Tag Archive for: portraits

Duquesune University Chapel and Airport Marriott Wedding In Pittsburgh

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I did a sneak peek of this Pittsburgh wedding about a week ago and purposefully only included three black and white photographs of Colleen as she was getting ready and on her way to the church. It was a bit of a tease and I didn’t mean it to be that way, but wanted to build a little bit of anticipation and bide some time so that I could edit the complete wedding and choose some favorites. I’m happy to finally post a full re-cap of Colleen and Zack’s wedding photography. So here goes!

Pittsburgh bride getting ready

Colleen and her bridesmaids got ready at her parent’s home. In the living room, they had a large window that was just perfect for all of the girls to do the make-up.

Bridal portrait

We didn’t have to go far for some lovely portraits of Colleen. And she is breath-taking!

Pittsburgh wedding photographers

I adore this bouquet with blush roses, cream roses and peonies. It’s so elegant.

Pittsburgh wedding flowers

And here is Zack, the groom, looking dapper as ever.

Pittsburgh groom portrait

This is one of my favorite moments of the day. There is so much emotion as Colleen walks down the aisle.

bride and her father walking down the aisle

The Duquesne University Chapel is a gorgeous setting for a wedding ceremony and the staff are very friendly and helpful there.

Duquesne University Chapel photo

Another thing that I love about this Pittsburgh chapel is that as a wedding photographer, I am allowed to get some great angles of the couple during the ceremony.

exchange of the rings

After the ceremony, we headed to Grant Street for some fun shots of the bridal party.

bridal party on Grant Street in Pittsburgh

Then we headed to the West End Overlook for some portraits and this photo of Colleen and Zack walking away is one of my favorites. The light was just naturally perfect. I wouldn’t have changed a thing—it was surely a gift from God.

walking away from the West End Overlook in Pittsburgh

Colleen and Zack’s wedding colors were blue and orange and they really incorporated their colors into the reception with their cake and uplighting.

Pittsburgh wedding cake

And last, but not least, a photo from their first dance.

first dance with the bride and groom

Colleen and Zack are so sweet and in love. It’s so much fun to be around newlyweds and it was an honor to be a part of their wedding. Colleen and Zack, congratulations on your marriage and many blessings to you!

Backyard Wedding Photography in Pittsburgh

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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.

bride and groom on a dock

Heidi and Aaron are so sweet and in love. They had no trouble at all showing their affection in front of the camera.

Pittsburgh bride and groom

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.

bride and groom walking hand in hand

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.

bride and groom on a hill

Wedding Photography at Pittsburgh’s Edgeworth Country Club

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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.

Pittsburgh groom getting ready photography

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.

Pittsburgh bride getting ready

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.

Pittsburgh Bride and groom portrait

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.

bride and groom at Edgewood Country Club

The wind totally cooperated with us that day. It was blowing in just the right direction—nice!

bride and groom kissing photo

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!

wedding photo at Edgwood Country Club in Pittsburgh

Wedding Photography at Pittsburgh North Golf Club

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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.

Pittsburgh groom getting ready photo

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!

Pittsburgh wedding bouquet

The window light in the dining room was lovely, but paled in comparison to Alex in her wedding gown!

bride before wedding in Pittsburgh

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!

bride and groom portrait on golf course

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.

Pittsburgh Engagement Photography Session at Mellon Park

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I love photographing engaged couples and I love Mellon Park in Pittsburgh, so an engagement session at Mellon Park during the summer is something I thoroughly enjoy. On this particular morning, the fog hadn’t lifted until well after we started the session. At first, I wasn’t sure what to think about it, the fog made everything appear to be muted. But once I got to editing the photos, I found that fog can be great in setting a mood. Anyway, Rebecca and Patrick are a lovely couple to work with. Here are a few favorites from their shoot:

Engaged couple in Pittsburgh

I love the look of this one because you really can’t tell where they are—maybe somewhere in Europe?

Engagement session at Mellon Park in Pittsburgh
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