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!

When Should I Have Maternity Photos Taken?

If you’ve stumbled upon this blog post looking for the optimum time to have maternity photos taken - you’re most likely expecting! So first, I’d love to say a HUGE congratulations to you! ❤️

Maternity photos are a type of photo session I’ve taken on throughout the years on occasion. As a wedding photographer, some of my couples have inquired a years (or months) after their wedding date to ask me to photograph the next season of their lives… which I am always SO honored by!

Maternity photos are special for a variety of reasons. As I’m writing this blog post, I’m currently 4.5 months postpartum, and I still love to look back at our maternity photos (I had a specific vision in mind for ours, so I handed my non-photographer sister-in-law our camera and she snapped some amazing photos for us - check them out here!) Our photos remind me of that sweet (and let’s be honest, sometimes quite overwhelming) season before having a newborn, when we were preparing for our little one. The photos remind me of the anticipation, the time we had with my sister-in-law, our baby shower (which took place a few days later)… all of the above! It was such a special, once in a lifetime time. And after going through that season myself, I have a renewed love for documenting it for others!

So, we should probably get to the point of this blog post… when is the best time to have maternity photos taken?

The answer might vary from couple to couple, and definitely will vary based on any complications a mom might have in her pregnancy. For a healthy pregnancy without any known complications, I’ve found 32 weeks to be a “sweet spot” (usually the 7-8 month mark is a good way to go!).

I had my own maternity photos taken around 32.5 weeks, and boy am I glad we didn’t wait even a week longer than that. By the 33 week mark, I was waddling around and really started to feel miserable! And at 32.5 weeks, I feel like I had enough of a belly (without feeling “too big”) to be in that “cute” pregnancy stage… which is exactly what I was hoping for!

If you have known pregnancy complications that could result in an early birth, it might be a good idea to schedule your photos sooner… just in case!

Allegheny Rivertrails Park Family Photos

We had the most beautiful evening for this family’s photo session around Allegheny Rivertrails Park in Aspinwall! Not only is this park so beautifully Pittsburgh (with bridges that run above it and it’s location right on the river!), but it is also a very special place for this family, who comes here often!

I actually photographed this family for the first time 8 years ago back in 2015! (Click here to see!) It’s wild to me that I’ve actually been in business that long… 2014 was the year I “officially” became a business, though I had been taking photos of and for people since 2011.

A huge thank you to this family for letting me be a part of capturing this season in their lives! ❤️

McConnell's Mill Spring Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photographing this sweet family during my Spring Mini Session Event in early May of 2023! I’ve known Emily (the mom!) for a few years, as we are both photographers in the northern Pittsburgh area - she is an amazing newborn photographer who I LOVE recommending to anyone who asks me for newborn photos! (Click here to see her work!)

Something I adored about photographing this family was how kind and loving they were to one another! You could tell that they all genuinely love being together, and being close. It made my job so very easy!

Emily, thank you for having me take these photos for your sweet family. You all are a joy!

Mars Prom Photos

This past weekend, I had a type of photo session I’ve never had before: pre-prom photos! And they were so much fun!

While lots of high schools in the area had prom, these photos are of some seniors from Mars High School.

If you’ve ever been to prom or been a parent/sibling of someone going to prom, you know that pre-prom photos can be a little chaotic - one parent (or multiple parents) have to take charge - people are looking at different cameras and giving different instructions, etc! But after the photos were over, several of the parents thanked me for taking the lead and giving clear instruction, because it gave them the opportunity to just enjoy the moment without having to worry about getting the perfect photo. And now the whole group has some photos of everyone posed well, in good light, and looking in the right direction!

If you’re interested in having pre-prom photos taken, please feel free to reach out to me by clicking here!

McConnell's Mill Spring Family Photos

I had the pleasure of photographing this beautiful family at McConnell’s Mill State Park in the early Spring during my Spring Mini Session Event in May!

We had a beautiful evening, and it was just the right temperature - not too hot or too cold! And how beautiful are their outfits?! These kids were so well behaved and sweet towards one another, they made my job SO easy! A huge thanks to this sweet family for letting me capture this sweet season of their lives!

Martha & Sam: Greystone Fields Wedding Photos

It’s hard to believe it, but here we are… the first wedding blog post of the year! 🎉

Martha & Sam’s wedding was not only my first wedding of 2023, but also my first wedding back from maternity leave! It truly felt so good to be back to work… even if it was hard to leave my little one for such a long period of time!

Before Martha & Sam’s wedding day, the weather forecast was ominous (at best). The forecast was calling for 90-100% chance of rain all day. We had talked through rain plans, packed our clear bubble umbrellas in the car (a must have for peace of mind if you photograph weddings in Pittsburgh), and even unloaded our gear into the church in the rain - and then, the clouds parted and the skies cleared exactly when we needed them to for photos! That was a HUGE blessing, considering the fact that Martha & Sam wanted to showcase the beauty of Oakland (the place where they went to school, met, got to know each other, and became husband and wife!) in their photos. I was (and am) so thankful!

The ceremony itself took place at Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Oakland, where Martha & Sam met. The church ministers to the Oakland area (including many Pitt students), which is how Martha & Sam became involved. Not only is the church one that is on mission to reach its community.. but it’s also so beautiful, with stained glass decorating its walls. It was the most beautiful backdrop for their vows!

After the ceremony, we headed over to the Cathedral of Learning for bridal party and bride & groom photos, and then over to their reception venue, Greystone Fields in Gibsonia (which we absolutely LOVE!). After an evening full of dancing, food, and cookies, Martha & Sam ended their night with a “last dance,” with just the two of them in the reception space, and then made their getaway exit through lines of guests holding Chinese lanterns.

Martha & Sam had the most beautiful day and I am so thankful to have been a part of it. Congratulations on your marriage, Martha & Sam!

Vendors: Bellefield Presbyterian Church (Ceremony), Greystone Fields (Reception), Yinz Getting Married (Planning & Coordination), Tolman Media / Reflections Media Pennsylvania (Videographer), Weischedel Florist & Ghse (Florals), Oakmont Bakery (Cake), Bridal by Bre (Makeup & Hair), One White Lane (Wedding Dress), Sophia Tolli Australia (Wedding Dress Designer), Stephen’s Kitchen & Catering, Joyce Gindlesperger (Pianist), Rev. Joshua Brown (Officiant)

Josh K: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Josh is graduating this Spring with the class of 2023!

He's a super smart guy who's planning on studying biomedical engineering after high school at Duquesne University. And as you can tell, he came dressed to impressed in a suit and one of his favorite bow ties!

Congratulations on your senior year, Josh, and thanks so much for letting us celebrate with you!

Spring 2023 Mini Sessions on May 2nd!

I'm excited to announce that I'll be holding some limited mini sessions this Spring on Tuesday, May 2nd at McConnell's Mill State Park!

These sessions will take place at McConnell's Mill State Park (Kildoo Picnic Area), only on Tuesday, May 2nd in the evening, and availability is limited (rain date: Thursday, May 4th). Each mini session includes...

• 15 minutes of on location photography at Moraine State Park (with a forest backdrop, as pictured in this email!)

• Up to 25 high resolution digital files (delivered via online gallery)

• A print release (To print your photos wherever you would like! Note that professional print products are also available for purchase through your online gallery)

These mini sessions are perfect for...

• Updated immediate family photos

• Mom + children photos (perfect for Mother's Day!)

• Senior photos

• Photos in your prom dress

• Photos with your friends!

• Senior cap and gown photos

• An extended family photo

• Engagement photos

• Photos with grandparents

• Maternity photos

• Updated headshots

• Photos with your favorite furry friend(s)!

• And so much more!

These sessions are priced at $300 + 6% sales tax.

The price is $300 + 6% sales tax for 15-20 minutes of on location photography. These sessions are for families, couples, seniors, extended families, and would make a great gift for Mother's Day

Feel free to check out the available times via the booking link below! Hope to see you there!

Zelienople Family Photos & Professional Headshots

I adore this family! I first photographed Jess + Micah for their engagement photos back in 2014... nearly 9 years ago! Their family as doubled in size since then. I am so very grateful that they continue to trust me with their memories!

We had a little mini session in Zelienople (so many great backdrops to work with here ) and got a few family photos, and some new headshots for Micah! It's hard to believe that this was my first session back since Lucy joined our family... and spending it with these four was such a joy!!!