7 Creative Location Ideas for Family Photos in Seattle

Lifestyle and Family
Written By Stephanie Bilinsky

The spot you choose for family photos can shape your experience. As a lifestyle photographer, I always recommend ideas for family photo shoots and help people choose places where they feel comfortable. The best photos portray those in-between moments when you and your family are just enjoying each other’s company. Check out these creative location ideas for family photos in Seattle that are wonderful for hands off family photography posing!

A mother and child look over the edge of the dock at Mount Baker Beach for family photos in Seattle.

7 LOCATION IDEAS FOR FAMILY PHOTOS IN SEATTLE

1. GOLDEN GARDENS PARK

This park stretches the shoreline in Ballard. You get stunning views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains from the beach and hiking trails. Most areas of the park are dog friendly too! If your ideas for family photos include your fur babies, Golden Gardens Park is a great spot.

A toddler sits in the sand at Golden Gardens Park smashing sand between her hands.
A family poses in a field for a Seattle family photographer.
A mother blows bubbles for a toddler on the beach at Golden Gardens Park in Seattle family photos.
A child follows her father between the trees at a sandy park in Seattle.

2. DISCOVERY PARK

For a location that gives you stunning Pacific Northwest nature, check out Discovery Park. Located directly across the water from Bainbridge Island, Discovery Park includes miles of hiking trails and beaches. There’s even a historic lighthouse!

A couple stands under a tree with a baby smiling at a Seattle family photographer.
A mother and father lean over a baby smiling in a Seattle family photo.

3. GASWORKS PARK

Gas Works Park is located in the Northlake neighborhood. It gives a cool mix of city views and rolling hills. As you might have guessed from the name, this park is a repurposed industrial site. The city has done a great job of making it a fun place to explore.

A man and woman stand side by side holding up an ultrasound printout for a pregnancy announcement.
A man puts a hand on his wife's baby bump in a Seattle maternity photo.
A laughing couple holds hands and runs through Gas Works Park in a Seattle maternity photo.

4. MT. BAKER BEACH AT LAKE WASHINGTON

Looking for a way to help your kids relax at your session? Why not include a swim in your ideas for family photos? Mount Baker Beach is a magical place to splash around for photos with serious summer vibes.

A toddler wades into Lake Washington as her mother and father wave to her for family photos.

I’m obsessed with sessions at Lake Washington thanks to these family photos!

A Seattle family photographer photographs a toddler running through the water in Lake Washington.

5. STAN SAYRES MEMORIAL PARK AND BOAT LAUNCH

This park and boat launch offers a different take on waterside family photos. It’s a fun place to visit year round. Are you thinking about a lifestyle session on your family’s boat? I’m in! 

A mother carrying a baby follows a child running down a dock in a Seattle family photo.
A family poses in front of a boathouse at Stan Sayres Memorial Park and Boat Launch.
Two parents hold the hands of a child splashing in a puddle at Stan Sayres Memorial Park and Boat Launch.

6. RAVENNA PARK

Ravenna Park offers a more woodsy experience with fern-lined trails and mossy hillsides. The park is only a half mile across, so it’s more manageable than some of the larger parks for sessions with small children. Ravenna Park is always a safe bet for relaxed, nature-filled photos.

A family holds hands as they walk down a hill in Ravenna Park in Seattle.
A couple poses on a hiking trail in Ravenna Park for a Seattle family photographer.
Two children climb on their parents sitting on a park bench in a Seattle family photo.

7. PIONEER SQUARE AND DOWNTOWN SEATTLE

If none of these nature-y ideas for family photos appeal to you, there’s always Pioneer Square and Downtown Seattle! You get gorgeous tree-lined streets, beautiful architecture, and shops and cafes you can pop into. Sometimes an afternoon on the town is just what your family needs for those magic moments to unfold.

A woman wraps her arms around a man in Pioneer Square during a lifestyle photography session.
A couple runs across a street in Downtown Seattle in a lifestyle photography session.
A man and woman kiss on a street corner in Pioneer Square in Seattle for an engagement photo.

Would you like me to take your family photos? I’m a Seattle photographer who captures the in-betweens on film and Super8. Reach out to me here!

Stephanie Bilinsky
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