About Shutter Tours

How Shutter Tours Began

From owner Terry Divyak:

Shutter Tours started as a simple Plan B. In 2008, I was working as a Senior Level Network Engineer at Wells Fargo Bank while the financial crisis was unfolding. Watching a major Seattle company, Washington Mutual, collapse just blocks from me made it very clear that even a stable career could change overnight.

In 2009, I decided to turn my longtime interests in travel, photography, and Seattle into something of my own. The idea was simple: create a sightseeing tour that showed visitors the city while also helping them come home with better photographs.

At the time, smartphones were becoming a much bigger part of travel, and I liked the idea that photography advice didn't have to be technical or intimidating. You shouldn't need an expensive camera to learn how to improve a picture. Composition, perspective, light, and simply knowing where to stand can make a huge difference.

I continued running Shutter Tours while still working at the bank until 2011, when my position ended. At that point, Plan B became the full-time plan.

“I wanted guests to feel like they were spending the day with someone who knew Seattle, knew the stories behind it, and could also help them see the city a little differently through a camera.”

Deep Seattle Roots

I have always loved travel, but Seattle is home. I was born downtown, on Terry Avenue, and I am a fourth-generation Seattleite. That connection gives me a perspective on the city that goes beyond the standard list of landmarks.

Seattle has changed enormously, and part of what I enjoy most is connecting what visitors see today with the stories, neighborhoods, industries, people, and geography that shaped the city. That same approach is something we look for in every Shutter Tours guide.

Meet Terry, Dale, Dennis, and the Shutter Tours guide team.

What Makes Shutter Tours Different?

We do not try to make every tour look like every other sightseeing tour in Seattle. Our routes and stops are designed around the way we think a visitor can best experience the city and surrounding region.

• Local storytelling: history, neighborhoods, culture, and the details visitors often miss.
• Photography help: practical advice for smartphones, mirrorless cameras, DSLRs, and everything in between.
• Small-group attention: a more personal experience than a large motorcoach tour.
• Comfortable pacing: enough time to enjoy stops without feeling rushed from place to place.
• Seattle plus the Pacific Northwest: city neighborhoods combined with places such as Snoqualmie Falls.
• Guides with personality: people who know the city and genuinely enjoy sharing it.

Photography Without the Intimidation

Photography remains one of the things that makes Shutter Tours unusual. We are not a formal photography workshop, and guests do not need special equipment. Our guides simply look for opportunities during the day to help people improve the photos they are already taking.

That might mean changing the angle of a skyline photo, using a panorama differently, improving composition, understanding how light affects a scene, or helping a family get a better group picture. Sometimes a very small adjustment makes the photograph much stronger.

Our Approach to Guest Experience

A good tour is not only about where the vehicle stops. It is also about communication, pacing, cleanliness, professionalism, and making guests feel comfortable asking questions.

We pay attention to the details because they shape the entire day. That includes maintaining our vehicles, providing seat belts, keeping our tours organized, communicating meeting information clearly, and helping guests understand what to expect before they arrive.

We also know that travelers have different needs. Families, seniors, solo travelers, photographers, cruise passengers, and first-time visitors may all experience the same tour differently. Our job is to make the day work as comfortably as possible for the people actually sitting in the vehicle.

From Seattle to Snoqualmie Falls

Over the years, Shutter Tours expanded beyond traditional city sightseeing. One of our most popular experiences combines Seattle with Snoqualmie Falls, giving guests a chance to experience both the city and the natural scenery of the Pacific Northwest in a single half-day tour.

We also operate seasonal Skagit Valley Tulip Festival tours and create private custom tours for families, corporate groups, photographers, seniors, and travelers with specific interests or schedules.

Where We Are Headed

Our goal is not to become the biggest tour company in Seattle. It is to stay personal enough that our guides know the people they are traveling with and our guests feel like they are being shown around by someone who genuinely cares about their experience.

We will continue refining our routes, finding new stories and viewpoints, improving the guest experience, and keeping photography and local knowledge at the heart of what we do.

Why Travelers Choose Shutter Tours

Guests regularly tell us that they value the combination of knowledgeable guides, manageable group sizes, photography help, local history, and the amount they are able to experience in a few hours.

Rather than asking you to take our word for it, you can read what past Shutter Tours guests have said about their experience.