Chiara + Patrick: North Shore Engagement Photos

How lovely is Pittsburgh, and how sweet are Chiara and Patrick?! I met up with Chiara, Patrick, and their Corgi, Piper, in Allegheny Commons Park for their "spring" (we're using that word very loosely in Pittsburgh this April!) engagement session!

Throughout their entire session, I could tell that these two were not just bride-to-be and groom-to-be, but truly best friends! They were high-fiving, hanging out with their pup, and just being themselves, which is always my favorite thing to see (and capture!) during a session! Why should photos have to be boring?!

Aside from hanging out with Piper, these two love traveling together, trying new restaurants, and their favorite date night includes Chinese take-out (right on, friends!)!

Without further ado, check out just a few of my favorites from Chiara and Patrick's engagement session! Congrats you two - we can't wait to celebrate with you in December!

Emily + Brady: North Shore Engagement Photos

It was a crisp, cool day near the end of March when we met Emily and Brady for their engagement photos on the North Shore of Pittsburgh. As my first "spring" engagement session of the year, I was so excited to get back into the swing of things - after a long season in 2017, I took a couple of months off to rest, travel, and regain some much needed perspective heading into this season.

These two went to the same tiny college, but didn't meet until after they had already graduated. Brady proposed on the Rachel Carson bridge, which is literally a ten second walk from Emily's apartment complex - so, of course, we had to visit the bridge as the grand finale for their engagement session!

I am so thankful that Emily and Brady were my first session of the year! Despite their nerves, I couldn't find one ounce of uncomfortableness during their photo session while they were in front of the camera - what I think I loved most about these two is just their general naturalness together. They're not just fiance and fiance - it's easy to tell that they're truly best friends, which made them so incredibly easy to photograph!

Can't wait to see you two again in July! :)

Introducing Spring 2018 Mini Sessions!

I am SO EXCITED to share something I've been hoping to do for quite a while now. Over the last couple years, I have been so blessed with an increased amount of seniors, couples, and families to serve. In the interest of providing more people with photos, this year - for the first time, ever - I'm so excited to announce the first ever JHP Mini Sessions (Spring edition)!

These mini sessions will take place in Cranberry Township at the Cranberry Township Community Park, featuring a gorgeous green background and (God willing!) some beautiful light! These sessions, in particular, are perfect for:

• Families who need an updated photo
• Seniors who don't want a full senior session (perfect for guys, especially!)
• Couples who would like a few anniversary or engagement photos
• Parents who want a few updated photos of their kids
• PETS! (Bonus points if your pet is a llama!)

Bring your parents, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts, and whoever else you can think of! If you are interested in joining us, check out the details below - can't wait to see you there!

Creative Outfit Ideas for Engagement Photos

Trying to find an outfit for your engagement photos?! Shopping for a whole new outfit might seem like the only option, but in reality, there are so many other ways to make a killer engagement session outfit without draining your bank account! Below are three of my top tips for getting creative with your outfits!

1.  Rent a dress or outfit from Rent the Runway!

I learned about Rent the Runway last year and I’m OBSESSED! Rent the Runway has a huge variety of expensive clothing, which can all be rented for a fraction of the original price! Lyndsay, a 2017 JHP bride, opted for a gorgeous floor length red dress that made her session come together perfectly with the neutral winter backdrop. And the best part was, she didn’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to look fabulous!

2.  Repurpose an old bridesmaid dress (or any dress, for that matter!).

So, you bought a bridesmaid dress, only to wear it once and have it sit in your closet for a number of years. There are plenty of tutorials on Pinterest about upcycling or repurposing bridesmaid dresses into pillows or dresses for your kids, but what about repurposing your dress into something that you can wear again?

One of my brides, Hilary, was in a wedding where she wore a beautiful tulle, dusty blue bridesmaid dress. After the wedding, she decided that she wanted to find another way to wear the dress – so she had it made into a floor length skirt!

For her engagement session, she paired the dusty blue skirt with a simple black top, and wa-la! The perfect, upscale, classy outfit for an engagement session! Besides the color of the skirt (which was perfect for winter engagement photos!), Hilary’s skirt was full of body and movement, which always looks gorgeous in photographs!

3.  Uplevel your accessories!

One way to get creative with an outfit for your engagement photos is to “uplevel” your accessories! One little black dress can be transformed with a hat, scarf, statement necklace, shawl, belt, or even just the right pair of shoes. Accessories are also more cost-effective than purchasing a whole new dress or outfit and can easily be worn with a variety of different pieces in any season!

Tess and Phil (pictured below) had their engagement photos taken at the camp they met at, so they dressed in clothing to match the camp experience! Tess wore a hat and the most adorable boot/sock combination. Paying attention to these seemingly small accessories can make the biggest difference in the overall final product!

Looking for more ways to prep for your engagement session? Check out “5 Ways to Pamper Yourself for Your Engagement Photos!”

Pittsburgh Area Location Ideas for Engagement Photos

It’s no secret that finding a location for engagement photos can be daunting task! I've put together a little list to share a few of my personal favorite locations for engagement photos in the Pittsburgh area!

1.     Mellon Park

Why: One of my favorite features about Mellon Park is its diversity. It includes a variety of different elements within a short walking distance, including a garden, woods, gate, and stone architecture 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!

Sample Sessions from Mellon Park:

Leah & Conner (Summer/Fall)

Hilary & Luke (Winter)

2.     Historic Harmony

Why: One of my favorite features about Historic Harmony is all of the different features within a short walking distance! Harmony is a historic German town that’s been preserved with beautiful brick buildings and unique features. There’s a little coffee shop nearby (Wunderbar Café) as well as a field just down the road that lights up beautifully at sunset! If you love color in photos, this place is definitely for you!

Best Time of Year: Year round! All of the different buildings and features lend themselves to being beautiful yearround.

Sample Sessions from Historic Harmony:

Melissa & Matt (Summer)

Victoria & Kevin (Winter)

Megan & Sean (Winter)

3.     Hartwood Acres

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:

Sarah & Mike (Spring)

Jackie & Mike (Summer)

Valerie & Matt (Fall)

4.     McConnell’s Mill (and Cleland Rock)

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 winter when everything is covered in snow!

Sample Sessions from McConnell's Mill:

Lyndsay & Justin (Winter)

Amanda & Chris (Winter)

Lauren & Bill (Summer)

5.     Allegheny Commons Park & the North Shore

Why: One of my favorite combinations of locations is Allegheny Commons Park and the North Shore in Pittsburgh! Allegheny Commons Park has the typical park setting, but also has a view of the city straight from the park and over a bridge! Also nearby (within walking distance) are the famous “Mexican War Streets” which offer some beautiful urban architecture. The North Shore is only about a ten minute drive from Allegheny Commons Park with views of the city and the iconic Pittsburgh yellow bridges!

Best Time of Year: Year round, but if you’re looking for greenery in the park, I suggest booking spring through fall!

Sample Sessions from Allegheny Commons & the North Shore:

Jenna & Tom (Winter)

Lauren & Michael (Early Fall)

6.     Phipp’s Conservatory & Oakland

Why: Oakland has lots of beautiful locations to work with within a mid to long range walking distance. Within just a few blocks of space is: the Cathedral of Learning, Frick Fountain, Mellon Institute, Phipp’s Conservatory and Heinz Chapel, as well as some beautiful spots for natural imagery.

Best Time of Year: Oakland looks beautiful yearround with it’s gorgeous architecture!

Sample Sessions from Phipp’s & Oakland:

Rebecca & Yeddie (Early Winter, Oakland - Mellon Institute, Schenley Fountain, Frick Fine Arts Building, Cathedral of Learning)

Amy & Mike (Summer, Phipp's)

Sam & Matt (Summer, Phipp's/Oakland)

Lulu & Ricky (Spring, Oakland)

7.     Fellows riverside gardens

Why: Technically, this location is not in the Pittsburgh area (it’s actually in Youngstown!) but I love it SO much that I had to put it on this list. Fellows Riverside Gardens is a beautiful park that is at its prime in the Spring! It has some gorgeous architectural elements, and, as you can tell from the photos below… lots of flowers at the right time of year!

Best Time of Year: It’s at its best in the spring!

Sample Sessions:

Jordan & Robbie (Spring)

Hilary + Luke: Mellon Park Winter Engagement Photos

I am so excited to introduce you to this couple! Hilary and Luke drove in from Ohio for their engagement session and were absolute champs in Pittsburgh's freezing temps! We started off their session at Coffee Tree Roasters in Bakery Square, then made our way to (an empty) Mellon Park where we were able to catch some of that beautiful afternoon winter light.

Hilary brought a beeeautiful dusty blue skirt, which she had tailored from a previously used bridesmaid dress. Talk about some beautiful upcycling! The blue tones complimented the wintery backdrop perfectly. I can hardly wait to photograph Hilary and Luke's wedding in just a little over two months! ♥

Victoria + Kevin: Historic Harmony Engagement Photos

One of the most beautiful days in all of January here in Pittsburgh happened to fall on Victoria and Kevin's engagement session day! These two - Victoria from Michigan, and Kevin from Pittsburgh - met in Florida on spring break in 2010, started dating in 2014, and got engaged November of 2017 when Kevin proposed in ARUBA on the beach at sunset - talk about magical!!

Victoria's two dresses are from Amazon (can you believe it?!) and they complimented the warm color tones around Harmony perfectly! I am so excited to share this one. Congratulations on your engagement, Victoria and Kevin! :)

The Pros & Cons of Scheduling A Photo Session During the Winter Months

Have you ever considered having family, senior, or engagement photos taken during the winter months? Here in Western Pennsylvania, where winters can be long and cold, not quite as many people venture out on location for photos in the dead of winter when they can curl up in front of the fire with a cup of coffee instead (I’m totally putting myself in that group of people!!). BUT if a winter photo session has ever peeked your interest as a possibility, I’ve put together a little pros and cons list to share the good and the not so good of scheduling a winter photo session!

Pros:

We’ll get to utilize breathtaking and unique backgrounds. When I’m driving past a mountain of freshly snow covered trees, I often stare in awe. There’s something so beautiful about freshly fallen snow that makes for a clean, gorgeous backdrop, not just when you’re driving to work but when you’re having your photos taken!

You’ll have that “cozy feeling” in your photos. There’s something about having your photos taken in the winter that immediately creates a “cozy” feeling, especially during engagement and couple sessions where you are going to be close and cuddled up anyways!

You’ll have more times to choose from with a higher probability of weekend dates being available! Because there’s less demand for photos in the winter, I usually have more timeslots available, both during weekdays and on weekends. Essentially, scheduling in the winter means you’ll get a fast pass to the front of the scheduling line!

Cons:

The obvious one: it’s COLD! Consider this test: does thinking about being out in the cold for 60 to 90 minutes make you want to never leave your house again? Then a winter photo session might not be the best choice for you. While some people don’t mind being out in the cold for an extended period of time, others would much rather wait until the warmer months (which is completely understandable!).

There’s a higher chance that your session might be cancelled or postponed due to extreme temperatures or inclement weather. Flexibility is key for winter sessions. There’s a chance your session could be snowed out (while snow is beautiful in photos, it’s not worth endangering your life for) or postponed due to freezing temperatures (who even likes to walk to their car in -5 degree weather?!). Being flexible is KEY!

It might not be the most enjoyable hour/hour and a half of your life. This one kind of speaks for itself – hanging out in the park in 15 degree weather isn’t nearly as fun as watching the sun set on a 70 degree day. The truth is, having a photo session the winter means you might be cold to your core!

What do you think? When considering the pros and cons - where do you fall? I write none of this to persuade anyone out of a winter session, but only to educate based on what some clients wish they would’ve known in the past. If you’re still interested in a winter photo session, be sure to check out my blog post “How to Prep for Your Winter Photo Session” for tips on preparing for a cold weather shoot!

How to Prepare for Your Winter Photo Session

There are SO many things I love about photographing people in a winter setting. There are lots of unique and picturesque backgrounds, and the photos always end up having an overall “cozy” feeling to them! But what does it really take to have your photos taken in the dead of winter when it’s 20 degrees (or less!) outside? There are a couple of tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years that have helped make winter sessions more enjoyable for those who are brave enough to step in front of my camera. So if YOU are planning on having family photos, couple photos, or senior photos taken during the winter – these are my best tips for you!

Make sure the first thing you’re thinking of when planning your outfits is WARMTH!

• Add accessories like scarves, hats, jackets, long boot socks and boots.
• Consider actually wearing a coat for your photos!
• Add layers underneath your chosen outfits – socks, long johns, an extra t-shirt – anything that will insulate you a little bit more!
• If you’ll be walking around in the snow, consider bringing a pair of snow boots for walking between locations so your “nice” boots or shoes don’t get ruined!

Bring some EXTRA warmth with you for in between shots!

• I always bring a blanket or two with me to my sessions in the winter, but I highly recommend bringing extra for yourself if you think of it! This can be a lifesaver while walking between locations or even just between shots!
• Hand warmers are a LIFESAVER for cold winter shoots. You can put them in your gloves, shoes, and pockets without the camera picking it up (for the most part!)

Be willing to be flexible if the weather calls for it.

There’s a higher chance of inclement weather, especially in Western Pennsylvania in the winter months, which means that a session could easily get snowed out or cancelled due to extreme temperatures. It’s not fun to have your photo taken in negative degree weather, which can make the session (and memories associated with it) somewhat unenjoyable, which is the very LAST thing I would ever want!

As a firm believer that photo sessions can be (and should be) enjoyable, incorporating these tips and tricks into your winter photo session will ensure that you stay somewhat warm and toasty throughout your entire session!

Jenna + Tom: North Shore Engagement Photos

I am SO EXCITED to share this session! Not only did we absolutely love hanging out with Jenna and Tom for their engagement photos, but we also had such a fun time going all over the North Shore with them! 

She's from Harrisburg, PA, he's from England, and they met at Rugger's pub in Pittsburgh! Jenna had just gotten back from a women's rugby tournament, and Tom had just joined the men's rugby team. Now, four and a half years later, they are engaged and ready to tie the knot in the city where they first met! Naturally, they wanted to incorporate some of the city into their photos, so we found some of the North Side/North Shore's most picturesque spots - including a Union Flag (totally unplanned, but so perfect!)

Congratulations again on your engagement, Jenna and Tom! I can't wait for the wedding!