Natalia P: Mellon Institute & Mellon Park Senior Photos

You know I love Hartwood... but there's something magical about Mellon Park & the Mellon Institute, too! And both spots were in their prime the night of Natalia’s session!

Natalia is a Chartiers Valley senior! Her first day of school was the day of her senior session - talk about a great way to kick off senior year!

Natalia came with 5 gorgeous outfits for her photos... each of them just as beautiful as the last! Her and her mom had a vision for her photos and I think we were able to bring it to life. Natalia also plays basketball and lacrosse!

Also... Mellon Park - wow! It has all of the gorgeous architecture that Hartwood has, but a little bit of extra "glowy" light... which I love! It's a great alternative to Hartwood if you're looking for something a little different.

Congratulations to Natalia on her senior year!

Lizzie W: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Lizzy!

She's a Seneca Valley senior whose session took place at the beautiful Hartwood Acres Mansion on a beautiful morning right at sunrise!

I'm thankful that we were able to get some glowy morning light too - and the mansion area practically to ourselves!

Lizzie plays volleyball and wants to attend college somewhere warm. Her pup Marty came along and enjoyed perusing the garden... so of course we needed to get him in a few photos!

Congratulations on your upcoming senior year, Lizzie!

I also want to give a HUGE shout out and thank you to my incredible assistant Dani for helping me with this super early morning session - and for the many others you have helped me with too!

Camille B: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Camille!

I love that Camille brought so many meaningful things to incorporate into her session! Her one year old black lab, Roxie, a sketch pad, and a book - not to mention some beautiful florals that complimented her last outfit perfectly!

We had such a great evening for Camille's photos! The weather was beautiful... it almost felt like fall.

Congrats on your senior year, Camille!

Sarah W: Mars Area High School Senior Photos at Mellon Park

Meet Sarah! She's a part of the Mars High School class of 2023! We had such a beautiful evening for her photos at Mellon Park for her senior photos. I was especially excited to see that there were still some beautiful leaves and fall color to work with... as well as some gorgeous light! Early November light is always so pretty and golden, and the images I take during the first week of November always end up being some of my favorites!

Sarah, thank you so much for the honor of taking these photos for you! Congratulations on your senior year!!

Brooklyn B: Mellon Park Senior Photos

Mellon Park is one of my favorite locations for photos - the light is always beautiful, and there’s a beautiful balance between architecture and natural scenery. It ended up being the perfect location for Brooklyn, who had the perfect outfits to match, and was a total natural in front of the camera! The only downside: I literally fell into a bush. I squatted down to take a photo - and just keeled over. Good thing Brooklyn was a good sport and laughed with me! ☺️ Thank you so much for the honor of taking your photos, Brooklyn! You are a rockstar, and I know you’re going to do incredible things!

Pittsburgh Area Location Ideas for Girl Senior Portraits

If you’ve been following my blog for any extended length of time, you might’ve realized how much I LOVE incorporating the personalities of the people I photograph into my photos, including finding the perfect, unique location that represents who that person is. However, I realize that many times, it can be tough to find a completely unique location for every single person I photograph (that would be crazy!). Because of that, I wanted to share a couple of my favorite locations to photograph senior girls and what I love about each of them:

1. Hartwood Acres Mansion

Why: One of my favorite features about Hartwood is its diversity. It includes a variety of different elements within a short walking distance, including a garden, woods, gate, and a stone mansion with archways, doorways, and lots of character. There is a lot to work with in this location, and is a great spot to choose if you’re interested in having a mix of nature and classic architecture.

Best Time of Year: Year round! However, if you’re interested in using the garden, it’s best to schedule between the spring and fall.

Sample Sessions from Hartwood Acres:

• Shawna W. (Spring)

• Jessi S. (Summer)

• Jannelle G. (Fall)

2. The Strip District

Why: The Strip District has so many unique locations for photos! It truly captures that gritty, downtown Pittsburgh aesthetic. Brightly colored steps, painted brick walls, and one of the most gorgeous rooftop city views steal the show.

Best Time of Year: Really, all year round! Since the backgrounds are mostly comprised of architecture, this location holds up even through the colder months.

Sample Sessions from the Strip District:

• Trudy B. (Summer)

• Sophie W. (Fall)

3. Mellon Park

Why: Mellon has stone elements reminiscent of Hartwood, but on a much smaller scale. It has more of a focus on nature.

Best Time of Year: Spring, summer, and fall are my favorite seasons to take photos at Mellon Park.

Sample Sessions from Mellon Park:

• Anna E. (Summer)

4. Downtown Pittsburgh

Why: Downtown Pittsburgh has so many beautiful architectural elements that are perfect for "chic" seniors who love the city atmosphere! With tons of locations within just a short walking distance, downtown Pittsburgh has so much to offer!

Best Time of Year: One of my favorite parts about shooting in downtown Pittsburgh is that it looks good almost all year round! In the summer, you will get the benefit of the natural greenery in some of the small park areas (Mellon Green, Mellon Square), but when shooting in the wintertime, you can barely notice what season it is!

5. Historic Harmony

Why: Much like the other locations mentioned previously, I have a love for Historic Harmony because of its diversity (and because it’s a short distance from my house! ;) ). It has a variety of historic buildings with bright colored brick, doors, and windows, and even has a coffee shop (Wunderbar) right in town!

Best Time of Year: Historic Harmony is beautiful all year round! Of course, for more greenery, it’s best to schedule during the spring, summer, and fall months.

Sample Sessions from Historic Harmony:

• Rachel C. (Summer)

• Sam M. (Summer)

• Adri D. (Summer)

• Sydney T. (Fall)

• Morgan A. (Winter)

6. McConnell’s Mill

Why: The more I shoot at McConnell’s Mill, the more I love it! There are so many different elements to work with – some within walking distance, and some within a short driving distance. In the central part of McConnell’s, there is the wood mill, river, waterfalls, rocks, and roads. Within a short driving distance, there is a field and “Cleland Rock,” which has become a personal favorite of mine for it’s West Virginia-like views!

Best Time of Year: I’ve taken photos at McConnell’s during every season and can honestly say that I love photographing clients there year ‘round! However, I do find it to be especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves are changing.

Sample Sessions from McConnell's Mill:

• Lauren N. (Late Summer/Early Fall)

• Joey D. (Fall)

• Lyndsay & Justin (Winter)

7. Succop Nature Park

Why: You guessed it – there’s a great amount of variety at Succop, especially if you are looking for more a mix of natural elements, mixed with a bit of architecture in your photos! Within walking distance, you can find a pond, field, and willow tree, along with a beautiful mansion-esque building to provide lots of different opportunities for lots of variety!

Best Time of Year: Moraine is beautiful in the spring summer, and fall months (but summer is my favorite time!)

Sample Sessions from Succop Nature Park:

• Sarah S. (Late Summer)

• Sophie H. (Late Summer)

8. Oakland

Why: Oakland has SO MANY beautiful locations within walking distance! There is a lot of historic architecture, as well as some natural scenery nearby, making it a great mix of different elements!

Best Time of Year: Oakland is beautiful year round, and can be a “year round” photo spot because of its plethora or architecture. However, it is especially beautiful in Spring & Summer when the flowers and trees are blooming! But it’s a great option in the winter months when there isn’t as much nature, too.

Sample Sessions from Oakland:

• Mimi (Summer)

9. Moraine State Park

Why: Moraine State Park is one of my favorite parks around Pittsburgh! It has lots of beautiful locations, including docks, woods, trails, fields, and a lake. If you’re a nature lover, this is definitely a great spot to consider!

Best Time of Year: This location is best Spring, Summer, and Fall, but still looks beautiful with the water/snow in colder months!

Sample Sessions from Moraine State Park:

• Olivia (Fall)