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)

Jack P: North Park Senior Photographer

Jack is a high school senior soccer player who's graduating this spring (in less than a month!) and is heading off to William & Mary in Virginia to study Math and Economics! Major props to Jack for having his senior photos taken earlier this week in 90 degree weather without barely breaking a sweat!

Congratulations on your last year of school, Jack!

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!

Shawna W: Hartwood Acres Senior Photographer

 I've photographed quite a few seniors at Hartwood Acres Mansion, but the light at Hartwood the evening of Shawna's senior session was quite possibly the most beautiful I've ever seen it! Shawna's outgoing, upbeat, easy-to-talk-to personality made her such a joy to photograph from start to finish. Congratulations on your last year of school, Shawna - you're going to do great things!

Ana S: The Strip District Pittsburgh Senior Photos

Ana's senior session marks my coldest session EVER in my Pittsburgh senior photography career.

The morning of Ana's senior session, I woke up, immediately pulled out my phone, and looked at the temperature. One degree. That's right folks, one degree Fahrenheit! By the time we reached our location in the Strip District, the temperature had risen to a balmy 6 degrees. But man, were we ready! We started off Ana's session at 21st Street Coffee & Tea, then moved outdoors, taking periodic breaks to warm up. I have to be honest, I'm SUPER impressed with Ana. She never complained about the cold - not once - and still managed to look amazing in these photos! With all of the textures and backdrops available in the Strip, we were able to get some urban-city photos to commemorate Ana's love of the city, and specifically the Strip District, a part of Pittsburgh she's been visiting for all of her life! And of course, we ended the shoot at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co., a place I had never visited before Ana's session, but now love! Congratulations on your last year of school, Ana!

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!

Janelle G: Hartwood Acres Senior Photographer

What a pleasure it was to take this sweet girl's senior photos! We were able to hit the beautiful fall color during the peek of fall at Hartwood Acres Mansion. Janelle had her hair and makeup done for her session by the talented Kaylin Simonic. Ladies - I highly recommend taking some time to pamper yourself before your session! Whether it's getting your nails, hair, or makeup done, going out for dinner or ice cream after your session, or treating yourself to a new outfit (or two ;) ), make your session fun and unique by making a day of out it and treating yourself! It makes the day just a little bit sweeter.

And without further ado - here are a few of my favorite photos from the beautiful Janelle's session! Congratulations on your last year of school, lady!

Ryan Hyland: North Park Senior Photographer

I met Ryan early on a Friday morning (on a day he didn't have school) to take his senior photos. It was the perfect morning for a photo session, and we were even able to incorporate his love of soccer into his shoot! You might remember his sister, Kathleen, and her senior photo session from last year. Thanks for an awesome shoot, Ryan, and congratulations on your senior year!

Sarah F: Moraine State Park Senior Photographer

Sarah is a senior at Seneca Valley High School, and she's graduating as a part of the class of 2017! During her shoot, I found out she's thinking about studying Graphic Design - which is exactly what I went to school for (and is my part-time day-time job)! We had a great time walking around Moraine State Park while the leaves were at their peek colors. Congrats on your last year of school, Sarah, you are beautiful inside and out!

Megan C: Phipp's Conservatory Senior Photographer

Megan was an absolutely joy to photograph! We had so much fun walking around Phipp's Conservatory mid-October taking her senior photos. I've known Megan for quite a few years through our church, Grace Community Church, and photographed her brother's senior photos almost three years ago! Time really does fly. You're beautiful from the inside out, Megan!