Photo Session Location Guide

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There are so many gorgeous locations in the Olympia area and the greater PNW. Picking the right fit for your photo session comes down to a few main questions: What will be the easiest for your family?

  • What look are you envisioning?

  • What time of day do you want your session to be?

  • Do you envision large trees and thick forest, tall grass, Northwest beaches, or the comfort of home (backyard, kitchen, bedrooms, etc)?

  • How dirty are you willing to get? I encourage families to embrace letting their kids get dirty in the dirt/mud/water/etc, but some locations will inherently be dirtier than others.

The following are my most popular locations, so if you have another location in mind, please let me know!

Pioneer Park

Features: Tall grass in the summer. Deschutes River access (including sand and river rocks).

Parking: Easy.

Dirty Level: If it’s raining heavily during the time of year of your session, the land can get swampy. Kids may want to play in the water.

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Squaxin Park (Formerly Priest Point Park)

Features: Beach access. Manicured garden area. Large old growth forest.

Parking: Easy but expect to walk.

Dirty Level: If you want to go down to the water (which can be gorgeous), expect that your children will get dirty in the sand. If you plan to stay up in the forest area, they probably won’t get dirty at all.

McLane Creek Nature Trail

Features: There are two different areas, the upper and lower trails. One is very open and has a narrow walkway overlooking the McLane Creek and Nature Preserve, the other is an easy hike through forested trees.

Parking: Requires a Discover Pass. Easy parking but involves a lot of walking at both locations.

Dirty Level: Easy to stay clean.

Upper trail.

Upper trail.

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Lower trail/boardwalk.

Your Home

Features: There’s nothing as easy as home!

Dirty Level: Completely up to you! (You may choose to let your kids run through the sprinkler in the backyard, have a cake smash, or go crazy with a painting project).

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Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

The Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge was closed to photographers during the height of the covid pandemic, but is now open again, as long as photographers stay on the marked trails and pathways.

COVID-19 Protocol

With the frequently changing COVID-19 safety guidelines and mandates, my main focus is to prioritize the safety of my clients and to follow the guidelines set in place by the Governor.

  • I am fully vaccinated, and at every session, I will wear a mask. I ask that the families I work with wear masks as well when they are not actively being photographed.

  • I will always bring hand sanitizer and/or wash my hands frequently throughout our session.

  • While I will do my best to bring lenses that facilitate a 6ft socially distant stance, in some cases I may come in closer. If you do not wish to have me come in close, please let me know.

  • If you or any of your family members are sick within 48 hours of the photo session, or if you or your household members have come in contact with someone who has tested positive with COVID-19 within two weeks of our session date, please let me know so that we can reschedule your session. Likewise, I will contact you should that happen to me.

You can always contact me with any questions: alice@alicemaliaphotography.com