Naudia & Steve: Historic Harmony Engagement Photos

We had a beautiful, late fall day for Naudia & Steve’s engagement photos in Historic Harmony! Harmony made sense as the perfect location for these two, considering the fact that Steve’s family owns the hardware store in the town right next door that’s been a staple in the community for over 60 years!

These two are so easy and natural with each other, which made taking their photos all the easier! Congratulations on your engagement, Naudia & Steve! Thank you so much for the honor of taking these photos for you! ❤️

Erica & Rio: Mint & Plum Greystone Fields Wedding Photos

The last few months have had many twists, turns, and uncertainties leading up to Erica and Rio’s wedding day. Plans have changed once, twice, then again as new information and restrictions have surfaced for businesses in the wedding industry, and for couples planning a wedding amidst it all. But I can’t tell you how excited I am to be writing this post and sharing their photos with you today!

Erica and Rio’s wedding day ended up being one of the most beautiful days so far this summer! Though rain was initially in the forecast throughout the week leading up to their Saturday wedding, they were blessed with a sunny, somewhat cloudless day!

One of my favorite parts about Erica & Rio’s wedding were all of the personal, meaningful, sentimental details woven into each portion of the day. A chair with photos of Rio’s late mother at the ceremony, along with a blue cancer ribbon in Erica’s dress (used as her “something blue”) to honor his mother, and a meaningful “remembrance dance” at the reception all pulled on guests heart strings, and reminded the couple and their families throughout the day to remember those who were unable to be in attendance with love.

Being avid golfers, Erica & Rio also incorporated many golf themed details into their wedding day and reception decor! But I have to say, one of my favorite details came from a family vacation tradition. Before dinner on vacation, Erica’s family has always loved getting an ice cream as a special treat. What better way to incorporate this little tradition into their wedding day than to serve ice cream before dinner on their wedding day! This is just me talking personally… but I think every summer wedding should make that a tradition! ;)

All in all, Erica & Rio’s wedding day was so beautiful, so fun, and so meaningful. We cried, we laughed, and we truly felt like a part of the family. Congratulations on your marriage, Erica & Rio! We are so thankful for you, and so thankful to have been able to be a part of your wedding day!

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Vendors: Greystone Fields (Ceremony & Reception), Weischedel Florist (Florals), Bethel Bakery (Cake), Carlisle Bridal (Bride’s Dress), Men’s Warehouse (Men’s Attire), Porky’s (Caterer)

Lydia L: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Hello gorgeous!!! We had the most beautiful fall-esque senior session at the beginning of November with Lydia at Hartwood Acres 😍

Lydia is a senior at Portersville Christian School who plays volleyball, and hopes to study dermatology! She's sweet, kind, and was a total pro in front of the camera. Congratulations on your last year of high school, Lydia! 💛

Ty T: Historic Harmony Senior Photos

Ty is a North Catholic lacrosse-playing senior who plans on attending Kentucky for engineering! I had the honor of photographing yesterday around one of my favorite spots, Historic Harmony. It's hard to believe that it's been three years since I photographed his brother at this very same location 😲 AND that I used to babysit them both back in the day! Time truly does fly. Congratulations on your last year of school, Ty! 🎉

Trey T: Heinz Hall Senior Portraits

Oh my. This senior session was such a fun one! I had the pleasure of photographing Trey in the Heinz Hall lobby and outdoor garden for his senior photos at the end of October!

Trey currently performs in the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, and plays at Heinz Hall a few times a year, which made his location of choice extra personal! His instrument of choice is the clarinet - and he even played us a little bit of music during his session. He is an incredible musician, and just an all around great guy!

Congratulations on your last year of school, Trey! 🎶

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!

Hartwood Acres Family Photos

Family sessions don't necessarily have to be just immediate family - especially when Grandma asks for some photos of her three kids and two grandkids altogether as her birthday gift! It was an honor to take these photos for such a thoughtful gift. Happy birthday to Grandma! 🎉

Herbie's First Birthday: Mellon Park Family Photos

I met up with Nicolas, Natalie, and Hera (Herbie) at Mellon Park a few weeks ago for the most beautiful little first birthday session!

This sweet family recently moved from Durham, NC (fun fact: that's where I was born!) to Pittsburgh, PA - and I'm pretty sure they have the cutest baby EVER! These three were complete naturals in front of the camera, and I'm so honored that I was able to capture all of Herbie's one year old cuteness! Check out a few of my favorites below!