Chloe A: Sunrise Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

I met Chloe and her mom at Hartwood Acres Mansion on a beautiful morning at sunrise for her senior session - and boy was it worth it! We had the most gorgeous golden light. I don’t photograph a ton of sunrise sessions, but when I do, they always become my favorites!

Chloe brought a few extra bouquets of flowers to incorporate into her session, which matched almost perfectly with the flowers in the Hartwood garden! They added a beautiful pop to her photos. She even put some in her hair near the end of her session, and we found a beautiful bush that complimented them beautifully!

Chloe is a senior who plans to study marketing post high school! She loves going to concerts, is a barista, and even though she's not a morning person she rocked her early morning session. Congrats on your senior year, Chloe!

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Are you a photographer who’s looking for ways to up your senior experience? Click here to check out my senior style guide that I send to each of my senior clients!

If you’re a senior in need of photos, click here to learn more about my senior experience!

Elizabeth P: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

I had the pleasure of taking Elizabeth’s senior photos on a gorgeous day in May!

Elizabeth is a North Allegheny senior who plans to study marketing post high school. For her senior photos, she wanted a plethora of flowers - so Hartwood seemed to be a great fit! There were some gorgeous bright pink peonies in bloom around the mansion, and Elizabeth even brought a few bouquets of flowers for an added floral punch! (Click here to view my blog post about ways to incorporate more florals into your photos!)

Elizabeth, it was a pleasure to take your photos! Congratulations on your senior year!

6 Ways to Make Senior Photos Less Awkward & Uncomfortable

When I talk to people my age about their senior photo experience, they will often say things like….

“It was SO awkward.”

“I felt so uncomfortable the entire time.”

“I couldn’t wait for it to be over.”

“What am I supposed to do with my hands?!”

Let’s face it - senior photos can sometimes have a bad rep for being uncomfortable, awkward, and simply an experience that you have to “get through” in order to get what you really want in the end - the images.

Well, let it not be so for my clients! I strive to create an environment that is laid back, relaxed, and comfortable - like you have a friend taking your photos!

But I know that those pre-session nerves can sometimes still get the best of anyone. So today, I’m sharing some of my TOP tips and recommendations for ways to make your senior photos less awkward and uncomfortable! First up…

1 - Consider doing them alongside a friend!

These twins opted to have their photos taken together, simultaneously! We had such a blast!

Have a friend who needs their senior photos taken, too? Consider having your senior photos taken simultaneously! I’ve done a few “best friend” senior photo sessions, where two separate seniors have booked me together - and because they are doing their senior photos together, they can encourage each other, share outfits, and even have some photos taken together! Plus, that session will be a fun experience and memory for the two of you to have together!

2 - Bring a friend or trusted family member with you.

The person you bring to your session doesn’t necessarily have to be having their photo taken, too. Bringing a friend or trusted family member to your session is a great way to feel a bit more comfortable, rather than having your photos taken on your own.

3 - Have your senior photos taken at a familiar location.

This senior opted to have her photos taken at a camp she had attended and counseled at for years!

We all feel more comfortable in places we’re familiar with, right? The same is true for a photo session! If you want to keep things comfortable, consider locations for your session that are meaningful to you in some way. Maybe there’s a park that you visit often with your friends. Maybe you grew up visiting the Strip District with your family and feel comfortable there. Maybe your parents, grandparents, or a family friend have a picturesque property that you’ve visited many times - that could be a great spot, too! Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

4 - Consider a morning senior session vs. an evening senior session.

As a more natural-light style photographer (meaning that I don’t generally use off camera/artificial lights to light my senior subjects), I take senior photo sessions within two hours of sunset, and two hours of sunrise when the natural light is at its best. There are a few advantages to morning senior sessions that might help a senior feel more comfortable!

First, you can get your session done. Instead of waiting around all day for it, you can wake up, getting ready, and get it finished before lunch time! That way, you don’t have to spend the day thinking about it.

Second, there are generally less people in public spaces in the morning. Lots of popular photo locations have WAY less people early in the morning, rather than later in the day (especially on a nice evening, when we’re bound to run into lots of other photo sessions taking place!). If you want more privacy for your senior session, I would recommend a morning time slot!

5 - Look at your photographer’s work in advance.

All photographers have different ways they pose and direct images. To be more familiar with the poses your photographer might pose or direct you into during your session, be sure to look through some of their photo sessions in advance! That way, when they ask you to do something, you might be able to recall how it looks on camera based on what you’ve seen of their work - whether in their portfolio or on their blog.

Personally, I love sharing blog posts from my senior sessions with my favorite 10-25 images! I love giving upcoming seniors a feel of how they can expect to be posed/directed through the work that I share, in advance, so they can feel more comfortable and confident going into it!

6 - Talk with your photographer beforehand.

Whether it’s over the phone, by email, or by text, having a conversation with your photographer prior to your session might alleviate some of your pre-session jitters! They can reassure you, provide outfit advice, give tips for what to expect, and even quell some of your specific fears that you’re willing to share.

I always love to prep my seniors as much as possible before a session! Every senior who books with me gets digital access to a “Senior Style & Experience Guide,” which is meant to walk seniors through the process of what a shoot with me will be like, introduce who I am, and give tips for what to wear, what not to wear, and how to get the most out of their session.

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I truly hope this blog posts helps you feel more comfortable and confident heading into your senior session! Can having your photo taken be awkward and uncomfortable? Of COURSE, because it’s something we’re not always used to doing in a professional setting! But by implementing one, two, or all of these steps, you’re sure to have a great session and feel more confident going into it!

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Hudson N: North Park Senior Photos

Hudson chose a more suave and sophisticated look for his senior photos, complete with a top hat and cane! This was a fun first for me... and Hudson embodied the look perfectly!

We took his photos at North Park, beginning at the skate park area (where he spends lots of time!), moving onto the area around the Boathouse, then to the island! And, surprisingly for November in Pittsburgh… we had some great light to work with. That is always a bonus!

Congratulations on your senior year, Hudson!

Trudy B: The Strip District Pittsburgh Senior Photos

For as much as I love nature and historical architecture, Trudy’s colorful, gritty Pittsburgh senior session was a breath of fresh air that my little artistic heart needed!

Trudy’s only request for her photos was that there was “no nature” - and while we might’ve had some potted plants and alley weeds in her photos, I think we were able to hit the mark with her choice of location! The great thing about the Strip District is that there are lots of interesting spots to work with within a short walking distance from the Terminal. Colorful steps, interesting brick alleyways, and then a short drive away… a gorgeous parking garage where you can see all of the Pittsburgh skyline!

And besides the location, Trudy was a total GEM to photograph! I had the pleasure of photographing her sister’s senior photos years ago (back in 2015, I think? Time flies!), and their family as well! What a blessing it is to be able to work with families throughout the years and to see how they grow and change!

Laura K: Camp Kon-O-Kwee Senior Photos

When you grow up at camp, it only makes sense to have your senior photos taken there!

YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee Spencer was the perfect backdrop for Laura's senior photos! We had the true camp experience with insane heat + humidity, bugs, and learning all about plants that have the ability to latch onto your body and sting you over and over (almost from experience, until Laura saved the day). Even with all of that, we truly had the BEST time hanging out with this super fun senior!

Congratulations again on your senior year, Laura! You are a gem and it was such a pleasure to celebrate you!

Mareena P: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

It’s rare to have the opportunity to capture the beauty of two different seasons in one session… but Mareena’s session was perfectly time to capture the end of summer (and the colorful gardens of Hartwood!) and the beginning of fall (with a few trees starting to change colors!). That’s what an end of September/early October session timeslot will get you! 😍

We also had a beautiful, overcast day for her photos, which made the sunlight extra soft and diffused through the clouds! Don’t be afraid of having your photos taken on an overcast day. Your photos will still be bright and colorful!

Mareena is a class of 2021 Seneca Valley senior who is in the JROTC, is involved in concert choir, and loves to draw and paint! We used a few music sheets from her collection to throw in the air for a couple of shots, as a very subtle ode to her love for music!

Congratulations on your senior year, Mareena! It was an honor to photograph you!

Nick M: Historic Harmony Senior Photos

Nick is a senior (graduating this May!) from North Catholic who loves Chipotle and "The Office." He's planning on attending Penn State (main campus) in the fall to study business. Thanks for the honor of taking your senior photos, Nick! Congratulations on your last year of high school!

Why Should I Have My Senior Photos Taken?

“A senior session gives every girl the ability to appreciate who they are and how beautiful they are - inside and out.”

If you've followed me for any length of time on Facebook or Instagram (or here, on the blog!), you've probably seen my love for weddings, but something you may not necessarily know about me is my absolute love for photographing high school seniors! I truly believe that every teenage girl (and woman, for that matter!) should have the opportunity to feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in front of the camera! We live in a world that's overrun by the media telling us who we should be, how we should act, and what we should look like - but a senior session gives every girl the ability to appreciate who they are and how beautiful they are - inside and out. So if you're a senior who wants the opportunity to celebrate who you are and the unique beauty that you have - or if you're a girl who just needs to be reminded of the beauty that already lives inside of you - a senior session is for you! Check out my senior gallery (under "Galleries" in the navigation above) for more samples of my senior work, and use the "Contact" tab above to request more information!

Daniel R: North Shore Senior Photographer

I couldn't have picked a more perfect day for Daniel's senior portraits, taken on the North Shore. The sun was shining, the weather was not-too-hot, not-too-cold, and there were barely any crowds around the area - surprising, for such a beautiful November day!

As a side note, I love when high school senior guys take an interest in their senior portraits. It's so much fun to work together to create dynamic images that showcase interests, likes, and personality. For instance, Daniel has a love for the city, so of course, we decided to take his photos in an urban setting that showcased Pittsburgh's iconic yellow bridges and skyline. Daniel is also a member of his high school's lacrosse varsity team and has played sports for the majority of his life, so incorporating in the different sport-themed backgrounds dotting the North Shore really helped enhance the overall look of his images.

Thanks for a great session, Daniel! I had so much fun creating these images with you. Congratulations on your last year of school!