Pittsburgh Surprise Proposal Photography – Things to Consider When Planning a Proposal

One of my absolute FAVORITE things to photograph are proposals! And when it comes to proposing, most people haven’t done it before. This blog post is meant to accomplish two things: one, to walk through the things that people might not think about considering when it comes to planning a proposal. And two, if you plan on having professional photos taken of your surprise proposal, how to set yourself up to get the best photos possible!

 1. Consider Having a Weather Rain Plan

If you’re from Pittsburgh or have lived here for any length of time, you know how crucial this point is! When planning a proposal in Pittsburgh, it is always important to consider the weather, and to consider having a backup rain plan.

If you’re planning an outdoor proposal, consider having a backup location that is shielded from the rain. This could be somewhere indoors, or an outdoor location that simply has an overhang or something blocking the rain. If you do plan to have an indoor backup location, and you plan to have a professional photographer there, consider talking to them about a location that still has good natural light. While photographers can bring artificial, off camera light to light a location, you will most likely want to keep the element of surprise, and will not want flashes firing, alerting your fiancé-to-be of what’s about to take place.

 There are lots of options to consider that would make excellent backup plans. For example:

• Phipps Conservatory & Botanic Gardens: Did you know that you can rent a private room at Phipps for proposals? It’s true! And what’s great about Phipps is that you are shielded from the rain – and any other type of inclement weather - and there is great natural light. If you don’t want to have to worry about any sort of inclement weather right off the bat, this might be a great route to go in the first place! If you’re interested in renting a room at Phipps for a proposal, click here. And you can click here to view a proposal I’ve photographed at Phipps!

• Mellon Institute: You may have seen the huge Mellon Institute columns in Oakland in a friend’s wedding photos or while driving by – but this spot makes for an excellent backup rain location! The architecture is beautiful and this location has a large area (in the columns!) that is shielded from rain. It’s also free to shoot there!

• The Pennsylvanian Rotunda: Have you seen this place before?! There are few spots more beautiful in Pittsburgh than the rotunda at the Pennsylvanian! This train station turned event space & luxury apartment complex is what photo dreams are made of. You do have to pay to take professional photos in this space - but it meets all of the qualifications of a good rain spot! Covered, access to natural light, and oh-so beautiful. Click here if you’d like to contact them to inquire!

• Coffee shops, bakeries, & restaurants: Many coffee shops and restaurants have large windows that give lots of natural light! If you plan on having the proposal photographed, you may just want to check with the coffee shop/bakery/restaurant ahead of time to make sure they’re okay with a photographer hanging around for a little while!

 2. Time of Day & Location Light

When it comes to photos, light is such an important factor. In fact, I would go as far as to say that good or bad light can make or break a photo! Of course, part of the fun of a proposal is that it’s candid - meaning that it’s usually unstaged and happens on the spot! But there are some things you can take into consideration if you want to have a more “picturesque” proposal!

The best time of day for natural light photography across the board (most of the time!) is 2 hours after sunrise, and 2 hours prior to sunset. Planning a proposal within one of those two time frames might help you have better overall light for photos!

Something else to talk about with your proposal photographer is how the light will look at the time of day at the particular location you chose. If you choose Point State Park fountain in Pittsburgh for your proposal spot, for example, you have a HUGE space to work with with so many different angles and spots to choose from. Your photographer can help give you some suggestions on what side of the fountain might have the best light at the time of day you’ll be proposing, as well as what angle of the fountain would make the best backdrop.

 3. Positioning on one knee

We’ve talked about rain plans, time of day, location, and now we’re here… the big moment - the moment you get down on one knee. What you’ll want to make absolutely sure of is that your photographer knows where you’ll be getting down on one knee so that they can know where to position themselves. If your photographer is in the wrong spot when you take a knee, they might miss the emotion of that special moment – which would totally be the worst! It’s so important to communicate ahead of time and have a plan that you can both be confident in, so you know without a shadow of a doubt that that moment (and the emotions that go along with it!) will be captured from the correct angle!

 4. Knowing Who You Two Are!

Chances are, if I’m photographing a surprise proposal, I’ve never actually met the couple I’m photographing - and I’m sure that’s true for many other proposal photographers. Because of that, I personally always ask for a few photos of my couple so I can pick them out of a crowd (if need be!). As well as a text to let me know that they are on their way to our meeting spot, which leads me to my last point…

 5. Communication

Communication is KEY! If you hire a photographer for your proposal, communicating in advance about where the proposal will be happening, as well as where you’ll actually be proposing, is crucial to the outcome of the images. In addition, it can be helpful to touch base with your photographer when you’re in the vicinity. Personally, I always ask my client who is proposing to shoot me a text to let me know when they arrive to the location, so I know to be looking for them.

For example, for a recent proposal I photographed at Phipps, Nate (who was proposing) sent me a text when he and his girlfriend left their house (about 5/10 minutes from Phipps), and when they arrive at Phipps. That way, I had a couple of minutes to get into position, and then start to watch for intently for them as they made their way to our agreed upon spot.

 6. Keeping Things Secret!

Lots of proposers ask me how I’ll “blend in” and go unnoticed by their soon-to-be fiance while I wait for the big moment. The great thing is, if you choose a public space, I’ll blend right in! With so many hobbyist photographers now-a-days, it’s easy to go unnoticed (or at the very least, blend in with the crowd) while waiting for a proposal to happen. I’ve even went so far as to pretend that I was with a group of tourists (for a proposal on Mount Washington in Pittsburgh) to keep my identity a secret! Overall, choosing a public location for your proposal will help your photographer blend in with the people around them, and keep things secret!

7. Choosing a Public Location vs. a Private Location

Piggy backing off of the last point, you may want to consider how receptive your soon-to-be fiance will be to getting proposed to in a crowd of people vs. in a more secluded/private location. Proposing in a public space will draw attention - which is great for those who love attention! But this method isn’t for everyone. If you feel like your fiance would prefer that moment to be more private and just between the two of you, consider choosing a low foot traffic location, or consider proposing during a time of day where a busy spot might not be so busy (for example, Point State Park in Pittsburgh isn’t as busy in the morning as it is in the evening).

I hope that this blog post was helpful as you prepare to propose to the love of your life! If you’re in need of a surprise proposal photographer in Pittsburgh, I would absolutely LOVE to help you out. Feel free to use the contact tab in the navigation above, or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com to hear more about the proposal package I offer!

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Shelby & Anthony’s Mount Washington Proposal

Allie & Nate’s Phipps Conservatory Proposal

Tess & Tyler’s Schenley Bridge Proposal

JR: Seneca Valley Senior Photos on the North Shore of Pittsburgh

JR is a Seneca Valley High School senior who is graduating in the Spring of 2022! He chose the picturesque North Shore for his photos, which afforded LOTS of opportunity for photos with a classic Pittsburgh yellow bridge and the city background!

A few weeks ago, I discovered that the Roberto Clemente Bridge had closed starting on February 14, 2022 for the next two years. Thankfully, the Andy Warhol Bridge served as an excellent backup spot during JR’s session!

JR kept it casual and decided to wear two different sweatshirts for his senior photos - from competing schools! JR’s family is a “Penn State” family, but because JR will be attending school at Pitt for Nursing, they’ve adopted some love for their infamous rival ;)

Because of the Roberto Clemente Bridge closure, I decided to look for some new locations for photos around the North Shore… and those locations did not disappoint! We even found a colorful mural on one of the side streets that made for some vibrant & unique images. And of course, the walkways and streets themselves always serve as excellent backdrops!

In addition to having his senior photos taken, JR’s family opted to add on a “family mini session” to the beginning of his senior session! So, for the first 20 minutes we were together, we created some updated family photos for them. It was so much fun, and a good way to get JR loose before the camera was solely focused on him. You can check out photos from their family mini session here!

Congratulations on your senior year, JR!

North Shore Pittsburgh Family Photos

We had a blast photographing this family in downtown Pittsburgh on a bright & beautiful March afternoon! The family’s eldest sibling, JR, was scheduled to get his senior photos taken, so the family opted to add on a “family mini session” prior to the start of JR’s senior session!

I would venture to say that senior photos are also the perfect time to update family photos, and a family mini session means that it will be quick and painless for everyone involved ;) One member of the family is already going to be photo ready, and typically one parent (and possibly a sibling) will be coming to the photo session for moral support anyways... so why not just get some photos of everyone together before your senior heads off to college or trade school?

A huge thanks to this sweet family for the honor of capturing this season for them! ❤️ We had a blast with you guys!!!

And if you’d like to see JR’s senior photo session, click here!

Allie & Nate: Phipp's Conservatory Broderie Room Surprise Proposal

Just in case I’ve never mentioned it here before… surprise proposals are one of my favorite things to photograph! ❤️ And what makes a surprise proposal even better?! When it takes place at Phipp’s Conservatory & Botanic Gardens in the Broderie Room!

One of my favorite things about a surprise proposal is feeling like I’m in on a really great secret… because I totally am! 😉 Even though, most likely, I haven’t met the bride-to-be yet, I know for a fact that she’ll be over-the-moon when she realizes what’s happening… and that it will all be captured photographically! That was a HUGE deal for me when I got engaged (just in case you haven’t seen how Nick proposed to me… click here!), and I treasure the photos and video we have from that day so much, as I know every other bride-to-be will, too!

But back to Allie & Nate! About a month before the proposal, Nate emailed me asking if I would be available to photograph the surprise proposal he had been planning… and thankfully, I was! We touched base a few weeks out from the proposal itself to get a game plan together. I always love having the chance to touch base with grooms-to-be before the proposal itself so we are both on the same page regarding where they will be coming in from, where they will stand, where I will be/what I will be doing, etc. It helps put everyone’s mind at ease!

On the day of the proposal, I woke up to a world of white - even though it was the first week of March, we had gotten at least 4 to 6 inches of snow overnight! Not to mention, it was about 11 degrees outside, so I couldn’t have been more thankful that Nate had decided to propose to Allie inside of Phipp’s Conservatory.

Nate had told Allie that they were going to lunch to celebrate his grandma’s birthday, and suggested stopping at Phipp’s first to enjoy a few moments in the warmth before heading off to lunch nearby. A great cover story, if I do say so myself.

Because Nate had rented a private room (the Broderie Room - probably one of the prettiest in all of Phipp’s!) for the big moment, Phipp’s pretended like the room was closed until Allie & Nate casually walked up - then said that it had just opened (how convenient!). I was in the back area of the picture below pretending to be taking photos of flowers. I watched them out of the corner of my eye as they moved into the Broderie Room, then ran as soon as I saw Nate start to take a knee! And oh, what a sweet moment it was. And how sweet these two are!

After a few moments of shock (and joy!), we were able to jump into a little mini engagement session to capture the joy of that moment and Allie’s gorgeous new ring. And there was so much joy… which is another reason why I love proposals! Genuine, raw emotion.

Allie & Nate, congratulations on your engagement, and thank you so very much for letting me be a part of it!

Interested in booking a room at Phipp’s Conservatory for a photo session? Click here to view information on their website regarding photo sessions! And if you need a photographer, I’d be happy to assist! 😉

Alex & Nick: Camelot Banquet Center Warrendale Wedding Photos

It was a lovely, beautiful, fairytale wedding day with Alex & Nick just a few weeks ago at the Camelot Banquet Center in Warrendale!

The Camelot Banquet Hall in Warrendale is one of my favorite small wedding venues near Cranberry Township. It has some beautifully unique features, including beautiful stain glass windows surrounding the entire reception space! I photographed one wedding here quite a few years ago, so it was fun to be back in a familiar space (that also is quite close to home!).

We've had the pleasure of knowing the bride's family for quite some time - I even took Alex's senior photos back in 2014, near the start of my photography journey! So of course, we were beyond honored to be asked to be a part of this sweet celebration!

Alex & Nick's wedding day was everything you would want an early March wedding in Pittsburgh to be. They had an unseasonably warm and sunny day, which was a huge blessing, since we took the majority of their portraits outside! Though not many trees had begun to bloom as of early March, we were still able to find some beautiful photo locations right on the Camelot’s property for photos - some out front of the Camelot, and some on an unsuspecting bridge right near the venue!

One of the sweetest parts of their day - which was a complete surprise to Alex & Nick - was the white horse drawn carriage waiting for them outside following the exit from their ceremony! An unforgettable surprise coordinated by the father of the groom.

Without further ado - I’m so excited to share Alex & Nick’s wedding photos with you!

Congratulations, Alex & Nick, on your beautiful wedding day, and on your marriage!

Vendors: The Camelot Event Center, McCandless Floral, Dj Diehlz Entertainment, David's Bridal (bride's dress), AZAZIE (bridesmaid dresses)

Charlie B: Canon McMillan High School Senior Photos at North Park

Charlie is a senior who is graduating with the class of 2022! His favorite season is winter, and he spends a lot of time in the cold on the ice hockey rink. His session took place at North Park... in the midst of some subtle snow fall! The perfect, subtle nod to his love for winter, even though there was no snow covering the ground.

I love how Charlie came prepared for his mid-20 degree senior session with lots of layers to keep him warm. This is the way to do it if you want to have your photos taken during the winter months!

It was also really helpful that he had pockets in his jacket - I tend to have guys put their hands in their pockets when I pose them during any time of year, but it’s especially a great way to go in the winter to keep hands a bit warmer! We also stashed some hand warmers in his jacket pockets - which of course, you would never know!

The colors Charlie chose for his session were also perfect against the winter backdrop. I always love to recommend bright colors against a stark winter landscape!

North Park is a great location for photos, but can be a bit tricky in the winter months when nature doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of lush greenery or vivid fall leaves. Because of that, I opted to use the area around the Boathouse (which also happens to house a fantastic restaurant, OTB at North Park!), where we could use some of the architecture in the background. The lake also had a thin layer of ice on it, which made for a different type of backdrop! As I was location scouting before the session, I noticed some vivid field grass across from the Boathouse, which we used for a few images, too. Our last stop was a wooden bridge that reaches towards a small island - the bridge was another great spot that provided some visual interest in the dead of winter!

All in all, we had a great time braving the cold with Charlie and creating these images to celebrate his senior year of high school. Congratulations on your senior year, Charlie!

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When Should I Have My Senior Photos Taken?

There are lots of important pieces of information to consider when it comes to the question, “when should I have my senior photos taken?”

Truly, this is a very personal question, and it’s important to note that the “right” timeframe may vary from senior to senior for a multitude of reasons - reasons that I will get into below! My goal for this blog post is to share a few ideas of things to think about when considering a timeframe for senior photos to help you either eliminate certain seasons or times or to help you nail down a more specific timeframe.

Generally, there are a few things I always encourage my senior to consider when choosing when to have their senior photos taken. First and foremost:

1. Find out when your senior picture is due.

Do you go to a school that requires you submit your senior photo to your yearbook? If not, feel free to skip to point number two!

For those who this does apply to, this is one of, if not the most important question to think about when it comes to the timing of your senior photos! No one wants to have a blank gray box next to their name in the yearbook, especially their senior year.

Most seniors I photograph who submit their photo to their yearbook need to have them submitted between October 1 and December 31, but this can vary significantly from school to school. Most schools will send this information out at the end of junior year, over the summer between junior and senior year, or at the beginning of senior year - but I would encourage you to get that information no later than the Spring of your junior year, so you can begin planning!

Knowing when your senior photo is the first hurdle, but from there, you need to consider booking your photographer, and knowing how long the turn around time will be for your full gallery of photos. Every photographer has a different turn around time for a full gallery of photos - some in a few days, some in a few weeks, and some in a month. Make sure you ask for this information before you book your session date, so you know that you will have time to have your shoot, get your photos turned around, and choose your favorite shot for the yearbook!

2. consider what else the photos will be used for

(i.e., Graduation Party Announcements)

Do you plan on using your senior photos on grad announcements, or for graduation party invites that will need to go out at a certain time? Consider choosing a graduation party date, then working backwards from there.

How far in advance will guests need to RSVP? How long will it take for the invites to be designed, printed, addressed, stamped, then mailed out? From there, work backwards and choose a timeframe that will leave enough time for your shoot, for your photographer to edit and deliver your gallery, and for you to choose your final images!

3. consider what the weather will be like.

This one might sound obvious, but it’s worth stating here - if you struggle with heat and humidity, I would not recommend having your photos taken at the height of summer. If you are not a fan of the cold, I would not recommend having your photos taken early Spring or late Fall when the temperatures are lower.

If you know that your hair will frizz in 95°F weather, then maybe consider a session in the Spring or Fall, when it’s not blazing hot! If you have a certain outfit in mind - i.e., lots of layers - don’t show up to a summer session in a sweater, jeans, and boots! Likewise, if you want to wear a cute sundress and sandals, don’t schedule your session for a colder timeframe. Thinking ahead about personal preference, possible outfit choices, and/or hair & makeup situations can be helpful with further nailing down when the best time could be for your senior photos!

4. Consider schedules and activities.

Senior year is a very busy time, with extracurriculars, college visits, special recognition ceremonies, not to mention all of the fun things that come along with it being your senior year, like trips and skip days! For some seniors, it’s easier to plan to have their photos taken the summer before their senior year, when they don’t have as many activities to work around. For other seniors, having their senior photos taken is a great opportunity to miss a day (or half day!) of school to get to have a fun pretty much once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their photos professionally taken!

5. Consider how you will look.

This might sound like a strange one, but I know this has been true for many of the seniors I’ve photographed! Some seniors prefer to wait until their official senior year to have their photos taken… sometimes near the very end. Why? Because they want to remember that specific time - what they looked like and what their personal style was their “legit” senior year. This is one that matters to some, but not to others - some people change significantly from the beginning of their senior year to the end, and some don’t!

I hope you found this blog post helpful for narrowing down a timeframe to have your senior photos taken in! If you are in need of a senior photographer in the Pittsburgh area, I’d love to connect with you! Feel free to reach out via my Contact form (click here!), or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you!

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Megan A: Winter Wonderland Seneca Valley Senior Photos

I have way too many favorites already from Megan's snowy senior session! And thankfully, we had THE most perfect day for her snowy photos on the most beautiful of snowy, February days - a high of 40 with snow still on the ground?! It couldn't have been more perfect!

I've had the honor of knowing Megan & her family for quite a few years - and Megan’s mom, Robin, actually helps me with senior sessions from time to time!

Megan is a Seneca Valley senior, graduating with the class of 2022. She intelligent, smart, witty, and determined. It was such an honor to take her senior photos!

And if you're wondering where these magical backdrops can be found, we actually used Megan's family's backyard for majority of these! I love when my seniors (or any clients for that matter!) choose locations that are meaningful to them. After some photos at her house, we headed over to McConnell’s Mill for a few more!

Congratulations on your senior year, Megan! It was such an honor to take these photos for you!

Personal Travels: Disney 2021

If you’ve been following along for a longer period of time, you might know that my husband and I love going to Disney, and every once in a while, I’ll bring my camera long to take some photos and stretch my creative muscles while I’m there! It’s fun to get to take photos without any pressure - just for the pure enjoyment of seeing and creating - something I don’t often give myself time to do.

And this is a blog post featuring one of those trips! This one comes WAY later - if you’re reading this when this blog was published (February 2022), this trip actually took place in February of 2021. If you’re a fan of Disney (and even if you’re not!) I hope you enjoy this little photo-story of our trip!

And for those of you two do love Disney… here are a few of my favorite details from this trip!

• We stayed at POP Century Resort for the first time! It was on the cheaper side, which is why we went for it this time around. We always love staying “on campus” when we can for the convenience, and it was nice to have the Skyliner right there to use! We didn’t love the long walks. Pop Century is a HUGE resort, and our building was as far away from the Skyliner AND the cafeteria as you could get!

• I am, admittedly, afraid of heights and the Skyliner was most definitely not my favorite thing - ha! But it was worth facing my fear for shortened journeys to and from various locations!

• Raglan Road (Irish restaurant in Disney Springs) ended up being our favorite meal of the entire trip! They gave such good sized portions and the food was incredible!

• My new favorite must go-to place is Gideon’s Bakehouse in Disney Springs! It’s a gourmet bakery with the BEST cookies I have ever eaten in my entire life… and the best buttercream icing, too! (You can buy buttercream to dip your cookies in… heaven! 😍). We ended up waiting in a six hour virtual cue line, then a one hour in person line just to get inside. But let me tell you, it was soooo worth it!

• We were so excited to see the new French pavillion area in Epcot! The architecture was beyond beautiful.

Happy scrolling!

Best Places to Take Senior Pictures in Pittsburgh

Today, I’m breaking down the most popular locations my seniors choose for their Pittsburgh senior pictures! Over the last 9 years of taking senior portraits, I’ve found that there a few locations that stand above the rest in the Pittsburgh area when it comes to senior photos - locations that both me and my clients love!

Each of these spots listed below are popular in my opinion because for a few specific reasons. They each:

1. Have wide variety of backgrounds within a short walking distance (more backgrounds to work with = a higher amount of unique photos to choose from, and less walking means more shooting time, meaning more photos!)

2. Allow for lots of different types of posing - sitting, standing, leaning, etc. on those background elements (giving you a wider gallery of options to choose from!)

3. Have beautiful, natural light that’s easy to work with (not all light is created equal - some locations have better light than others!)

So without further ado, let me introduce you to my favorite locations for Pittsburgh senior photos! First up…

1. Hartwood Acres Mansion

Hartwood Acres Mansion is known primarily for its historic gray stone architecture… and it’s a HUGE space, which makes it easy to get lots of variety! In addition to the mansion itself, there is a large gated garden on property, as well as lots of foresty areas, and white cobblestone pathways. There are arches, doorways, balconies, a courtyard, storybook-esque glass windows, as well as many other attributes that help make this location a popular choice for seniors.

Hartwood Acres Mansion easily crosses off all three of these items, plus more! You do not need any special license or permit to take photos on Hartwood Acres’s property, either. It is open to the public! The only time they close the area around the mansion is for weddings or private events, so it’s always best to call their office ahead of time to check (they are very kind about people checking to see if there are any events!)

2. Mellon Park

Much like Hartwood Acres, Mellon Park has lots of variety in terms of architecture! It features large, gray stone architecture, balconies, black iron gates, staircases, a historic ornate fountain, and pathways lined with benches and florals in the spring & summer. It is a short drive from Oakland, nestled into Shadyside, close to Bakery Square.

Much like Hartwood, Mellon Park is open to the public, but they do shut down the park to the general public for the occasional wedding or community event. I believe Mellon Park has an online calendar for community events, but it is not always updated, and (in my experience), they aren’t very good with returning phone calls.

3. Historic Harmony

Historic Harmony is unique from Hartwood Acres and Mellon Park. While it features historic buildings, they have more “small town” feels (brick, bright colors, etc.) rather than historic stone architecture. Historic Harmony is, after all, a restored German town just North of Pittsburgh!

Historic Harmony is a small German town established in the 1800’s that has been updated with brightly colored walls and the most adorable shops and restaurants (if you have a chance to visit, my favorite spots are Wunderbar and Two Fraus Bakery!). There are an UNLIMITED number of locations for photos here! Buildings, fences, bridges, nature, a barn, a field - you name it, it’s probably here!

The one caveat with Historic Harmony is that you have to know where you are allowed to shoot, and where you are not allowed to shoot. Many of the buildings are owned privately and don’t take kindly to people shooting on their property, so it’s best to check with them beforehand if you have specific spots in mind that you want to use. You can also contact the Harmony Museum, who owns some of the buildings in town (including the barn) to retrieve a day pass photo permit (currently priced at $20 per shoot/day as of January 2022). This is a fee I take care of for my clients who want to shoot there because I love the location so much!

Thanks for reading, friend! I hope you found this blog post helpful in your search for the perfect spot for senior photos. If you are in need of a senior photographer in the Pittsburgh area, I’d love to connect with you! Feel free to reach out via my Contact form (click here!), or email me directly at jhidingerphotography@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you!

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