Pittsburgh at Home Family Photos

Meet this beautiful family of 8!

You may remember this family from their photo session last year... and what is so remarkable to me is that this family has been getting yearly family photos taken for 14 years now! Mom says it's her favorite day of the year, and I would think it just keeps getting more meaningful as her kids keep growing older.

I am truly amazed at the determination of mom (Elizabeth) - this was my first year getting my own family photos scheduled, outfits coordinated, making sure we were on time, etc. - and just with three people it was tough enough! Our own family photo experience has given me a whole new respect for families who set aside the time yearly (or bi-yearly, or really, EVER!) for family photos.

A big thanks to this family for inviting me to their home again for mom's favorite day of the year!

PS - if you aren't sure where to have your photos taken, your home/property is always a great choice! It's meaningful - and it's easier than packing everyone up in the car to drive to a separate location!

Hartwood Acres Mansion Summer Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photographing this sweet family of three - Freya & her parents - on a lovely summer evening at Hartwood Acres Mansion.

I went to school (middle & high school) with Jourdain (Freya's dad). There is something truly wonderful about getting to see people from your past who are thriving in new seasons of life! It truly brought so much joy to my heart to get to see this family thriving as a family of three!

Lauren (Freya's mom) had such a lovely vision for the session - serene, candid, romantic, joyful - and chose beautiful outfits to match the space we were taking photos in, as well as the vibe of the session as a whole! I just adore how these turned out.

Thank you three for letting me capture these sweet, fleeting moments!

Spring Hartwood Acres Engagement Family Photos

Oh my oh my! I am so excited to be sharing these photos of this sweet family of three from our session on a beautiful spring evening at the one and only Hartwood Acres Mansion!

We had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth & Robert a little less than a year ago when they moved to Pittsburgh from Virginia. They were looking for a new church community to be a part of, and started coming to ours! Elizabeth was pregnant at the time with little Abel, and now here he is... just under two months old!

It has been a joy and a privilege to get to know (and photograph) these three!

Pittsburgh Family Photos

I had such a great time photographing this family of eight!

Mom chose their new home to be the backdrop for their yearly family photos - a beautiful, personal, and meaningful spot! (Also perfect for a cold day - everyone was able to hop into the house to warm up, then come back outside!).

Because they have all been taking yearly photos for so long, they were all pros and made my job so easy.

Congrats to this sweet family on their new home!

Historic Harmony Family Photos

'Tis the season for family photos!

I loved photographing this family of three (almost four!) in celebration of this season that's coming down the pike for them! They chose one of my favorite spots... Historic Harmony! And it was all decorated for Christmas, which made it all the more fun!

Congratulations to this sweet family on their soon-to-be extra addition!

Zelienople Family Photos

This session was a joy for so many reasons!

I first met Sam and Anthony back in 2017 after they had recently gotten engaged. I took their engagement photos that year, and then photographed their wedding in 2018 (click here to see!). This year, I had the privilege of photographing them as a family of four during peak fall on the Historic Harmony trail… one of my favorite locations in the fall!

It is always an honor and privilege to get to photograph growing families over the years. Thank you so much to Sam & Anthony for letting me photograph this season of life for you!

Allegheny Rivertrails Park Family Photos

We had the most beautiful evening for this family’s photo session around Allegheny Rivertrails Park in Aspinwall! Not only is this park so beautifully Pittsburgh (with bridges that run above it and it’s location right on the river!), but it is also a very special place for this family, who comes here often!

I actually photographed this family for the first time 8 years ago back in 2015! (Click here to see!) It’s wild to me that I’ve actually been in business that long… 2014 was the year I “officially” became a business, though I had been taking photos of and for people since 2011.

A huge thank you to this family for letting me be a part of capturing this season in their lives! ❤️

McConnell's Mill Spring Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful family at McConnell’s Mill State Park in the early Spring during my Spring Mini Session Event in May!

We had a beautiful evening, and it was just the right temperature - not too hot or too cold! And how beautiful are their outfits?! These kids were so well behaved and sweet towards one another, they made my job SO easy! A huge thanks to this sweet family for letting me capture this sweet season of their lives!

PITTSBURGH FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER: FAMILY PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS 2022

One of the best parts about being a Pittsburgh family photographer is getting to work with so many families with so many different dynamics! This year, I had a mix of immediate family sessions, extended family sessions, and some mini sessions! Specifically, I hosted Spring mini sessions at Moraine State Park in April, and Christmas mini sessions at Lake Forest Gardens in November. Both mini session events were so much fun and allowed me to work with so many families who I’ve had the privilege of photographing previously!

Enjoy some of my favorite images from this year’s family photos!

Jenna & Nick's Christmas Maternity Photos in Harmony!

Who does a photographer call when they need photos taken?!

We have so many amazing photographers in the Pittsburgh area - so many of whom I would trust with taking photos for my family! But for this particular occasion, I opted to set my camera up and hand it it off to my sister-in-law to take a few quick photos of Nick and I to commemorate this season of ours!

I knew I wanted some photos around one of my favorite little towns - Historic Harmony - while it was all dressed up for Christmas! The Christmas season is one of our favorites, and it just so happens that I was at the 33 week mark when these were taken, which worked out perfectly! Before this, I didn’t have too much of a bump, so I was glad that we waited until my 8th month before taking these!

I was SO EXCITED to find the dress I had been envisioning for these photos at Madewell. Green is one of my favorite colors to wear, and such a lovely color for Christmas photos!

We had planned the day of our shoot a short while in advance, and sadly, it looked like it was going to be a complete wash out! But we decided to go for it anyways, and even though we had bouts of rain and lots of wind (hence my crazy hair in some of the photos 😂) we made it happen! And I’m so glad we did. I am so excited about how these turned out!

This was also a really great reminder of how my client(s) think and feel leading up to the day of their session(s). Getting your photo taken takes some vulnerability! Even as someone who photographs people for a living, I found myself getting a little nervous about how I would decide what to wear, what the weather would be like, and how the photos would end up turning out (and how I would look in those final photos - there’s a reason I enjoy being behind the camera!). But I was also reminded of how important, precious, and fleeting these seasons are that we choose to have photographed. The moment I saw these photos, they had already become so precious to me - even when I see my windy hair and remember the bouts of rain! It makes them even more memorable for us ❤️

Again, a HUGE thank you to my sister-in-law Alisha, who was willing to press the shutter button for us!

Also, if you’re someone who’s in need of some maternity photos, I would LOVE to take them for you! Please feel free to click here to get in contact, and click here to learn more about the maternity photography package that I offer!