Lauren & Matt | A Kennywood Engagement Session | Pittsburgh Photographer

Written By Kathryn Hyslop

Lauren and Matt wanted to do something very Pittsburgh-ish for their engagement shoot.  We tossed around ideas like the Strip District or the North Shore, but nothing clicked.  I have been dying to shoot at Kennywood, so I suggested it.  Lauren jumped at the chance (without even asking Matt first...ooops!).  

Kennywood was kind enough to let us shoot in the evening on their last day of the summer season.  The weatherman called for rain, but in true Pittsburgh fashion, they were wrong!  We ended up with a cloudy, but rain-free evening at the park.  On the last day of the season, Kennywood puts on a firework display - so we lucked out with some firework pictures too!  Check them out!

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Fall Oakland Engagement Session | Sarah & Colin
Fall Oakland Engagement Session | Sarah & Colin

Fall Oakland Engagement Session | Sarah & Colin

Sarah told me that they wanted to just have fun for their engagements, so we frolicked through the tall grasses in Schenley Park. The best photos always happen when you’re willing to act silly and just go with the flow. We ended their session at Mellon Park, which is timeless for a Pittsburgh engagement.

Rainy Day Engagement Session | Marissa & Billy
Rainy Day Engagement Session | Marissa & Billy

There was a zero percent chance of rain on the day of Marissa & Billy’s session, but that didn’t stop the rain from happening anyway. It absolutely poured the second half of their shoot. Luckily, these two were down to adventure and they went out and danced in the rain. We got completely soaked, and decided to finish their session a few days later. Well worth it!

Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Alicia & Joe
Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Alicia & Joe

These two wanted a date-night style engagement session, and our first choice of location happened to be closed. We were able to make a quick change and head to Revel & Roost in Market Square to capture happy hour images, and I LOVE how they came out! Then we finished out their session with rooftop night-shots.

North Shore & Mt. Washington Engagement | Lily & Kevin
North Shore & Mt. Washington Engagement | Lily & Kevin

When your clients are ballroom dancers, you get extra epic photos with many, many lifts. Also, can I just say that I love this combination of locations? Allegheny Commons Park always gets the best light, and then we ended with classic Pittsburgh spots to grab that beautiful skyline. Sometimes it is great to be a photographer in PIttsburgh!

Washington's Landing Engagement Session | Lorena & Sam
Washington's Landing Engagement Session | Lorena & Sam

Lorena and Sam brought their cute puppy to their engagement session. I always love when pets come to the session. We started things out at Mellon Park - a photographer favorite for a reason. For some classic Pittsburgh, we ended the night at Washington’s Landing. I love this view of the city.

Charleston Engagement Session | Polina & Cameron
Charleston Engagement Session | Polina & Cameron

I LOVE traveling. It is a core part of my identity. So when Polina asked if I’d come down to Charleston for their engagements, of course I said yes! It ended up being my daughter’s first flight at 3 months old as well, so we really had an adventure. I can’t wait to celebrate with these two on their wedding day.

The Highline & Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Marco & Becca
The Highline & Downtown Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Marco & Becca

I am obsessed with Becca & Marco’s engagement session. They started out at the new and colorful Highline area in south side. I love the bold colorful walls and murals in the area. Plus there is a great view of the skyline.

Washington’s Landing Engagement Session | Lauren & Tim
Washington’s Landing Engagement Session | Lauren & Tim

You all know that I love a classic Pittsburgh engagement session. There is just no better city for skyline views and that great mix of nature. We started Tim & Lauren’s session on Washington’s Landing to get that perfect mix. The skyline view from the end of the island is one of my favorites in the city. Then we headed down to the North Shore to wrap things up with yellow bridges and riverfront views.

Rainy Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Sam and Curt
Rainy Pittsburgh Engagement Session | Sam and Curt

These two flew in from out of state for this engagement session, so there was no rescheduling even with the threat of thunderstorms. By the end of the shoot, there actually ended up being a tornado warning! We dealt with some crazy downpours, but had enough breaks to get some great images. To start things off, we switched locations to the Columns in Oakland to have a spot with some cover. It ended up being a great option with Sam’s gorgeous dress! Sometimes it is fun to dance in the rain.

Fun Bloomfield Engagement Session | Cass and Tyler
Fun Bloomfield Engagement Session | Cass and Tyler

These two were all laughs throughout the entire engagement session. I knew it was a start of a fun day. We went to the Bloomfield/Garfield area of Pittsburgh to grab some shots at their favorite date night location, and grab whatever murals we could along the way. We wrapped up in Oakland at a bar they were often at while in college. Doesn’t get more authentic than this!

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Kathryn Hyslop
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