Fall family photos at Seattle's Volunteer Park


Volunteer Park is a gem of a park located in the city of Seattle. I adore this 40 acre park so much, that I got my own wedding photos taken here over a decade ago. It's sentimental to me so when this family asked to do their session here for their own sentimental reasons, I was excited! There's so many amazing things about this park. Read on to find out why I love this location.

Posed family portrait in a sunny forest in Seattle.
Parents tickling their kids at Volunteer Park.
Kids jumping off a step with the space needle in the backdrop.

Volunteer Park has a lot of variety.


Volunteer Park has so many different backdrops to choose from with the water tower, ponds, museum, lush greenery, sculpture (camels!) and even a conservatory. This variety is all located within a 10 minute walk of each other on paved, flat roads. Kids love exploring the nooks and crannies and as a result, will stay engaged during the family photoshoot. You can do so much: watch the ducks, jump off steps, run through the grass and play with leaves.

Family walking in the forest in Seattle.
Mother daughter portrait.
Mother holding daughters hand walking at Volunteer Park.
Family walking up the steps of the water tower at Volunteer Park.
Family looking at the ducks in the pond at Volunteer Park.

Volunteer park offers flexibility with the photoshoot start time.


Volunteer Park is surrounded by tall trees. Tall trees block the harsh sunlight, so it's possible to do the session mid-day (ex: 10am or 4pm) instead of just at sunrise or golden hour. This offers a lot of flexibility for families with babies that don't want a late bedtime or families that find their kids are freshest and happiest mid-day.

Parents walking hand in hand with kids in Seattle park.
Girl doing a cartwheel.
Boy throwing leaves.
Girl throwing leaves in the air.

A few things to note about Volunteer Park:


A couple things I let clients know are:

  • There's an awesome conservatory within Volunteer Park but they don't allow professional photography. I can take photos of your family OUTside the conservatory but not INside.
  • There's public toilets by the playground. Don't tell your kids about the playground until the end of the session. I don't love photographing at playgrounds because they're usually busy and don't make for great photos! We'll say our good-byes and then you can swing and slide to your hearts content.
  • There's free parking! The least crowded times for photoshoots are week-days. Less crowds = a more relaxed session. You won't have to wait your turn to stand by certain sculptures or in front of the awesome museum entrance.


If you want a session at Volunteer Park, please reach out. Thanks for reading!

Family playing in front of the Seattle asian art museum.
Couple standing in a tree lined road in Seattle.
Family portrait in front of red maple tree in Seattle.
Family portrait at Volunteer Park.
Mother kissing children in Seattle park.