Need location ideas?

It can be difficult to pick a location for your photo shoot, especially when you don't know exactly what you want. You came to the right place! I am not an expert, but here are some recommendations in the Olympia/Thurston County area I would suggest!

Have an idea not mentioned below? Let me know!

Washington State Capitol Campus

This is a timeless location and we are so lucky to have the capitol in Olympia! The capitol is perfect every season of the year. It has beautiful architecture, the capitol steps, and flowers in the spring and summer all around! It also has opportunities for greenery and classic buildings. Lots of trees, flowers, and beauty all around. There is also a sunken garden which is perfect for photos in the summer. A favorite for graduation photos and senior portraits.

Scatter Creek Wildlife Area

By far my FAVORITE location! I will always recommend Scatter Creek for senior portraits. The landscape is perfect for the tall grassy field look and is gorgeous at golden hour! Wide-open fields, wildflowers, and normally a very pretty sunset! It is about 25 minutes outside of Olympia, but since I love it so much I will not charge a travel fee for this location!

(Discover Pass Required)

Pioneer Park

This park is a great location for a green grassy look. Another great location for golden hour! The park has excellent parking, grassy fields, flowers, multiple trails, a river, and trees.

Ralph Munro Trail

This lovely trail in west Olympia offers it all! Paved pathways, tall grass, and multiple tree tunnels offer a lovely backdrop. This location will always have a special place in my heart since it is located so close to my house!

Downtown Olympia Boardwalk

To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with the Percival landing area. Sometimes it can be great and capture some gorgeous photos, and other times it's a little iffy. I do recommend this location for the water scenery, boardwalks, and photos that feel like Olympia.

Squaxin Park

Previously Priest Point Park. This park has a northwest feel with lots of greenery, mossy green trees, and a Puget Sound beach. The beach is a bit of a walk down and then a steep uphill but it can be pretty around golden hour and sunset. To be honest, I hate the hill on the way back, it's always a big trek, but worth it for the location.

Willing to travel outside of Thurston County?

Point Defiance Rose Garden

The point Defiance rose gardens are truly spectacular! I love flower shots and this place is full of them! I took photos here for the first time in the summer of 2022 and fell in love! There are rows and rows of different flower types to walk through and admire. I without a doubt recommend this location if you are looking for a flower look! The flowers are fully in bloom in the summer months, I recommend the end of July-early August! Since this location is located in Tacoma, a travel fee will be added, but in my opinion, it's totally worth it!!

Downtown Tacoma buildings

This is a new location I just found! So cool if you're looking for an edgy urban city look! There's a cool rooftop parking garage that offers a safe environment for some awesome photos! With this location we can also walk two blocks away is Tacoma's Opera Alley! This road has colorful buildings to bring out your personality!

Van Leirop Park, Puyallup WA (May and June)

In late May and June Van Lierop Park has fields and fields of gorgeous lupine flowers! It's spectacular!! So picturesque and gorgeous! Perfect for photos of any kind! I always have seniors wanting this location during the summer, but the lupines are only in bloom in May and June! It would be great for earlier senior photos or cap and gowns. Also PERFECT for creative portraits! I usually do mini-sessions here so watch out for those!!

Discovery Park, Seattle WA

This park is beautiful!! SO worth the drive! In the summer months, mostly July, Discovery Park has gorgeous sweet pea fields! I haven't been able to find anywhere like this in Olympia. It pretty much has everything, fields, woods, tall grass, pink and white sweet pea fields, puget sound beach, a lighthouse, and views of the water and mountain!

Mt Rainier Viewpoint, Eatonville WA

If you're wanting Mt Rainier, this is the PERFECT spot! About 50 minutes from West Olympia, this viewpoint is located in Eatonville WA just a few minutes outside of Yelm. In the early spring months, the field is full of tall grass and wildflowers! So pretty! Rainier is breathtaking and this location really shines!