Tacoma, located south of Seattle on Puget Sound, is a great place for a photoshoot. Although smaller than nearby Seattle, it has a good range of locations both in downtown Tacoma and in the surrounding area that make it an excellent choice for capturing credible images. Outdoor locations like Wright Park, Point Defiance, Opera Alley, and the famous glass bridge downtown make incredible backdrops for portrait sessions, and you can easily incorporate these and other elements of the city into family photos, wedding shoots, or anything else your clients need.
However, Tacoma is also a rainy city where natural lighting is often hard to come by, and the weather can easily interfere with even the best-laid plans. That's why an indoor photoshoot is often your best bet. Instead of sitting around in one of the city's many coffee shops waiting for the weather to clear, you can choose a location that will protect you from the weather and allow you better control over your photographs.
Giggster exists to connect creative people with ideal locations for their shoots and other projects. Our super helpful app makes it a breeze to find extraordinary film and photoshoot spaces, no matter what kind of images you want to capture. Grab your camera and browse our app to find the perfect site to create photos you and your clients will treasure for life.
Giggster curates the best indoor photo locations in Tacoma so that you can always find a place to shoot incredible photos. Take a look at the kind of buildings, studios, and indoor settings available to bring your vision to life.
Harness natural lighting with a dedicated photo studio. These neutral spaces have all the equipment you need and usually have large windows to let in that all-important sunshine so you can capture great images.
Film studios allow you to be more creative with the photos you take. A green screen or cyclorama wall can allow you to customize the background and make something truly unique.
For something with more charm, consider a private home, including a historic mansion dating back to the 1890s. The historic homes of Tacoma bring a ton of charm to your photos, and it's almost like shooting in a living museum.
Capture the beauty of the city at an amazing rooftop plaza. This spacious location lets you get out of the studio and utilize the extraordinary beauty of the Puget Sound and the surrounding countryside.
Exceptional Variety & Quality: Giggster's 31 photogenic spots in Tacoma give you a good variety of different settings that match your concept. We carefully curate the best locations in the city so that you can focus on quality and finding the right fit.
Hassle-Free Booking: It's never been easier to find a photo studio, historic home, or outdoor location to shoot your pics. The Giggster app lets you browse by location, keywords, and amenities, and with prices starting at just $35/hour, you don't have to break the bank to make a memorable photoshoot.
24-Hour Free Cancellation Policy: Stay flexible with free cancellations within 24 hours of confirmation. You can cancel without incurring any fees in the 24-hour grace period, as long as there are at least 48 hours before your shoot.
Platform Protections: Book an amazing venue like Spacious Multi-Use Classroom without worrying about the unforeseen. Giggster allows you to purchase additional protections against cancellation, liability, or accidental damage so you can breathe easy throughout the photoshoot.
Tacoma may not be as big as Seattle, but it has a great variety of places for an indoor photoshoot. But before you start booking, think carefully about both the advantages and disadvantages of shooting here.
Advantages
Tacoma's weather means you may not always get the natural lighting you need. Stay out of the rain with an indoor space where you have more control over the photos you will get.
When the weather does cooperate, Tacoma has some amazing outdoor locations to shoot at. Take in the Ruston Way waterfront or the Museum of Glass to capture amazing street photography and use the city as a backdrop for your art.
Indoor locations give you privacy and exclusivity so you can shut out the rest of the world and focus on your art. Find the right building, and getting the perfect pictures will be a walk in the park.
Disadvantages
Getting the natural light you want can be difficult, whether you're indoors or outdoors. Look for venues that have big windows, or plan to use artificial lighting.
Indoor venues often come with space limitations. Make sure you choose a venue that is big enough for the shoot you have in mind.
Tacoma is a beautiful city, and being shut away indoors means that you can't incorporate the scenic grandeur of the place into your shots.
Being smaller than Seattle means that Tacoma doesn't have the same range of potential photoshoot locations as a larger city, but its 31 venues are carefully curated to provide a great variety to choose from. That means with a bit of imagination, you can find exactly what you need.
Photo Studios – Professional Grade. If you're doing a photoshoot, a photo studio may seem like the obvious choice. These locations usually come with lots of natural light, along with all the equipment you need to get the photos you want.
Industrial Spaces – Space and Light. Industrial spaces like warehouses require a little more creativity, but for larger photoshoots, they can be perfect. Capture the industrial charm of these unique spaces and use it to bring your vision to life.
Historic Homes – 19th Century Charm. Tacoma is a historic city with a variety of charming homes and buildings to choose from. The original features in these homes will add elegance to any photo.
Ranches and Farms – Space to Run Wild. Open spaces are ideal for wild hearts. Farms and ranches give you space and light to create something special, especially during the summer, and a park-like setting lets you embrace the sun and capture a variety of both interior and exterior shots.
Conference and Meeting Rooms – Think Outside the Box. Don't overlook traditional business spaces for your photoshoot. Conference and meeting rooms tend to be neutral spaces that can help you place all the focus on the photos you will be taking, and Tacoma has some great meeting rooms at affordable prices.
A great photoshoot doesn't just happen. Making a photoshoot go smoothly is all about planning. Don't forget these aspects as you plan out your shoot to make sure you can capture the photos you really want.
Don't Forget Props – Depending on the kind of sure you're doing, you may need some props to create the right atmosphere. Plan ahead to make sure you have everything you need in place on the day.
Assemble Your Team in Advance – Different photoshoots require different expertise. A fashion shoot may require you to use a stylist and makeup artist, while wedding or engagement shots may be doable by yourself.
Plan the Photos You Want – It's no good getting to the perfect venue in Tacoma and then just snapping away at random. Think about the kind of photographs you or your client wants to get out of the session. It may be helpful to even storyboard out your photoshoot to capture all the images you need.
Source Equipment – Think about any specialized equipment you need, including lighting. Getting it in place early means you'll have a much easier time once you actually start shooting.
Although Tacoma offers some relative bargains compared to larger cities, it's not especially cheap. But you don't have to break the bank. Let Giggster help you find an affordable location for your photoshoot, and use these other tips to save more money.
Don't overspend on gear.
If you have any photographer friends, you may be able to borrow their gear to save money. Or you could use a peer-to-peer sharing platform to get your hands on the equipment you need at a lower price.
Use volunteers.
If you are making your own artistic project and need models, reach out to Tacoma's thriving creative community and see if aspiring models will work with you for free to build their portfolios.
Hit the thrift store.
Tacoma has an active thrifting community, and these places can be great for picking up props and costumes. Take a walk around the city and see what bargains you can find before your shoot.
Tacoma offers easy access from the airport it shares with Seattle, along with wonderful scenery, great bars and restaurants, and gorgeous locations for photographers. The Giggster app can help you find an amazing place for your next photoshoot, so start browsing locations on our app and find something that works for you.
