How I Edited This Senior Photo in Adobe Lightroom | Pittsburgh Senior Photographer

As a Pittsburgh senior photographer, I love sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my editing process.

Recently, I shared an Instagram post breaking down exactly how I edited this senior photo in Adobe Lightroom. From refining colors and exposure to enhancing skin tones and creating a polished final image, I walked through the adjustments that helped bring this portrait to life.

When I was learning photography, editing tutorials and Lightroom breakdowns were some of my favorite resources. Seeing how other photographers approached their edits helped me better understand color, consistency, and developing a personal style.

For this image, my goal was to create a clean, timeless edit while keeping the colors natural and true to life. Using Lightroom, I made subtle adjustments to enhance the overall look without taking away from the authenticity of the portrait.

I hope this editing breakdown gives fellow photographers a helpful look into my Lightroom workflow and photo editing process. Enjoy!

How I Edited This Engagement Photo in Adobe Lightroom | Pittsburgh Photographer

As a Pittsburgh engagement photographer, one of my favorite things to share is a behind-the-scenes look at my photo editing process.

Recently, I shared an Instagram post breaking down exactly how I edited this engagement photo from start to finish. I walked through the adjustments I made in Adobe Lightroom, explaining how I refined the colors, balanced the exposure, enhanced skin tones, and created the final polished image.

Why do I enjoy sharing this kind of content?

Because when I was learning photography and photo editing, I was always curious about what happened after a photo was taken. I wanted to understand how photographers transformed a RAW image into the final image their clients see. I was fascinated by editing workflows, color grading techniques, and the small adjustments that can make a photo feel more polished and cohesive.

Photo editing plays a huge role in creating a consistent photography style. While every photographer approaches editing differently, it's often the finishing touches that help bring an image to life and create the overall look and feel of a gallery.

For this engagement photo, I focused on creating a clean, timeless edit while maintaining natural skin tones and true-to-life colors. Throughout the editing process, I used Adobe Lightroom to make targeted adjustments to color, contrast, white balance, and overall tone, helping the final image feel bright, polished, and authentic.

I love sharing editing breakdowns because they provide insight into a part of photography that often happens behind the scenes. Whether you're a photographer looking to improve your Lightroom workflow, learn new editing techniques, or simply see how a professional image comes together, I hope these posts offer something valuable.

Photography doesn't end when the shutter clicks. The editing process is where many photographers refine their vision and create a consistent experience for their clients.

Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at how I edited one of my favorite engagement photos!

Moraine State Park Spring Engagement Photos

Sruthi and Moneish's engagement session at Moraine State Park was absolutely beautiful! We were lucky to have a perfect late-May evening for their photos, with gorgeous light and some of my favorite seasonal blooms in full display.

Moraine State Park is one of my favorite locations for engagement photos near Pittsburgh, especially in the spring. At the end of May, several trees throughout the park bloom with delicate white flowers, creating a romantic backdrop that adds so much natural beauty to photos!

For this session, we explored the South Shore area of Moraine State Park. As a Pittsburgh engagement photographer, I love photographing couples on the South Shore because of the way the evening light filters through the trees and reflects off the water. The scenery offers a perfect mix of lakeside views, wooded trails, and beautiful natural landscapes that photograph beautifully all throughout the year.

Sruthi and Moneish were such a joy to work with, and their love for each other made my job so easy! Congratulations on your engagement!

If you're looking for a Pittsburgh engagement photographer or planning engagement photos at Moraine State Park, I'd love to help! Click here to reach out directly.

Tim A: The Garage at Living Faith (Zelienople, PA) Senior Photos

Tim is a Seneca Valley High School graduate. He decided on The Garage at Living Faith as the location for his senior photos - a place he has worked at for 7 years!

The Garage at Living Faith is an awesome non-profit dedicated to providing affordable or free automobile repair services to individuals in need, located in Fombell, PA (close to Zelienople and Harmony). And it made for a photogenic (& meaningful) location for Tim's senior photos!

Tim’s mom, Robin, used to assist me with photo sessions, so it was only fitting that she was the one to hold the reflector (she’s now one of the owners of The Perfect Piece in Zelienople)! I’ve also photographed both of Tim’s older sisters for their senior photos (Leanne’s Historic Harmony senior photo session & Megan’s winter wonderland photo session), and have known their family for MANY years and love them so much!

Congrats on your graduation, Tim!

Butler County Courthouse Elopement Photos

A lovely intimate wedding at the Butler County Courthouse!

This was the most laid back wedding I have ever been to! Julie & Chris had a self-uniting ceremony right on the corner of the Butler County Courthouse, where they signed their marriage certificate & exchanged rings, surrounded by their friends and family!

After some photos in the courtyard of the courthouse, they filed their marriage certificate, and we met in Historic Harmony for some photos with family! Afterwards, they enjoyed a dinner at ShuBrew in Zelienople!

Her gorgeous bouquet was by Flowers by M.E. - and her blue shoes were from Amazon!

Congratulations on your marriage, Julie & Chris!

Hartwood Acres Mansion Anniversary Photos

One of my biggest joys (and honors) when it comes to being a photographer is when friends ask me to take photos of them to celebrate big milestones!

In celebration of their 10 year anniversary, Erica wanted professional photos of her and her husband together in her original wedding dress… Which I absolutely LOVE! Such a special way to celebrate!

10 years, two boys, one cross country move, and thousands of little moments later... here they are. Congratulations to these sweet friends!

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!

Hartwood Acres Mansion Maternity Photos

There’s something incredibly special about getting to photograph the same love story through different seasons of life. A few years ago, I had the honor of capturing this sweet couple’s proposal, and recently I met them again at Hartwood Acres Mansion for their maternity session as they celebrate the exciting arrival of their baby on the way.

Nestled just outside of Pittsburgh, Hartwood Acres Mansion is one of the most beautiful locations for photography in Western Pennsylvania. With its timeless architecture, stunning gardens, and elegant estate grounds, it creates the perfect backdrop for both Pittsburgh proposal photography and Pittsburgh maternity photos.

This session felt especially meaningful because it was a full-circle moment - from documenting the beginning of their engagement to now capturing this joyful new chapter as they prepare to become parents. Watching couples grow their families and being invited to preserve these milestones is one of the greatest joys of being a Pittsburgh lifestyle photographer.

Their maternity session was filled with so much excitement and anticipation for the little one they’ll soon meet.

If you’re looking for a beautiful location for maternity photos in Pittsburgh, Hartwood Acres Mansion has so much to offer in a classic setting that photographs beautifully in every season.

It’s such an honor to tell stories like theirs - from surprise proposals to maternity sessions and all the meaningful moments in between. Congratulations, you two!

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!!