Tag Archive for: North Shore

Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Session

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How sweet is it that I was contacted by Joe a few months ago about scheduling this engagement session? He was planning his marriage proposal to Kelly for the Steelers game on Christmas was really pulling out all of the stops for their get-away to Pittsburgh.

engagement portrait Pittsburgh

We met at the Fairmont, where they stayed. The lobby is a stunning setting, with lots of natural light and open spaces. And these two made it feel warm and cozy as they cuddled up to one another.

kissing fiances

Joe wanted to stop at Heinz Field to capture the place where he proposed.

walking by Heinz Field

And we also looped around the North Shore right before the sun started to set.

portrait along the North Shore

Look at this ring—good job, Joe!

close-up of the ring

And we finished our session in the exact spot where he proposed, just outside the stadium.

this is the same spot he proposed in

Congrats, Joe and Kelly, on your engagement! Many blessings to you!

Pittsburgh Engagement Session: North Shore and West Park

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We met up with Valerie and Tom for their engagement session on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, early on a bright Saturday morning a few weeks ago. Alex joined me for this session as some extra added support as I was just getting over some food poisoning. It’s always nice to have such great support in moments when you don’t know if you’re going to toss your cookies! Thankfully, we made it through the session with no incidents and were feeling warm and bright—because it’s hard not to feel that way when you’re hanging out with Valerie and Tom. They are incredibly cute together and so much fun to photograph!

engaged couple

I love photographing couples on the North Shore. That will never get old for me. There’s just something about being down by the river and the view of the city that’s magic no matter what time of the day.

dancing by the river

The sun was unmercifully bright, so it made for a lovely opportunity for back-lit portraits. Plus, Valerie and Tom wouldn’t have to squint with the sun in their eyes.

on Pittsburgh's North Shore

Then we headed over to West Park on Pittsburgh’s North Side to photograph them in a more casual setting. I love this shot by Alex.

engaged couple at West Park in Pittsburgh

The trees were in bloom and the water sparkled, so while it was a little chilly, there’s no telling in these photos. But I guess that had more to do with the warmth between Valerie and Tom than the park’s surroundings.

soon-to-be husband and wife

Tom’s more flirty and Valerie’s more shy. I love that combination.

flirty couple

Tom is from Texas, so they both had these awesome boots that you’d never be able to find in Pittsburgh.

cowboy and cowgirl boots

I think their wedding is going to be lots of fun!

by the lake at West Park in Pittsburgh

Valerie and Tom, thanks for a great session and we’re looking forward to photographing your big day in June!

Lauren and Dan’s Pittsburgh Engagement Session

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Lauren and Dan are getting married next Fall and have been planning their wedding from out of town, so when she emailed me about their trip to Pittsburgh for the last weekend of October, we made sure there was time for their engagement session while they were in town, even if it happened to be on a Sunday afternoon right before a Steelers game. Little did we know what chaos we would face with the pre-game festivities and detours on the North Shore, it definitely made things interesting, but we can all laugh about it now.

We started at Riverview Park for some portraits amidst the fall foliage.

engaged couple walking hand-in-hand

It was so quiet and peaceful there. Lauren loved the fall leaves and Dan was happy to hold her close and keep her warm.

sweethearts

soon-to-be Mr. & Mrs.

kissing fiances

They had no trouble kissing in public. And that’s ok when you’re being followed by a camera! At least, that’s how I see it!

low angle portrait of couple

I really like this low angle. It doesn’t always work, but these are some of my favorite photos from the session!

kissing under a tree

And fast-forward through a 45-minute drive to the North Shore. The detours and traffic were particularly bad that day because of the game. What Lauren and Dan didn’t know is that their engagement session that day came with a tour of Pittsburgh’s North Side! Ha!

bride- and groom-to-be along the North Shore

couple in front of Pittsburgh skyline

There were flocks of Steelers fans on all sides, but they were kind and gave us some space as we made our way along the North Shore, stopping here and there for some photos.

couple in front of PNC Park

This is one good-looking couple.

close-up

engagement session along the North Shore

And just one more kiss!

kissing by the Roberto Clemente Bridge

So, Lauren and Dan were off to the big game—lucky ducks! Her friend bought them tickets as an engagement gift. I went home and watched it with some friends dressed in our Halloween costumes. All in all, what a great day! Go Steelers!

Janelle and Andre’s Pittsburgh Engagement Session

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Every now and then, I hear from a bride and groom who are planning an out-of-town wedding, but have come to love Pittsburgh and want to be photographed here for their engagement. It’s always fun to hang out with people from other places and especially so when we’re on the same page about Pittsburgh, because I love this city! Anyway, I met up with Janelle and Andre at Mellon Park, one of my favorite parks in the city, and wrapped up our session on the North Shore as the sun was setting (another favorite!) It was so much fun spending the evening with them and learning about how they met.

engaged couple portrait

They started with a more casual look at the park. Gotta point out Janelle’s heels – love them!

sweethearts engagement session

This next one is a favorite with the way the sunlight is just wrapping around them. They’re so happy and in love, that it’s fitting that they’re glowing.

couple walking hand in hand photo

Snuggling on a park bench will never grow old for me.

fiances photography

There’s also something really fun about bringing along a picnic blanket. Great idea, Janelle!

soon-to-be bride and groom photo

Timing was the tricky thing about this session. And I would be fibbing if I took credit for that. Because it’s tricky when you’re coming up on twilight and there is an outfit change, traffic and parking to consider. But I was thrilled that we got to the North Shore just in time for some shots of Janelle and Andre dressed to the nines. And they had fun with it dancing along the river!

dancing along Pittsburgh's North Shore

We walked along the shore a bit as the sun was quickly setting and then they danced a little more. And I have to say, they are experts at dipping!

engagement photo on the North Shore

Then to finish off the night, we headed to Rivers Casino to see what we could find. And the large, lit tower made for a perfect silhouette.

silhouette by Rivers Casino

Janelle and Andre, thanks so much for a fantastic engagement session. It was so much fun getting to know you and I wish you the very best on your wedding day. Many blessings to you and your marriage!

Pittsburgh North Shore Engagement Photography Session

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The North Shore of Pittsburgh is one of my favorite places to photograph people – especially engaged couples. It’s fun to walk along the river’s edge and get to know the couples I’m photographing. This session is from a while back—sometime in the late spring and the couple, Jasmine and Ryan were married this past July at the Pittsburgh Aviary. It was fun working with them and their outdoor wedding was a blast. Their wedding colors were white, black and red and Jasmine incorporated the color theme into their engagement session as well.

Engaged to be married in Pittsburgh

Jasmine and a friend of hers recently started their own wedding planning business. It’s called Something Blue. Their web site isn’t up yet, but I have a feeling it’s going to be great. To start, I just love the name of their business. If you’re looking for a wedding planner, you can email her at somethingbluepgh@yahoo.com. I hope we’ll have an opportunity to work together again!

Engagement session in Pittsburgh

Jasmine and Ryan were fun-loving and you’d be hard-pressed to find them when they’re not smiling.

Pittsburgh couple photography

We went to the fountain by Hyde Park steak house and there were so many kids playing there. And of course, they were all very curious about what was going on with the adults in the fountain.

From here, we could smell the food from the Bettis Grille and it was so tempting!

engaged couple in Pittsburgh photo

And back to Hyde Park, couldn’t get away from delicious smells of steak wafting through the air. I remember it well because it smelled so good! I definitely want to check it out sometime.

Pittsburgh engagement photographers on the North Shore

Anyway, this was a fabulous session with two beautiful people in the city I’m proud to call home.