Jillian W: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Jillian!

Jillian is a Chartier's Valley senior who plans to study Psychology post graduation! She's a lover of Italian food (specifically chicken parm) and of all things sweet... especially chocolate!

All of her (beautiful) outfits are from Altar'd State, and she brought a colorful bouquet of flowers with her to incorporate throughout her photos.. which I just love!

Congratulations on your upcoming senior year, Jillian! Thank you for letting us be a part of such a sweet time in your life.

And a huge thank you to my assistant (and friend) Dani for assisting and being the best outfit fixer! If you've had a senior session with me this year, you know how helpful and encouraging she is. Thanks for all your help, Dani!

Ruby H: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Ruby!

Ruby is a Baldwin High School senior who plans to go into the medical field post high school (following in her family's footsteps!). She loves Chick-fil-A, plays volleyball, and does she not have some of the most gorgeous hair you've ever seen?!

She brought three looks for her photos - a short white dress, a long patterned dress, and jeans and a t-shirt dressed up with heels! I love her choices, they are all so classic with modern elements. And they all went so well with the mansion and garden scenery!

Congrats on your senior year, Ruby!

Vivian E: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Vivian!

Vivian is a super sweet rising senior at Upper Saint Clair! She is a cheerleader who hopes to pursue teaching post high-school. We squeezed most of her session in last night before a torrential downpour - and we got rained out towards the very end! Thankfully, we were able to reschedule part 2 of her session the following week, when there was more sunshine! ❤️

Vivian, you are a gem! Thanks for braving the wind and the rain!

Derek G: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Derek is a senior at South Park High School who plays hockey, soccer, and plans to study business post high school! Last night was the perfect summer night for his senior photos - congratulations on your senior year, Derek!

Neely H: Zelienople Senior Photos

Neely is a 2025 graduate who plays hockey and lacrosse - and loves ice cream! Her senior session took place in town around Zelienople - an underrated location for photos, in my opinion!

Neely brought three gorgeous, colorful outfits that really helped her pop off the background of her photos. And we even found some beautiful summer light - behind a BP gas station, of all places!

Neely, you were a joy to photograph - congrats on your senior year!

Gabby S: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Gabby!

Gabby is a senior at Canon-Mcmillan who traveled all the way up to Hartwood Acres Mansion for her senior photos last night!

We were originally scheduled to take her photos a few days prior, but due to some unpredictable rain & storms that day, we postponed to later in the week. And honestly... I'm so glad we did! We ended up having the most beautiful spring day for her photos around the mansion - so many trees were in bloom!

There was also a little surprise that took place during Gabby's session, unbeknownst to her... scroll through to see what happened!

Congratulations on your senior year, Gabby!

Sofia L: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Sofia!

Sofia is graduating with the class of 2024 this spring! She plans to study elementary education post high school. She loves sweets (and works at an ice cream shop! ), and believe it or not, she is the third senior in her family I've had the joy of photographing at Hartwood Acres Mansion!

We weren't sure how the weather situation was going to play out the evening of her session... but at the last minute, we decided to go for it! And I'm so glad we did. It turned out to be a gorgeous evening, and we almost had the whole mansion area to ourselves during her session!

If you're wondering where Sofia's gorgeous pink dress is from... it's the "Emma Smocked Tulle Dress" from Baltic Born! Her red dress is from Abercrombie.

Congratulations to Sofia on her senior year!

Nina L: Moraine State Park Senior Photos

Meet Nina - a senior graduating from North Allegheny with the class of 2024! 🎉

Nina was a treat to photograph at the end of April at Moraine State Park on one of the most beautiful spring evenings!

When we had chatted before her session, she requested 1) a field, and 2) sunlight in the background of her photos. Sometimes those two things can be tough to find in Pittsburgh in April (especially the sunlight 😉)... but we were able to make both of those requests happen (truly by God's provision!).

Besides a field and sun, we found some lovely pink blossoms. And of course, we had to use the area near the water. We had a gorgeous golden hour that really made those photos pop!

Isn't she just so stunning?! She made my job so easy!

I also want to give a big thank you and shout out to Dani, who was my assistant/reflector holder for this session. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

The Easiest Outfit Choice for Senior Pictures: The Little White Dress!

Deciding what to wear for senior pictures is no easy task, and sometimes it can be even tougher when us photographers recommend all kinds of different tips & tricks - try a pattern, but make sure it’s not too small! Wear a bright color, but make sure it’s not too fluorescent. Wear something you feel comfortable in, but make sure it’s also flattering!

While I do think all of those tips are important, I also think that sometimes it’s important to just have a few solid recommendations that anyone can follow. Enter: the white dress!

The “little white dress” (short white dress with short sleeves) has been trending in senior photos in recent years, and for good reason! There are so many reasons why a little white dress is a great choice for senior pictures.

IT PHOTOGRAPHS SO WELL

A white dress photographs beautifully, and white dresses come in all different styles, making them a flattering choice that helps the subject stand out from the background without being too in your face! The little white dress works with a variety of different backdrops (natural, urban, floral, historic, etc.) making it a great choice regardless of the location or background you choose for your photos!

IT’S CLASSIC & TIMELESS

White dresses are also classic & timeless. They may decrease or increase in popularity, but for the most part, they are a staple in many women’s wardrobes across generations.

…YET ALSO TRENDY

Right now, white dresses are so in for senior photos! So you have the added bonus of choosing a trendy piece for your senior session, while at the same time, having something that is so classic. It’s a win-win!

ALTERNATIVE IDEAS

Though the short white dress is what’s currently in, if you’re unsure if you want to go too trendy, try adding a twist to your white dress choice by:

• Choosing a longer length instead of a shorter one

• Choosing a dress with sleeves over something short sleeve

• Adding a different color shoe (other than neutral or white)

• Adding a different type of accessory

Below are a few of my seniors who have chosen the white dress option in recent years! Many of them purchased their dresses from Altar’d State or Francesca’s.

INTERESTED IN MORE SENIOR PHOTO CONTENT?

Check out the blog posts below!

What Colors Should I Wear for My Senior Pictures?

One of the most common questions I get when it comes to prepping for a photo session is: what color clothing should I wear for my photo session?

While there are some general rules of thumb to use – no fluorescent colors, consider a piece of clothing with a color that “pops,” etc. – I have always been a bit stumped by this question. I’ve found that while some colors work great on some people, those same colors can wash other people out, making them look sickly and/or pale in photos.

Enter: color analysis!

If you’ve never heard of color analysis (also referred to as personal color analysis, or seasonal color analysis), it essentially is a tool for determining your best colors based on your own features (skin, hair, eyes, etc.). Each person generally falls into one of four larger categories (winter, spring, autumn, or summer), which are then further broken down into more specific palettes (i.e., deep winter, cool winter, bright winter, light summer, soft autumn, warm spring, etc.). With each of these seasons (and sub seasons) comes a specific array of colors that help a person “pop” (for lack of a better word!).

You can imagine that when it comes to photos, everyone wants to “pop!” We all want to look our best when we are having professional photos taken. And while I could recommend a few specific colors for people to dress in for their photos, I think there is a lot more value in steering people towards the concept of color analysis, and discovering what their best colors are that will make them pop!

I can’t claim to be a professional color analyst (or even a mediocre one at best!) so I’ve compiled some resources below for those who are interested in discovering what their best colors are! As well as a few simple tips to use if you don’t want to go through the whole color analysis process.

First, below is a link to a great comprehensive video for finding your “season” and your best colors!

If you’re looking for a quick way to determine your best colors, here’s what I would suggest:

Find a wide variety of different colors of clothing/fabrics (they don’t have to be yours - go through the closets of your family members, find blankets/scraps of fabric), and sit in front of a mirror (make sure you don’t have any makeup on and that your hair is down). Simply hold up those fabrics right beneath your face, covering your chest and collar bone area. Pay close attention to what colors enhance your features, and what colors wash you out. It may not be completely obvious to you at first, especially if you don’t have lots of different colors in different shades.

If you are struggling to find a wide variety of different colors of fabrics, you can also head to a store and simply hold different colors of fabric up in front of the mirror. Pay close attention to what colors lift your features, and what colors wash you out… then be sure to take note and buy clothing that corresponds!

Obviously, this isn’t a true test for determining your best “season” and true color analysis, but I do hope it is helpful in finding the best colors to suit YOU for your photo session! I’ve also included some photos below of some seniors who I think knocked it out of the park with their color choices!

(PS - there are also some pretty great filters on TikTok that will give you lots of color samples to help you find what suits you best!)