Twesha M: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

Ohhh do I love this girl! I know I say that all of my seniors are the sweetest - but they all truly are, and Twesha was no exception! This girl is naturally gorgeous, incredibly talented, and if it tells you anything about her dedicated, hard-working personality, her name means "intelligent." For her wardrobe, Twesha brought two street outfits along with an authentic Indian dress, which was SO much fun to photograph! Never be afraid to incorporate something that represents your personality or your background into your shoot. The results are always awesome!

Thank you so much for an amazing time, Twesha! You are a rockstar!

Melissa B: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

If there's one thing you need to know about Melissa, it's that she LOVES Chick-fil-A (I always tend to bond with my seniors over food ;) ) - so of course, we hit it off when I told her I was the cow once for a Christmas special at our hometown Chick-fil-A! (Funny side story - I unknowingly had walking pneumonia while I was in the suit and scared a lot of kids with my coughing - ha!). Melissa was the absolute SWEETEST to work with, and to match her personality we had some gorgeous, sweet light! Hartwood really never disappoints. Check out a few favorites below - thank you Melissa for being so much fun to work with!! :)

Kate S: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

Kate is a gorgeous senior who is graduating this upcoming spring! I had the privilege of taking her senior photos not too long ago at Hartwood Acres Mansion - which is quite the popular spot for my seniors this summer (for good reason!). With so many backdrops to choose from and with Kate's lovely outfits, her senior photos were a breeze! We had so much fun working with you, Kate! Congratulations on your senior year!

Casey T: Phipp's Conservatory Senior Photos

Oh how I love this sweet girl and her family! If you've been following the blog for the last few years, your might recognize Casey from her family's mini family portrait session following her sister Maddie's senior photos at Hartwood Acres! My how fast three years flies by!

Casey is talented in so many different ways, including theatre, filmography, and art, but has a particular love for storytelling. She incorporated some elements into her session to represent her personality, including a book titled "Story," an old camera, and a suitcase! I also busted out my favorite gold & rose vintage chair for the occasion - it fit perfectly with Phipp's warm toned flowers and buildings!

Casey, I am so excited to see what you accomplish in your next adventure! Congratulations on your last year of high school!

Conner: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

We had so much fun hanging out with Conner at Hartwood Acres a few weeks ago! Conner's evening session was rained out, but we were able to shoot the very next morning and the light was perfect! Conner recently started his last year of high school at Northgate, and cheers on a nationally ranked cheerleading team! So of course, I had to see if he would be willing to hop in a tree for me, and he was totally game! He also brought two of his friends with him to cheer him on throughout his photos, so of course, we had to snag a couple of photos with them, too! Congratulations on your last year of school, Conner!

Riley S: Hartwood Mansion Senior Photos

There have been a LOT of Hartwood Acres senior sessions this year, and I still haven't tired of shooting there! For Riley's Hartwood Acres senior session, the garden was looking particularly robust and the light was just to die for. I have to give Riley extra props, because she was right in the middle of a big week at dance camp when we had her session, but you would never be able to tell by her photos. Just from spending an hour and a half with her, I can tell that she's hard-working, dedicated, and is certainly able to accomplish whatever she sets her mind to. Check out a few of my favorites from her session!

Josie H: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

I love all of my clients, but it's especially fun to photograph people I've known for an extended period of time - people like Josie! Josie and I grew up in the same neighborhood - actually, almost right across the street from each other, though quite a few years apart in age! If you've been following the blog for a while, you might recognize the similarities between Josie and her sister, Sami, whose senior photos I took almost three years ago (talk about the great genes that run in their family!!).

For Josie's Hartwood Acres Mansion senior summer session, we incorporated a few different styles of outfits to showcase her personality! We went from dressier to more casual, ending with a few in her volleyball t-shirt (with a matching volleyball, of course!) and Josie totally killed it with every look - by the end of her session, she was a pro, even suggesting some of her own ideas for posing and movement (which I love!!).

Check out a few favorites from her session below!

Jack H: Hartwood Acres Senior Photos

Jack is an Eden Christian Academy senior with a lot of style (check out that tie!). Jack came prepared with two very opposite outfits in mind for his session - we went from a Men's Warehouse suit to a Patagonia outdoor jacket and hat, and both of them fit perfectly at the Hartwood Acres mansion and surrounding woods. I'm a little surprised that Jack has never modeled before, because all of the poses came so naturally to him, which made my job so easy!

Check out of favorites from his session below!

Alexa H: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

There are few high school seniors you will meet who are as kind, generous, compassionate, and authentic as this girl right here! I've had the privilege of knowing Alexa for a few years through my husband's job (as a middle school youth director). She truly has a heart to serve and encourage those around her, which is why I was SO excited to get her in front of my camera! I've always felt like part of my job is to encourage the heck out of anyone I photograph, and with all of the encouragement and compassion that Alexa gives out, I was beyond excited to give some back her way! Not to mention, she was a complete natural in front of the camera at her Hartwood Acres Mansion senior session!

Alexa plans to attend Robert Morris University (my alma mater!) in the fall for Media Arts, with a concentration in Graphic Design (also the program I went through - too cool!). I'm so excited for you, Alex, and I know that God has so many incredible plans for your future!

Pittsburgh Area Location Ideas for Senior Guys

When it comes to guy senior portraits, where is the best place to start looking for a location? Today I'm sharing 6 of my favorite Pittsburgh based locations for guy senior portraits, what I love about each, and sample galleries from each location! Without further ado, here are my top 6:

1. Hartwood Acres Mansion

Why: Hartwood Acres Mansion has TONS of locations within a very short walking distance. The mansion itself has endless possibilities for photo opps, and is surrounded by forest, making it a great spot to get the best of both worlds!

Best Time of Year: One of my favorite parts about shooting at Hartwood is that it looks good almost all year round! In the summer, you will get the benefit of the natural greenery surrounding the mansion, but when shooting in the wintertime only in front of the mansion, you can barely notice what time of year it is!

Sample Sessions from Hartwood:

• Jack H (Summer)

• Jacob C (Summer)

2. Historic Harmony

Why: I have a love for Historic Harmony because of its diversity - it has a HUGE variety of historic buildings with bright colored brick, doors, and windows, and even has a coffee shop (Wunderbar) right in town! There are also some options for more natural scenery that can easily be mixed in!

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. It has a nearby field that is great year ‘round, too!

Sample Sessions from Historic Harmony:

• Ty T. (Fall)

• Sam M. (Summer)

3. The North Shore

Why: The North Shore is always a great spot for guy senior portraits! Within just a few blocks of PNC Park, the North Shore is chalked full of different types of architecture and textured backgrounds. Typically, for guy senior portraits, I like to recommend a mix of architecture and nature - architecture symbolizes strength and stability, which are the perfect qualities to showcase during senior portraits.

Best Time of Year: I love this location because it looks good year round! While in the spring, summer, and fall months I like to find little nooks and crannies of the North Shore with some greenery to incorporate, the North Shore looks just as great during the winter - because architecture looks good year round!

Sample Sessions from the North Shore:

• Quentin H (Summer)

4. 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:

• Ryan W (Summer)

• Mason H (Early Winter)

5. Moraine State Park

Why: You guessed it – there’s a great amount of variety at Moraine, especially if you are looking for more “natural” elements in your photos! At the South Shore boat launch, there are docks, fields, bridges, and forest within a very short walking distance.

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

Sample Sessions from Moraine State Park:

• Clay T. (Early Fall)

• Aurelie G. (Spring)

• Sarah F. (Fall)

6. The Strip District

Why: The Strip District has TONS of unique urban elements. It would have to be my top pick if you love urban style, mixed with Pittsburgh, mixed with lots of variety!

Best Time of Year: It looks great year round, even in the wintertime!

Sample Sessions from the Strip District:

• Rylan (Summer) *Note: the locations in the first photos with spray painted walls have been demolished. Sadly!