The Making of a Photo: High School Senior Photography Education

One of the things I’m most passionate about as a Pittsburgh photographer is not just creating beautiful images, but helping others grow in their photography journey too.

Recently, I shared an Instagram post walking through exactly how I got the shot — breaking down the camera I used, lens choice, camera settings, the time of day the photo was taken, and the thought process behind the composition, including elements like framing, leading lines, and working with sunset light.

Why create this kind of content?

Because when I was first starting out in photography back in 2011, right after graduating high school, this is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes photography education I was searching for. I wanted to know more than just what made a photo “look good.” I wanted to understand the technical decisions behind it: why a photographer chose a certain lens, how they approached natural light photography, how they thought through composition, and what settings helped bring their creative vision to life.

At the time, finding detailed educational content for beginner photographers wasn’t nearly as accessible as it is now. So much of learning photography came through trial and error.

That’s a big part of why I love sharing posts like this now.

If breaking down my process - from camera settings for sunset photography to explaining composition techniques like leading lines and natural framing - helps even one photographer learn something new or feel more confident behind the camera, then it’s worth sharing.

Photography can feel overwhelming when you’re starting out. There are so many moving pieces: understanding your camera, learning light, mastering composition, and developing your own creative eye.

If my behind-the-scenes photography content can help make that learning curve a little easier for someone else, I’m grateful to be able to give back in that way.

Whether you’re a beginner photographer learning manual mode or someone simply curious about the creative process behind an image, I hope these “how I got the shot” posts offer practical insight and encouragement for your own photography journey.

Enjoy!

Tyler R: Downtown Pittsburgh Senior Photos

It was an all-Pittsburgh kind of senior session for Tyler!

From the moment we started planning his senior session, it was clear that Tyler wanted a Pittsburgh-themed senior photo session. We talked about Point State Park (specifically the fountain), the bridges, and the North Shore Riverwalk. As I do with all of my clients who ask for photos downtown, I recommended choosing an evening when there weren’t any sporting events. This year in particular, the NFL Draft was taking plate at the end of April IN Pittsburgh, so I recommended we steer clear of that, too.

We chose a date that was the week after the draft, when things were supposed to be calmed down, and a night when there was note a home sporting event scheduled. But wouldn’t you know it, the evening of Tyler’s session came, and we ran into a few roadblocks pertaining to both of these very events we had tried to avoid!

Upon our arrival, Point State Park was unexpectedly completely fenced off. We could see peering through the fence that the fountain was on and that people were walking around, though. So after talking to one of the security guards, he said we could make the 2 mile walk around the fence to the fountain, and that we would be able to take photos there. We were all so thankful that we could still make our way there, even if we had to walk a bit further than we thought… so, we started the trek.

Wouldn’t you know it, by the time we arrived at the fountain, it had been shut off. We couldn’t believe it! We tried to find someone to ask, but to no avail. So, we decided to make the best of it and get some photos on the fountain steps, with the river in the background, and using the “stillness” of the water as a reflection. And honestly.. those photos of Tyler’s reflection (you’ll see them below) are some of my favorites from his entire gallery. It may be a different look than the usual fountain photos, but still pretty epic!

After finishing up at Point State Park, we began walking towards the Roberto Clemente Bridge and realized that there were lots of people in Pirates gear walking towards PNC Park, which was starting to fill up. To our surprise, we found out that the home game that was supposed to take place the previous night had been rescheduled to this night due to inclement weather the day before. It was hard to believe that the two events we had carefully planned around and tried to avoid had somehow still crept into Tyler’s session!

With all of that being said - all of the hiccups we experienced, the unexpected surprises, the long stretches of walking - we had such a fun time with Tyler and his family. I am so grateful that they were willing to roll with the punches, because it was truly a beautiful night for photos, even if the city was a bit busier than usual. And thankfully, we were able to avoid too many people in the background, even with so much going on!

I love how this Pittsburgh senior session turned out. If you’re interested in having senior photos taken in Pittsburgh, feel free to send me a message via my “Contact” tab in the navigation above. I would love to work with you!

Sophia: Spring Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

As a senior photographer in Pittsburgh, I’ve learned over the last 12 years or so that there are true “seasons” for photography in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Summer and fall are by far the most popular seasons… but Spring is actually one of my favorite times of the year for senior photos! 🌸 And this year, Sophia was my first senior to photograph for the 2026 season!

I’ve had the honor of photographing Sophia’s sisters for their senior photos in past years (click here to see, and here to see!), so it was a joy when Sophia’s mom reached out to me to photograph the final graduating high school senior in their family!

We had a beautiful, sunny day for Sophia’s photos.. and even though it was a bit chilly, Sophia was a champ though the cold temperatures, and I don’t think you can even tell from her photos how cold it really was!

I want to talk about Sophia’s outfits, because they were such a great combination! She started out in a denim mini dress with red heels (love for the pop of color!), and her mom brought a bouquet of flowers that complimented those heels… the perfect touch! Sophia then changed into a long light blue maxi dress with flower detail, which was the perfect choice for photos around the Hartwood Mansion. For her final outfit, she changed into a more structured black vest with jeans - and we walked down to the Hartwood Stables for this last outfit. I love how her outfit complimented the stable backgrounds so perfectly!

Sophia, it was a joy to take your senior photos.. thank you so much for the honor! And a huge congrats to you on your senior year!!

Lexi: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Pictures

Meet Lexi!

We had a beautiful day at Hartwood Acres Mansion for Lexi's senior session! She is an Upper St. Claire senior who plays basketball and loves a good salty snack.

She also brought three gorgeous outfits with her, all of which went so well with the mansion backdrop!

Congratulations on your senior year, Lexi!

North Allegheny High School Senior Pictures

You're in for a treat today!

Meet Aaron - he's a senior at North Allegheny! He loves his dog (Nugget - who made an appearance for his session!) and laughing... and we did a lot of laughing during our session! Aaron is one of the most joyful people I've had the pleasure of photographing.

I've had the pleasure of photographing Aaron's brothers in years past.. it is always such a compliment when families stick with me throughout the years for photos!

The first part of Aaron's session took place at his family's home/property, and the second part took place at the Woodlands. You'll even see some behind-the-scenes photos at the end of this post that Aaron's mom (Jill) took during our time together!

I'm so grateful to have been able to work with this incredible family for so many years. So grateful for you all!

Moraine State Park Senior Photos

Meet Cassidy!

Cassidy is a Chartier's Valley senior who - as a non-morning person - recently braved a sunrise session at Moraine State Park like a champ! Morning sessions always have some of the prettiest light, and the Moraine shoreline did not disappoint!

Cassidy is involved in marching band, musical theater (stage crew!), and is a junior firefighter. She plans to study physical therapy post high school, and was inspired by her own experience from a physical therapist who made the process fun for her.

Congrats on your senior year, Cassidy, and thanks for letting me take these photos for you!

Lexi F: Hartwood Acres Mansion Senior Photos

Meet Lexi!

Lexi is a Chartier's Valley senior who loves a good sweet treat - specifically, anything chocolate (same ). We had the prettiest evening for her senior photos - the weather was perfect, and the light was *chef's kiss*.

I'll let you in on a little secret... this is my favorite time of year for photos! September into October always has some of my favorite golden hour light, and I'm always so thankful when the clouds part and we're able to capture it in a senior session!

Congratulations on your senior year, Lexi!

Jayden W: Pittsburgh Color Park Senior Photos

Jayden is a senior in Pittsburgh who plays the bass and is an incredible artist! It only made sense that the Color Park be the backdrop for his senior session. I've always wanted to have a session here! When Jayden told me he would be bringing his bass and wanted some night shots, I knew it was going to be a great shoot.

Congrats on your senior year, Jayden!

Ben D: Historic Harmony Senior Photo

Meet Ben!

Ben is a senior at Mars High School who plays basketball - his session in Historic Harmony was a great one! Great light, great location with lots of backdrops to work with - and lots of fun! I photographed his sister a few years ago in Harmony for her senior portraits, and it was so fun to be back working with such a great family!

Congrats on your senior year, Ben!

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!