Seattle isn’t the only place to shoot fantastic dating profile photos in Washington! This here is a round-up of some of my favorite dating photography locations in the Bellevue area, just a 10 minute drive from Seattle.
Full disclosure, I’m using the phrase “Bellevue area” loosely here. Here’s a map with some splotches so you know what you’re in for:
Red splotches mean juicy locations for dating app photoshoots! And juicy means that, within a relatively small area, you can capture online dating photography with great variety – different environments, dating photos with date vibes, indoor dating app shots, outdoor dating pics, etc..
Let’s start with dating photography locations in Bellevue proper.
Bellevue Downtown Park has lots of grass, benches all around, and gorgeous city backdrops for dating photos with sweeping views right in the heart of the city. Third Culture Coffee is just across the street and has big windows and leather chairs for cozy coffeeshop dating photos.
If skyscrapers and high-end urban settings are your jam, we could do your online dating photoshoot in Bellevue near the Bravern. A favorite rendezvous spot for coffeeshop dating photos is Story Coffee Bellevue (big windows, classic PNW coffeeshop atmosphere, and parking nearby (I’m a practical woman)).
For cute, small-town vibes I love old Bellevue, along Main street. Gilberts on Main serves up basic breakfast fare and has outdoor seating that is perfect for cafe dating photos.
A little-known treasure of a dating photography spot in Bellevue is Meydenbauer Bay Park. There’s a legit sandy beach (rare in the Pacific Northwest), a beautiful curved dock (and a floating dock that’s usually covered in goose poo but nevermind), and lovely paved walking paths, park benches, and tables. My client Bijan loves cold plunges so he straight-up walked into Lake Washington in the dead of winter at the end of our Bellevue dating profile photoshoot! 🥶
Plus, Bellevue Marina is right there and you can rent Kayaks and paddleboards from the REI boathouse! Rumor has it there’s a house on Lake Washington with a real T-Rex skeleton on full display that can sometimes be spotted through the window from the water (seeing this T-Rex is on my summer kayak creeper bucket list, lol!)
There’s also a newer part of Bellevue that I have yet to properly explore called the Spring District. Bellevue Brewing Company is a perfect spot to snap some date-vibes online dating profile photos.
Mercer Island is just a short drive from Bellevue and, although small and mostly residential, it’s got a couple of real treasures in terms of places to shoot photos for your online dating profile.
First up, my absolute favorite bookstore on the eastside, Island Books. If you’re a big reader and want to show that in your online dating photos, one way to do it is to get a picture of you reading (choose a title you’re ready to talk about! Dating photos with books can be great conversation starters).
Another way to feature reading in, say, one of your Hinge profile photos, is to have a dating photo taken at a bookstore. Plus, a bookstore is a great spot to take a date! So much to talk about as you browse the aisles (and dating photos in settings you might take a date are extra good because they invite matches to imagine being on a date with you!). Island Books on Mercer Island has the perfect mix of nostalgia, and classic rom-com bookstore vibes, trust me you’ll love it.
Another favorite spot for dating photography on Mercer Island is Luther Burbank Park. It’s a huge, gorgeous park with multiple Lake Washington access points. Dreammmyyyy. Plus it has courts for tennis dating photos and pickle-ball dating shots!
If you’re a foodie and love to cook (both super appealing qualities in a lover!), hit up the Metropolitan Market on Mercer Island for some dating photos of you gathering ingredients to make your favorite home-cooked meal.
There are two main things I love about shooting dating app photos in Issaquah: small town aesthetics and allll the outdoorsy vibes, close at hand: mountains, woods, parks, trails, creeks, and Lake Sammamish. Plus I live in Issaquah so I extra love this place. Here are some of my favorite spots for online dating photos in Issaquah:
Front Street is the original main drag through Issaquah and is lined with cute shops and restaurants for dating photos with charming small town vibes and mountains in the background. El 42 Cantina is one of my favorite local watering holes and a great spot for casual dating photos in Issaquah. They have cute outdoor seating (red stools! String lights!) and fantastic margaritas and Mexican food.
For my outdoorsy folks, Issaquah is wonderful for online dating photos because there are woods and mountains just a short drive from Front Street (in fact, you can walk from El 42 Cantina to the Sunset trail head on Tiger Mountain). Park in the little parking lot, throw on your hiking books, and we can get some fabulous hiking dating photos just a little ways up the trail! Squawk Mountain also has some great trails for hiking dating photos in Issaquah.
If parks are more your jam, Confluence Park has rolling lawns, walking paths, willow trees, and lots of spots to hang up your hammock near the creek. {liz & mac]
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And there you have it! Give me a shout if you’re ready to plan your Bellevue dating photoshoot with a professional dating photographer (me!).
And if you’re going to improve your online dating photos yourself, don’t get stuck thinking the only good dating photography spots are in Seattle! Check out Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Issaquah!
I help people find love on dating apps like Hinge and Bumble. My superpower as a professional dating profile photographer is less about photography skills and more about my way with people. I make regular folks look confident, warm, totally genuine, and effortlessly magnetic in their online dating photos by making them *feel* confident, warm, and magnetic in real life.
