wanted to utilize our apartment. At the time we lived in a gorgeous 1926 brick building with window light galore and I knew that we wouldn’t be there forever, so capturing photos of us inside of our home was important to me. Our engagement photos aren’t just portraits of us, but they are a time capsule of our best memories. Doing your engagement photos in your own home creates a more intimate meets lifestyle vibe, something that’s unposed and allows for more of a documentary photography experience. To get ideal results you need a space or room with ample window light and I work with couples to select a perfect time for photos based on which direction those windows are facing and when they will get the most natural light. You can utilize a living room, kitchen, or move around furniture in a bedroom to best utilize light. Don’t worry about your home being magazine worthy as far as decor and cleanliness goes. It helps to capture more of who you truly are!
Pier 62 and 63 - Downtown Seattle Waterfront
This one is a big of a psyche! for now because Piers 62 and 63 in Downtown Seattle are currently closed as of this writing for the construction of the new pier. They will be open again soon once reconstruction is complete! The location of this pier keeps you right on the water and I love using the space at sunset for epic golden hour light. Turn the right direction and you’ll have the downtown skyscrapers behind you to give you some cool urban city compositions, too. I have always admired the openness of the space, and the fact that it is bare of distractions because it really allows you to focus on the couple, you get shots full of beautiful sky and sunset color, and if you are at the end of the pier furthest over the water you can also get views of the ferris wheel and other parts of the downtown waterfront. Once this space is open again I plan to be back down there shooting as soon as possible!
Do you have other hidden spots that are your favorites in Seattle? I’m always adding to my list of can’t-miss locations!
I would love to plan an engagement or portrait session with you anywhere in the Seattle area, but I am always thrilled to return to any of my favorite spots. They never get old and always provide something different each time!
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