Locations on or near Whidbey!
Keep in mind all of these may include walking or a light hike. Most require a WA state park pass.
Be sure to click each thumbnail or arrow to see more of each location!
Coupeville beach road: This is a really cool road down by the beach in Coupeville. The lighter tones and browns in this location are a better backdrop if you're wanting to dress moodier (black), or a very casual look with light wash jeans and even pops of off-white would be great. The hair pin turn in the road offers a unique look and also a casual vibe. This would be great for couples that are down for anything and super chill! Sunrise works best because of where the sunrises. Otherwise I would do a cloudy, even light drizzly day for this location!
North Beach Deception Pass: A sweet little stretch of beach down in the Deception Pass park. Maybe a 5-10 minute hike from the parking lot, pretty easy! This is a very PNW rich setting. Honestly, it works best on a cloudy day if you want 360 views of the scenery including the bridge. If it is a sunny day at sunset, I can only shoot toward the sunset opposite of the bridge view. Keep this in mind. Carmels, off whites, plaid, beanies, coats, layers, casual PNW outdoorsy look pairs really well here! Avoid black, you will not pop in front of the scenery! Couples and families can have fun with their layers and fit right into this location.
Light house Point, Bowman Bay: A very Pnw rich location on the other side of Deception pass park, nestled between the bridge and Rosario. Jutting rocks, a cove, and cliff edge views similar to Rosario, make for great variety. The catch is, a 20-30 minute hike in depending on how we take it. The hike also includes uphill hiking. I wouldn't recommend this for maternity or if you think your children could not handle it. A cloudy day is perfect for 360 views here. If it is a sunset, we would need to wait till blue hour to catch great views of the bridge backdrop. Sunrise or sunset would do for this location, just need extra time for the hike, and possibly flashlights as it could grow dark on the way back! Let's do it if you're up for an adventure! PNW type clothing, or go romantical with the look! Dreamy would be a good pair! Earthy tones, pops of off-white! In the winter it is very green, the summer is much more brown but still beautiful.
Beachy grass- A 5 minute walk past cranberry lake in the Deception Pass park, you will find a perfect location nestled between the sea and the lake. Beach grass and sand. A neutral pallet. Perfect for sunsets or cloudy day. This location is ideal for families. There is space for the kiddos to run around here and feel free! Also great for couples and seniors. The beachy look of the grass and sand is fun for many types of looks. Because of the neutral palette that this location offers, you can play around with your colors when styling! Or keep it neutral yourself! Dress it up or go casual, even beach casual. This is one of my favorite spots. There are enough trees here to filter the light, giving myself a lot more freedom of shooting during the session!
Rosario- A grassy hillside with cliff-edge, water views. Jutting rocks, pines, and a beach below. So much variety! about a 5 minute hike in and up! This location is best for couples and families with older kiddos. In the summer the grass is golden, winter and spring it is green so expect a whole different look! There isn't much for me to filter the light at this location, so half of the session we stay and shoot behind the hillside until the light is low enough to move up to the top with a view! A cloudy day offers 360 views! You can go casual or dressed up here! In the summer, earthy tones with pops of red, mustard, Carmel, greens, off whites, and mixing colors is fun. The winter and spring when the grass is very green, off whites and caramels are safe colors! Also avoid green, black, and dark colors during this time. The green grass gets a really fluorescent hue and really tends to clash with other colors when editing! BE WARNED, Rosario gets extremely crowded on the weekends especially in the summer. This is better on a weeknight, however, even weeknights in the summer are crowded with photographers and sessions. If this makes you uncofortable, please take a look at the other locations
Craft Island, Conway WA - This location is about 45 minutes drive but so worth it. It is so peaceful out here and a bit of an adventure! You have to cross a log over a creek to get to the spot we will be shooting! I have done it plenty times! This location offers so much depth, such a wide view of the sky, and it is just dreamy! One of my faves. This is not open during hunting season! A great option for summer and early fall!
Dreamy sunset field- A 10-minute wooded walk to an open field where the sun sets behind the pines, a field to frolic in, and a large shade tree in the middle perfect for filtering light. This is a perfect location for someone who wants a really quiet space with little to no people. It may not be as exciting as the rest, but it is quaint! Located off of Zylstra in Oak Harbor.
Fort Casey- This location is a great one for portraits senior, or business! We tend to do a lot of boy senior photos here! The industrial feel of the cement fort pairs well for boys! But all kind of people want photos here! And it doesn't stop there! Behind the fort is a huge open field, in the summer it is filled with mustard plant! Beautiful blooms of yellow! You can have a mix of both, or one or the other looks here ;). Earthy tones pair best!
