pREMIER PITTSBURGH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
PREMIER PITTSBURGH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
When you look at a portrait of yourself, you should feel something. You should remember how it felt to be there. What were the sights and sounds of that location? Were you celebrating an accomplishment or big moment in your life? Did your photo session make you feel like you were unstoppable? Which of your loved ones cherished seeing the photo just as much as you did?
MKB Photography strives to embody these feelings and emotions in every photo. They’re what make you treasure your portrait session for the rest of your life. I want to embody YOU in your portraits – your personality, your achievements, and your joy. Your MKB Photography portraits will be ones that help you to remember this important time in your life.
THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY PROCESS
INQUIRE
After you send me your details using the button below, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible with the information you need to book your portrait session!
BOOK
We’ll collaborate to decide on the best location, date, package, and other details for your portrait session. Then, you’ll be able to solidify your booking with me!
PREPARE
Before your portrait session, it’s important that you feel prepared with your outfits, hair, makeup, and other necessities. I’m here to help you with that process and offer advice on what will make for the most stunning portraits!
shoot
Don’t worry if you’ve never had a portrait session before or are shy in front of the camera. I’ll direct you to the perfect backgrounds and poses during your portrait session so that you can just enjoy yourself!
VIEW
Once I’ve completed editing your final photos, you’ll receive a link to your personal online gallery to download your photos. Then, the real fun starts – you get to share your beautiful portraits with family and friends!
PORTRAIT locationS IN PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh provides us with amazing scenery for portrait sessions. Whether you envision a serene, natural backdrop or an active, urban one, there are so many locations in and around Pittsburgh that will exceed your expectations. As a Pittsburgh portrait photographer, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing many of these, and have compiled some of my favorite and most popular Pittsburgh-area portrait photography locations! And if you don’t see one you love here, we can always find something brand new.
Nature
Urban
Other
The sky’s the limit! I specialize in senior portraits, headshots, dance portraits, and pet portraits. If you’re looking for a different type of portrait, contact me and we’ll see what we can come up with!
As a Pittsburgh portrait photographer, I encounter different clients with all different needs for their portrait sessions. Because of this, there is no one-size-fits-all package for every client and every type of portrait session. However, I’ve compiled a few of my most popular packages for each type of portrait session (senior portraits, headshots, dance portraits, and pet portraits), which can be viewed on their individual pages!
The best way to book your portrait session with MKB Photography is to submit your information and ideas using my quote request form. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible with details on how we can get your booking set up!
*Note: Social media DMs and direct emails are likely to get lost in space, so please submit all booking requests via the quote request form!
The location you choose for your Pittsburgh portrait session should be one you love. If you’re feeling stumped while thinking about where you want to go for your portraits, simply scroll up and you’ll find a list of my favorite Pittsburgh-area portrait locations! If you still don’t see one you love, let me know, and I’ll help you find one!
When you choose which season to have your portrait session, you should pick the one that:
- Makes you feel comfortable and safe
- Is the go-to in your favorite example portraits
- Has the colors you love most
If you have any questions about which season is best for your portrait session, simply let me know and we’ll figure it out together!
The best time of day for your Pittsburgh portrait session is typically during golden hour. Golden hour is either the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset each day. This is when the lighting will be best, and you won’t have any direct, blinding sun in your eyes. Keep in mind that exact sunrise and sunset times will vary based on the day and season.
Before your session, if I determine that any inclement weather will present too much of a challenge, you will be allowed one free reschedule!
The goal of your portrait session is for you to look and feel your absolute best, and your outfits are a big part of that. So, wear what makes you feel your best and represents you well.
There are several good tips I recommend following to make your portraits turn out as amazing as possible:
- Simple is better. Avoid having too many different elements to your outfit that will cause you to fidget or need continual adjustments.
- Solid colors photograph better, so try to stay away from patterns.
- Dress according to the weather and location of your shoot. If you’re going out in nature for your session, maybe leave the high heels at home!
- If you wear glasses, especially ones with transition lenses, take the lenses out. Of course, if you won’t be able to see without your lenses, don’t remove them – we’ll make do! When in doubt, opt for contacts during your session, if possible.
- Dress comfortably. This doesn’t mean you should wear sweatpants, but the last thing we want is for you to be uncomfortable or in pain during your session, because that will come across in your final photos. Keep in mind how long your session is and choose outfits that you’ll be able to wear for that amount of time. If you’re going to wear anything new, especially shoes, make sure to break them in before your session.
- Put away the ripped jeans and clothing. Ripped clothing can make certain poses look awkward or weird, so it’s best to steer clear of them.
- I think we all tend to hate the way our arms look. Even if you don’t (in which case, teach me your ways!), clothing with sleeves almost always help to make arms look better in photographs. Therefore, choose short- or long-sleeved clothing whenever possible!
- Similarly, clothing that extends past your knees and elbows complements many poses well and adds elegance to your photos.
- Pay close attention to your undergarments. Don’t wear undergarments that will be visible under your outfits. Plus, be sure you have the correct undergarments for EACH of the outfits you’ll be wearing!
- Layers photograph well and add an extra layer of protection against any surprise weather changes during your session!
- Minimize your jewelry. Don’t wear jewelry that’s super flashy; jewelry that you do wear should be the finishing touch to your outfit rather than a prominent eye-catcher.
- Empty your pockets during your session! Items in your pockets will stick out and draw your eye away from the main focus (you) in your photos.
- Bring a backup outfit and shoes in case you get a stain or rip on anything you’re wearing.
If your booked session package includes more than one outfit, then you can definitely wear that many outfits during your session! Keep in mind that multiple outfits will require outfit changes, so gauge your comfort level and convenience with changing at the location you’ve chosen.
A public restroom is almost always the best place for you to change your outfits during your session, whether it’s at the location of your session or a nearby coffee shop or store. However, many locations don’t offer access to a public restroom (think outdoor locations). In this case, your car might be the best location to change – just plan to have visors or sheets to cover your windows for privacy! And remember, if you do plan to use a public restroom to change in, keep in mind that many shops require you to purchase something in order to use their restrooms.
In short, both! While we’ll focus on posed portraits throughout your session, I always take candids as well. The moments in between your poses – when you’re preparing, adjusting, or just playing around – make for some of your most authentic, memorable portraits!
Every photo that I deliver to you will be lightly retouched, including removing large blemishes, if needed. My goal is always to enhance your natural beauty, not to create unnatural or nonexistent features.
The amount of photos included in your final gallery depends on the portrait package that you book. You can find the packages and their details on the individual pages for the type of portrait you’re looking for – senior portraits, headshots, dance portraits, or pet portraits!
Being prepared for your portrait session is one of the most important ways you can ensure your portraits turn out exactly as you were picturing. Before your session, you should:
- Have your outfit(s), accessories, hair styles, and makeup picked out and set aside.
- Have your nails properly manicured.
- Get your hair cut and styled according to your normal look.
- Book your hair and makeup stylists for the day of the session, if you choose to have your hair and makeup done professionally.
- Be clean shaven.
- Be aware of the weather forecast for the location of your shoot and make sure you have adequate clothing and supplies to be there for the length of your session.
- If you wear glasses and are able to, remove your glasses lenses so they don’t cause glare or reflections in your photos.
- Clean and press the clothing you’ll be wearing in your photos.
- Make sure your friend or family member that’s coming along to your session, if you want, is also fully prepared for the date, time, and weather.
If you have questions about anything you should be preparing before your session, don’t hesitate to ask!
If you’re shy in front of the camera, don’t worry, you’re not alone! The goal of our portrait session is to relax and have fun, and capture your natural personality while we’re doing so. I’ll take your mind off of the fact that you’re being photographed, and then we’ll be able to achieve that goal together!
If there’s a specific reason that you don’t like having your photo taken, such as not liking the way a certain body part looks, simply let me know in advance and I’ll adjust the poses, camera angles, and lighting we use to capture you in ways that highlight your favorite features instead!
When you book your portrait session, you will sign a contract that applies to the particular type of session and package that you’re booking.
made me feel comfortable
Morgan took my professional headshots that I use to this day! She gave great direction and made sure that I had plenty of options in the short amount of time we had. Also, she’s super personable and made me feel comfortable in front of the camera. She was very timely with editing and sending the photos as well! Highly recommend!!
– Anel M.
I CAN'T WAIT TO TALK TO YOU!
