Here’s another wedding I photographed from last season in July. I’m still flipping through past weddings, taking stock, and doing my homework for the current season. I have a lot of new ideas and things I want to try this season, but I also think it’s important to remember what has worked well. Here are just a few favorites from my best weddings file. Heidi and Aaron were married at Heidi’s family home. They had a lovely ceremony in the backyard and we ventured across the property to their lake for some portraits following the ceremony.
Heidi and Aaron are so sweet and in love. They had no trouble at all showing their affection in front of the camera.
I couldn’t get enough of this beautiful setting, but we didn’t stay long because the reception and their guests were waiting. I’m glad we had the time we did, but I would have gladly spent an hour or more there! That’s one of my requests for 2011 clients, to allow for a minimum of one hour for portraits of the bride and groom at some point in the day.
I think my excitement about this next shot was contagious. We were on our way back when I saw this tree on a hill and I was looking for just the right slope to get Aaron and Heidi (who are the same height) in position so that he could naturally kiss her forehead without her having to look down. It worked better than I thought it would because Aaron is in a position of strength and Heidi’s posture just lifted and her whole frame is elongated. They both look so sexy and confident; and from behind the camera, I am having trouble containing my excitement. Height is always a consideration when guiding a couple into a natural and flattering pose. Most of the time my approach to posing is more spontaneous, but this idea took a little more thought and the luck of finding a good location.
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2011-05-04 15:17:122013-11-18 16:10:39Backyard Wedding Photography in Pittsburgh
Rebecca and Patrick were married this past September in Heinz Chapel. When I came across their wedding, I was struck by what a good day this was. There are days that just seem to come together effortlessly and this was one of them. There was plenty of time for photography, amazing locations and a great of people to work with! What a breeze! There was only one thing that slowed me down: a gigantic group portrait on the grand staircase at the Renaissance. It’s a nice idea to have a photo of all your guests, just tough to execute when there are 200+ people. It takes time to get everyone lined up on the staircase and it’s difficult to make sure everyone can be seen. We did it though! Many thanks to Alex Jones who has a lot more experience with photographing groups of this size. I’m only showing some of my favorites from 2011 weddings, so I won’t be posting that group photo, but it was a big part of the day as a specific request from Rebecca and Patrick.
So we started at the Renaissance with Rebecca and her family. I asked Rebecca to stand by the window while her sister laced her dress. That’s one of the ways I generally interact with a bride when she’s getting ready to make the most of the available light.
Here, we went for an old Hollywood feel with Rebecca lounging on the bed. Alex helped me with some off-camera lighting. It only took a few minutes and I’m happy we had time to go for something a little different.
This is one of Alex’s images of Patrick right before the ceremony outside of Heinz Chapel. I love Patrick’s expression here. He is ready to make it official and kiss his bride.
This is another one by Alex. I just love seeing the rings in the groom’s or best man’s palm.
After the ceremony we did some on-location portraiture in Oakland and downtown Pittsburgh. It’s fun to photograph the bridal party as they walk from one location to the next. It’s a slice of life from their wedding day, no parking signs and all.
Here’s a late-night favorite of Rebecca and Patrick. When couples are willing to leave their reception for a few shots at sunset or after the sun goes down, I get really excited. It’s something I encourage everyone to do if they can fit it in. It’s so much fun!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2011-04-17 15:07:042013-11-18 15:54:29Wedding Photography at Heinz Chapel and the Pittsburgh Renaissance Hotel
Here’s another wedding from last season that I had the privilege of photographing. Andrea and Jonathan were married in August at the Edgwood Country Club in the Fireside Room and their reception followed in the club’s ballroom. I started with Jonathan and the guys in their hotel room. Jonathan had everything in order and was just about ready to go when I arrived. I was glad to get a few shots of him putting on his bow tie.
Meanwhile Andrea was getting ready in her room just down the hall. It had a much different feel with half a dozen of her closest friends and family buzzing around and attending to all the details. This is my favorite moment when she pulled the bird cage veil over her eyes. Her bridesmaids were helping her and this is where they get it just right.
I’m showing favorite images from weddings I did over the last year, so this isn’t a complete set from the beginning to the end of the day. This is one of my very favorites, but I didn’t really notice it until recently after I had gone back through the wedding. It’s funny the way you look at things can really change over time. Andrea and Jonathan just look so content and peaceful here. To me, that’s just what you should be on your wedding day.
After the ceremony, we didn’t have to travel far for portraits on the lovely golf course. Here’s where they get a little playful. I love to see a bride and groom flirt.
The wind totally cooperated with us that day. It was blowing in just the right direction—nice!
Ok, this lovely on-location session didn’t last that long because we could see a big rain cloud moving in. So they’re off to celebrate at the reception!
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2011-04-13 17:41:032013-11-18 16:13:17Wedding Photography at Pittsburgh’s Edgeworth Country Club
I’m getting ready for the Pittsburgh wedding season by reviewing some of the weddings I photographed last year. I first came across Alex and Jon’s wedding from October. They were married at Ingomar United Methodist Church and had a reception at Greystone Fields. I started with Jon and the guys while they were getting ready at the hotel where the bridal party stayed.
Then it was off to the bride’s home to photograph her before she left for the church. This is one of the bridesmaid’s bouquets—love the color-scheme!
The window light in the dining room was lovely, but paled in comparison to Alex in her wedding gown!
We stopped at the Pittsburgh North Golf Course on the way to their reception for some creative portraits. Alex and I worked together to find a good place for on-location photography that was within close proximity to their reception. I contacted the course manager in advance and he gave us permission to stop by for a few minutes to photograph the bridal party—sweet!
Alex and Jon are such a nice couple and their wedding was a real treat! They put a lot of thought into planning their day and incorporated a lot of nice details. Alex made the most of her fall wedding by playing off of the fall colors. She also had a cute love bird theme with customized favors and a cake with kissing birds. It had a whimsical feel and tasted great too! Here’s the full post so you can see more from their wedding.
https://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.png00kmillerhttps://www.captivatingimagery.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Web-Use.pngkmiller2011-04-11 16:40:392013-11-18 15:54:39Wedding Photography at Pittsburgh North Golf Club
When I meet with prospective wedding clients in Pittsburgh, I’m often asked about my style of photography. I know this is a question that brides are encouraged to ask when reading wedding websites or magazines. And while the intent of the question is good, it is often answered with a few words that don’t hold a lot of meaning for most brides and grooms. What they want to know is if the photographer is a comfortable fit for their style. I think this is an important conversation because often a couple might want to define their wedding photography by a familiar phrase without considering the visual end result.
I’ve recently decided to turn the tables when it comes to this topic during consultations. I ask brides and grooms if they could have any type of wedding photography, what would it look like? This question can be daunting because it requires a bride and groom to describe the images they’re naturally envisioning when they think of their wedding. Sometimes preconceived notions will influence their response. For example, I often hear couples say they prefer a photojournalistic style because they don’t feel comfortable with posing. That can be very accurate in some cases, but I don’t think a pure photojournalistic style is a good fit for all couples. And I’m not knocking wedding photojournalism—many of my colleagues are excellent wedding photojournalists and I have a lot of respect for their talent. But I think the fact that wedding photojournalism has been such a mainstay in wedding photography over the last few decades, it has clouded the way brides and grooms describe what they want their wedding photography to look like.
One small caveat before I move on: I operate in a semi-photojournalistic mode throughout the majority of the day because I prefer not to interrupt the flow of the day and find wedding photojournalism to be the perfect response to the need for telling the story of the day. But my strength in photographing weddings is composing flattering shots and working with lighting. That means I need to interact with the bride and groom in order to do what I do best and that’s a major break away from pure photojournalism. So to make sure there is room for me to work with brides and grooms on their day, I ask that couples set aside a minimum of one hour in their day. During that time, we create lots of images that often show up in clients’ wedding albums and on their walls. When you’re paying to have a photographer document your day, it’s important to make sure there is enough time for photography in your wedding schedule.
Getting in front of the camera can be intimidating, but how much more intimidating is it when you don’t know what to do? I recently attended a workshop with Jerry Ghionis where he covered posing and evoking emotion. I have to say I’m a big, big fan of Jerry’s. I love how he interacts with his clients, making them feel comfortable and keeping things light and fun. On top of that, his portraits at weddings are mesmerizing. Anyway, Jerry mentioned that when he meets with brides and grooms, they often clam up at the thought of posing. He noticed a disconnect when they would get excited about his images, but not realize what goes into creating them. With help from his second shooter, Jerry might introduce some creative lighting, then guide couples into a natural pose. He’s completely respectful with brides and grooms the fact that it is their wedding day, yet his approach allows him to create images that convey their love in a way that makes them really shine. I learned a lot during the workshop and look forward to implementing some of what I’ve learned in the upcoming wedding season.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer, here’s my best advice: 1. Do you like the images you see in the photographer’s portfolio? 2. Talk with the photographer about his/her approach for documenting the day. If the photographer’s approach makes you feel comfortable and you like his/her portfolio, then the choice is easy! My purpose is not to say that one style is better than another, but just to help brides and grooms who are planning their wedding to know how to find their best match for wedding photography.
Over the next month, I’ll be looking back at weddings from the past season to get a good sense of where I’ve come from and where I’m headed as a wedding photographer. I’ll be taking notes and sharing some favorites along the way. My wedding season starts at the end of this month, so this is where I dig in and get ready to make the most of it!
