I love being a Pittsburgh Photographer for these three reasons: our weather, our architecture and parks, and our varying landscapes. I was born and raised here and as tempting as it sounds to move to a warmer climate, I would terribly miss the beauty and variety that Pittsburgh has to offer. And I’m thankful it’s a smaller city and that I feel very comfortable driving all over it. So if I were to add a fourth reason, that’d be it! But for now, let’s focus on my main three reasons before I get carried away with adding more!
The Weather
Yeah, I like the weather, you read that right. We average 300 cloudy days out of 360, but if you think about it, that is soft flattering light that allows us photographers a lot of flexibility. Beyond that, we have four seasons, each of them beautiful in their own way and offering unique backdrops for portraits.
In the winter, I love photographing family, maternity and senior portraits in the snow. In the spring, we have beautiful flowering trees and lovely formal gardens like Mellon Park and Hartwood Acres that are fitting for any type of photography. In the summer, when it cools down closer to sunset, I enjoy senior portraits in the city and maternity or family portraits at Lakeview Beach during sunset. In the fall, we have endless opportunities with the changing fall foliage. And it seems that Pittsburghers find the milder temperatures and fall colors to be the favorite season.
Our Beautiful Buildings and Parks
For a small city, we have a lot of beautiful buildings in our downtown area and neighboring university campuses. Just the other day, I was in Oakland photographing a senior portrait and we walked through the courtyard between Forbes Avenue and the Cathedral of Learning and it was like we were walking through Europe with light bouncing off of beautiful stone buildings and terraces. It was also buzzing with photographers and new college graduates commemorating their hard work and achievements.
And with all of our beautiful buildings, our city and the surrounding counties also maintain beautiful gardens and parks. These parks attract so many photographers that I like to go in the mornings or on weekday nights when it’s less crowded. Mellon Park, Highland Park, and Hartwood Acres are just a few of the most popular gardens in Pittsburgh.
Varying Terrain In Close Proximity
Within a 30 minute drive, you can go from country roads and rolling hills, to downtown Pittsburgh. And again the size of our city is a factor, as we don’t have much traffic and you can go from urban scenery to wide-open countryside in just 30-minutes. I love getting up to McConnell’s Mill State Park year-round and Moraine State Park with it’s Lakeview Beach is a special treat for the summer months. Or, even a two-hour and thirty minute drive to Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pa. is a great option for beach photos. I photographed my own family there last year and the sunset was spectacular!
It’s Better Being a Pittsburgh Photographer
If you think about other parts of the country, there’s much less variety, and here in Pittsburgh, we have so much variety nearby. Variety in scenery and seasons and it’s all easily accessible. I really feel spoiled and don’t know how I’d make it without feeling limited anywhere else. If your family has an upcoming milestone or just needs an updated portrait, just know that you’re in the right place, no matter the genre of photography. Please check out my portfolio for some inspiration and if you don’t see what you’re looking for, let me know and I bet we can find it! You might also like to check out my Benable list for favorite Pittsburgh locations!
