Senior Portrait Photography at Discovery Park
Hey parents!
If your senior wants portraits that feel open, natural, and a little cinematic, Discovery Park is hard to beat. It’s Seattle’s largest park, with over 500 acres of meadows, forest trails, sea cliffs, and shoreline. A single session can look like it was shot in five different places.
Why Discovery Park Works So Well for Seniors
Most locations give you one look. Discovery Park gives you a whole range, and you never have to leave the park.
The meadows. Wide, golden grass and big open sky. In late summer and fall the light across these fields is warm and soft, and the shots feel effortless.
The bluffs. Dramatic cliffside views over Puget Sound, with the Olympic Mountains behind you. This is where the “wow” frames come from, especially in the hour before sunset.
The forest trails. Mossy, green, and moody, with filtered light that flatters everyone. These are great for seniors who want something quieter and more editorial.
The beach and lighthouse. Driftwood, tide pools, and the West Point Lighthouse give us texture and a sense of place that’s unmistakably Pacific Northwest.
What a Session Looks Like
Sessions run 1-2 hours, depending on your selected package. We start with a quick check-in on your outfits and the look you’re going for, then we walk. Seniors often tell me this is the part they were most nervous about, and it’s usually the part they end up loving. Moving around, chatting, and exploring takes the pressure off, and the best photos tend to happen when you’ve stopped thinking about the camera.
Most seniors bring two or three outfits. Because the park has so much variety, each look can get its own setting: a flowy dress in the meadow, a jacket and boots on the bluffs, something casual and true-to-you in the trees.
When to Book
Golden hour is the classic choice, about an hour before sunset, when the light turns warm and the bluffs glow. In fall this means a late-afternoon start.
Overcast days are underrated. Seattle’s soft, cloudy light is flattering and even, and it makes the greens in the forest look incredible.
Rain? A little drizzle can make for beautiful, moody portraits, and we can always reschedule if the forecast turns serious.
Book Your Discovery Park Senior Session
Meadows, bluffs, forest trails, and Puget Sound views, all in one session. Discovery Park is one of my favorite places to photograph high school seniors, and the light here at golden hour is hard to beat.
Sessions are relaxed, fun, and designed to feel like you, not a stiff pose in front of a backdrop. Now booking spring and summer senior sessions for the Class of 2027.
Love your photographer,
Anna