Kuntal & Josh: Pittsburgh Engagement Photos

I had the loveliest evening a few weeks ago exploring the North Side & North Shore with these two!

Both originally from the West Coast, Kuntal & Josh met during medical school in Michigan. They were good friends for a good period of time before they started dating nearly a year ago, after they had both moved to Pittsburgh for the next steps in their medical careers & education.

Because Pittsburgh holds so many sweet memories for them as a couple, they decided to have their engagement photos taken here in some iconic Pittsburgh-esque locations before their wedding on the West coast this winter. They brought two drop-dead-gorgeous pairs of outfits that popped so well from their chosen scenery of the Mexican War Streets, Allegheny Commons Park, and North Shore Riverwalk!

These two are kind, intelligent, and so easy to get along with - what a blessing it was to photograph them!

Congratulations on your engagement, Kuntal & Josh!

Brittany & Ian: Vibrant Hartwood Acres Engagement Photos

I knew Brittany & Ian were a great fit as a JHP wedding couple when they mentioned loving vibrant colors in photos! Vibrant, bright color is always my absolute favorite to photograph!

As you’ll be able to see from the photos below, Brittany did not disappoint with her gorgeous, brightly colored pink maxi dress. It was a DREAM to shoot, not only because of it’s bright color, but because of how flowy it was! And Ian came in a fun patterned shirt (complete with palm trees and flamingos! 🏝) to compliment Brittany’s choice!

Brittany & Ian have known each other for over a decade, and got engaged at one of their favorite places to vacation - Myrtle Beach! To celebrate their love of the beach, they are having a tropical themed wedding next year. Congratulations on your engagement, Brittany & Ian! I am so honored to be the one to document this season for you both!!

Kayla & Michael: Mellon Park Anniversary Photos

Awwww, this is a special one! You may have seen these two on the blog before, if you’ve been following along for a few years! I’ve photographed Kayla & Michael twice before - once for their engagement photos, and once on their wedding day! I was so totally honored when Kayla emailed me, asking if I would be interested in taking their anniversary photos. Of COURSE I would be!

If you click through those blog posts above, you’ll notice a theme: rain. Oh yes, it rained for both their engagement session AND their wedding photos. Oh my, did I pray for no rain for this anniversary session! I desperately wanted these two to have a rain-free, bright, sunny day for their anniversary session.

Well… while we did end up with a beautiful night, it only came after we had to reschedule once due to… you guessed it… rain! I swear, my heart broke into a million tiny little pieces when I saw the monsoon of a forecast for the date we had scheduled originally for their anniversary photos (I know, not dramatic at all ;) ). The weather feels like one of the toughest parts of my job, because it so greatly affects my scheduled sessions, but I have zero control over it!

Anyways, thankfully, Kayla & Michael are kind & gracious, so we were able to reschedule to a later date! And we even got some SUNLIGHT for the second half of our time together 👏 Booya!

Since I had photographed these two before, I knew they were pros in front of the camera, which really helped us take advantage of SO much of what Mellon Park has to offer! Gates, architecture, gardens, a fountain… oh my! It truly just felt like we were hanging out with old friends. Because we were! 💛 Getting to photograph my couples, seniors, and families in their next stages of life is always one of my all-time favorite things!

Kayla and Michael, congratulations on your MANY years together. We are so thankful for you two, your hearts, and just for who you are. 💛

Also… if you’re wondering where Kayla’s fabulous red dress is from, she found it on Shein!

4 Quick Tips for Avoiding Glasses Glare in Photos

Ever since I started wearing glasses daily a year and a half ago, I became much more conscious of how glasses photograph. The first pair of glasses I purchased had regular old lenses, which meant that they reflected everything around them – and the reflection was especially noticeable in photos (and made it so hard to drive at night!!). Glare on glasses has the ability to block the eyes (aka the windows to the soul ;) ), and when you’re getting your portrait taken… having clear, in focus eyes are definitely one of the most important pieces to the overall photo!

So, when it comes to your senior, engagement, wedding, and family photos, it’s important to be prepared in advance so the glare on your glasses can be reduced!

WHAT CAUSES GLARE ON GLASSES?

The reflection (or glare) that often happens on lenses comes from the light that’s being used to light the subject reflecting off of the lens. It may come from the sun, or a reflective building or sidewalk, or from an artificial reflector (i.e., a big shiny circle disc used to “bounce” light back onto a person’s face!).

Personally, I always use a reflector during my portraits sessions (and sometimes during my engagement sessions and weddings, too!) because it helps 1) light the eyes, 2) make the skin extra creamy, and 3), further illuminate my subject, causing them to “pop” a bit more off of the background. Because of this, I like to try and let my clients know ahead of time what their options are when it comes to reducing the glare on their lenses so that I can use my reflector to achieve the style that my clients have come to know, love, and expect!

If you wear glasses and are hoping to reduce lens glare, below are a few of my top tips and tricks!

WAYS TO AVOID THE GLARE

1.     Opt for non-reflective lenses

If you want to wear glasses in your photos, one of the best things you can do happens when you buy your new frames: opt for non-reflective lenses. Non-reflective lenses greatly diminish the amount of glare in your glasses that can be caught on camera on a bright, sunny day!

2.     Pop out the glass of an old pair of frames

If you have an old pair of frames that you still love and want that glasses-look in your photos, consider popping out a pair of lenses on some old frames. That way, you’ll be able to have the look without the reflection!

3.     Ask your frames provider to borrow a sample pair

This tip came straight from some very smart clients of mine! I once had a groom who wanted to wear his glasses for his wedding photos, but realized that he did not have non-reflective lenses – so he went to the store where he bought his frames and asked if he could borrow a sample pair of glasses for his wedding day (did you know that most sample frames have non-reflective lenses?). They let him, and the photos turned out amazing! Whether you’re having engagement, wedding, senior, or family photos taken, this is a great option if you want the look of your own frames in your photos without a reflection!

4.     Wear contacts

My very last tip that you might want to consider: completely removing your glasses. If glasses aren’t that important to you, opt for wearing contacts instead, or simply take your glasses off!

That’s it for now, friends! If you’d like to hear some additional tips on what to wear for your photo session, feel free to leave a comment below!

Kayla + Colin: McConnell's Mill Engagement Photos

Kayla and Colin were so much fun to photograph at McConnell's Mills! Their bubbly personalities and kind demeanor made them so easy to get along with right from the start. We even figured out right before the session began that not only did Colin graduate from the same college as my husband (Geneva College), but that these two also go to the same church as we do (Grace Community Church)! There were so many connections happening, which always makes sessions that much more fun!

Also - Kayla brought the most adorable "love" shaped balloon with her that we were able to incorporate into the photos - so cute! (And just in case you were wondering, it's from Target!)

So without further ado - here are a few of my favorites from their golden light filled session!