Whatcom County is absolutely jam packed with beautiful locations for photo sessions, but over the years I have found a number of staples that give me consistently good access to a variety of different backdrops, great lighting and are easy to trek around whether we’re doing headshots for your business or you’ve got toddler on a timeline with you. Below you can see samples of each location, the kinds of sessions I recommend at these locations as well as time of day and year that are best. Pay attention to the season and what people are wearing in these samples to give you an idea of what the location might look like during the time of year you hope to do your session!
- North Lake Whatcom, Bellingham WA I absolutely love this park. Easily one of my very favorite parks in all of Bellingham. Easy trail and beach access makes this location perfect for headshots, families, little kids, pets and engagement sessions. This location is mostly natural with no buildings or landmarks to include aside from a few bridges found in the woods and can be busy on weekends when it’s nice out. There are only a few spots to get down to the water, so I recommend this for a morning or mid-afternoon session, not ideal for weekends or evenings when the weather is nice due to the crowds! Dog friendly!
2. Boulevard Park, Bellingham WA: A very well known and super picturesque park right on Bellingham Bay, this spot is great for families, headshots, kids, pets, engagement and maternity sessions. The biggest struggles with this location are that is can often be windy here, so winter and early spring can sometimes be a little too brisk and this spot it POPULAR. High traffic on nice days and weekends. Best for weekdays, mornings and afternoons if you want to avoid the crowds! Find a full family session blog post at Boulevard Park here.
3. Hovander Homestead Park, Ferndale WA: Just a quick 20-ish minute drive from Bellingham, this park offers tonnnnss of variety from the giant red barn to the apple trees and the beautiful old home. In the spring and summer there are lots of beautiful blooming flowers and in the fall the tall tress lining the road are bright pops of color. There are several trails running around the property, a grassy field that is either tall or short depending on when the city has been out to mow and sometimes Baker even peaks out for a minute. Perfect for all occasions with very easy access no matter the age, making it a great spot for multi-generational sessions. It can be a busy place, but typically, even when it’s busy, this spot is large enough we can avoid the crowds! Dog Friendly!
4. Semiahmoo Spit, Blaine WA: Expansive beaches, a view of White Rock, trails and easy parking makes this spot ideal. I love the old building and dock over the water. There are pathways around most of the property, a grassy field with the water tower behind, access to a sandy beach and a more rocky beach depending on the tides. Getting to the beach can be a little unsteady which is good to keep in mind if you have older family members who aren’t great with uneven ground. I like this spot specifically for families, headshots, engagement, multi-generational families and maternity sessions and is best in the morning or late afternoon. It is slightly outside my travel range, so there is a fee to get here, but if you’re looking for something unique and very Pacific Northwest-esque, this is for you.
5. Little Squalicum Park/Beach: This location is another wonderful little spot that usually isn’t too crowded and has an incredible area with tall trees and then an easy path right down to the beach. It’s a flat, gravel pathway from the parking lot to the trees and on to the beach. You’ll want to be efficient to make it all the way down to the water in the allotted time for a typical session, but it’s worth it. One of my favorite places in town for that beautiful golden light on a sunny day, but even when weather is your typical PNW clouds, it’s a stunning place. Perfect for families, maternity, multi-generational families and couples! Dog friendly!
6. Elizabeth Park, Bellingham: Elizabeth Park is just block from downtown Bellingham and is surrounded by beautiful old homes. Nestled in the center of the park are a lovely gazebo and a cute fountain. Tons of huge, old trees throughout the park give lots of nice shade throughout the year and some color in the fall. I love being able to utilize some of the nice homes along the edges of the park for a slightly more urban look, too! Great for all kinds of sessions and very walkable!
7. Lake Padden, Bellingham: I love working at Lake Padden because it’s got so much to offer. Tall forests with light beaming through, access to the lake and winding trails and, if we’re lucky, we can use one of the docks that leads out onto the water when it’s not full of people fishing! In the fall there can be some great fall colors here. It’s a pet friendly location, great for families, maternity, couples and headshots.
8. Woodstock Farm, Bellingham: This beautiful park is located off Chuckanut Drive. Perched on a bluff that overlooks Bellingham Bay and the train, this location has 16 acres of property to wander. I love the old homestead, the barn and the view! There is VERY limited parking – only 6 total spots onsite – at this location and does include hiking up and down some large hills, so this is best for outdoorsy people that are open to a little bit of a walk. This location is best on a weekday and if you’re hoping for a weekend, you’ll want to check in with the City of Bellingham to see if someone has rented our that site for a private event.
9. Whatcom Falls Park, Bellingham: Another easily accessed location with some variety in backdrops from the falls themselves to wide trails, a large pond and even a few different walking bridges! This location can sometimes be a little bit dark depending on the time of day and season and can be busy on weekends, particularly on the main bride overlooking the falls, but overall I love this location for the size and variety of options. Great for all kinds of sessions and fairly walkable with some minor hills and uneven ground. It is a little spread out, so choosing the spots most important to you is a good place to start!
10. Waypoint Park, Bellingham: This is my favorite spot in town if you are looking for something more urban. The refurbished Granary Building is modern and sleek, the old buildings left over from the paper factory offer excellent contrast and color, there is a small beach area, the large acid ball and the bright container village are all really fun. This location is a bit sprawling, so being efficient with your time is important here, but you have access to have a huge variety of backdrops! This is best in the morning and early afternoon in the summertime as it gets VERY busy with guests of the Kulshan Trackside Bar and the pump track, but can be used in the evenings if you’re with dodging people! I love this spot for headshots, seniors, families and engagements!
BONUS! #11: Zuanich Point Park: This little spot is looking out right over Bellingham Bay with a lovely walkway all the way around the park, a beautiful view of the harbor and The Hotel Bellwether, there is typically a small dock we can access, sometimes there are hundreds of kites flying over head and, depending on the season, there are flowers in bloom. This is centrally located and offers lots of water views. I sometimes like to use the piles of fishing gear and buildings that are located nearby, too, offering fun texture and color! This is an easy, flat location making it perfect for extended family sessions and it’s also great for headshots, seniors, couples and small kiddos!
SECOND BONUS! Ha! #12 I couldn’t leave these out: Artist Point/Heather Meadows/Picture Lake: Quite possibly the most stunning location in all of Whatcom County. All three of these are actually different locations, but they are close together. Both Artist Point and Heather Meadows are only accessible in the warmer months when the snow has mostly melted. The road all the way up to Artist Point typically opens in July where you have 360 degree views of mountain tops. The trail at Heather Meadows takes you down a steep hill to several little lakes and a stream with incredible views of Table Mountain. Picture Lake, accessible more readily throughout more of the year, has a stunning view of Mount Shuksan with fantastic paths leading around the lake. All of these locations require some forethought and planning as it can be harsh light in the summer months and totally overrun with people if you go too late in the day. Heather Meadows is quite steep and does require some hiking, Artist Point is less steep but still sprawling and Picture Lake is a very easy, flat walk around a small lake. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for all of these locations or you can pick up a day pass at the ranger station on your way up! I’ve worked at Picture Lake and off of the Heather Meadows ski area in the wintertime and it’s also fantastic, but can again be very full of people out enjoying their day skiing and is very weather dependent in winter months. Overall, though, the planning is worth it for the incredible views you get here. Great for families, maternity, senior photos and engagements!
