Hoffman Family: North Park Family Photos

I am so excited to share this beautiful family session with you all! Elissa, Josiah, Lily and Ady are four of the sweetest individuals and were so easy to photograph from start to finish. Elissa and Josiah serve on the music team at the same church my husband works at and both have absolutely PHENOMENAL voices! Their love for each other radiated throughout the entire session, and they were willing to trek through mud and fields for the very best shots.

Thank you so much for trusting me to take these photos for you all, it was such an honor!

Pittsburgh Family Session Location Ideas

1. Moraine State Park

Moraine State Park is the perfect natural setting for family portraits! With lots of space and tons of beautiful natural scenery - including a forest, a field, a gravel road, docks, and the lake, there are lots of different locations to choose from! Moraine looks particularly beautiful during the spring, summer, and fall months.

Sample Session: Lauren, Cody & Jam (Summer)

 

2. McConnell's Mill

McConnell's Mill is one of my favorite locations because there is SO much variety and it looks good in every single season! From roads to rocks to forest to the creek, McConnell's Mill has so many beautiful backdrop to choose from!

Sample Session: Goodman Family (Winter)

 

3. Hartwood Acres

Hartwood Acres might be one of my all time favorites! With a beautiful mansion, gardens, and a courtyard (surrounded by lots of forest), Hartwood has so much to offer! And the best part? It looks gorgeous all year round! However, if you're looking for lush greenery and gardens, I recommend booking in the late spring, summer or fall.

Sample Sessions:

Garland Family (Spring)

Carlson Family (Spring)

 

4. Cleland Rock

Cleland Rock is technically a part of McConnell's Mill, but it's about a 10 to 15 minute drive from the main McConnell's Park hub (near the Mill). Cleland Rock has sweeping, West Virginia-like scenery and beautiful fields. This location looks gorgeous year round!

Sample Session: Amanda & Jeff (Winter)

 

5. Cranberry Township Community Park

This location is one of my secret favorites - right near the Cranberry Community Dog Park! While this spot ALSO looks beautiful year round, it's my favorite in the fall!

Sample Session: Eagon Family (Early Winter)

 

6. Mellon Park

Mellon Park is the perfect choice if you're looking for a blend of natural and architectural scenery! This little park is nestled near Oakland and has lots of beautiful light. With the architecture, it is a great year round choice, but looks especially beautiful in the summer months!

Sample Session: Tessa's First Birthday (Summer)

 

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!

Goodman Family: McConnell's Mill Family Photos

What do you do when your son lives across the country?! Schedule family photos for when he's back in town and the whole family is together! The cold weather didn't deter this family in the least from having a couple of family photos taken at McConnell's Mill a few weeks ago - the snow covered roads and large icicles made for some unique scenery for this sweet family's session, and I am so thankful to have been the one to capture these for them!

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!

Parise Family: Winter Strip District Family Photos

I had so much fun hanging out with the Parise family on a very cold and snowy Saturday in late December! These four people are four of my new heroes, because not only did they brave extremely cold temperatures for their family photos - but they took their jackets off and didn't even complain while we trekked all over the Strip District! And even though I came away with some minor frostbite (don't worry, I bought myself a nice new pair of boots for my upcoming winter sessions! ;) ) it was totally and completely worth it.

And since these photos were a gift from kids and dad to mom (what a sweet idea, right?!), I want to say a big happy birthday to Cheri! Here's to many, many more years with those you love!

Nalinee + Josh: Hartwood Acres Maternity Photos

Nalinee and Josh are having a baby and I was so honored when they asked me to take maternity photos for them at one of my favorite spots - Hartwood Acres! Their session took place on the perfect fall day, and Nalinee wore the most beautiful, flowing, blush dress, complete with a flower crown, while Josh wore a tux. I love the thought these two put into their outfits - they perfectly match Hartwood's classic elegance! Congratulations on your growing family, Nalinee and Josh!

Vendors:

Makeup & Hair: Kaylin Simonic

Michelle, Rob, Beau, & Arya: Pittsburgh In-Home Family Session

It's always such an honor to be welcomed into people's homes for photos, but I felt especially lucky to be hanging out with these four! Michelle and Rob tied the knot almost half a year ago, but decided they needed some photos with their sweet pups, Beau and Arya! In addition, they wanted to highlight the home they purchased a couple of years ago and have been renovating. It is absolutely beautiful! I love when clients turn into friends, and these two certainly feel like friends already! It was such an honor to take these for you, Michelle and Rob!