Born, raised and proudly live in the great Steel City of Champions. Pittsburgh cityscape/wedding photographer. Pens fan. Marathon runner. Husband and dad.
This image of Andrew McCutchen is one that I never thought in a million years I'd get the opportunity to take, and I am so thankful that I was able to this year. The saddest entry of my top 10 image of 2017 for sure. We'll miss you, Cutch. Thanks for everything.
This lightning strike in
#Pittsburgh
was one of the closest I've ever captured, and certainly one of the clearest and most dramatic. This isn't a composite; all these bolts happened within a fraction of a second, creating a terrifyingly beautiful scene. A new all time favorite.
What an amazing rainbow over
#Pittsburgh
this evening. Took a 16 image panorama to capture it in its entirety from the West End Bridge, and I gotta say, it was one of the brightest rainbows I've ever seen. The way it towered over the city & clouds makes this an all time favorite.
As I was heading to the ice rink at PPG Place in
#Pittsburgh
to capture the tree there, this scene literally stopped my in my tracks. Took a bit of waiting for the after-work foot traffic to clear out and give me a clear view, but it was certainly worth it.
What a show
#TaylorSwift
put on in
#Pittsburgh
last night. It was incredible to be able to hear the entire concert from Mt. Washington, and the visuals, from spotlights to fireworks to literal fire, were just amazing. So much fun to capture.
Two years ago today, I witnessed one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. At 4:20 in the morning, I captured this image of a lightning bolt splitting as it hit the rivers of
#Pittsburgh
. I keep chasing storms in hopes of seeing a similar one, but I'm not sure I ever will.
Before you ask: yes, this is real. I headed into
#Pittsburgh
this morning with the goal of shooting the full moon setting behind the Duquesne Incline, and it couldn't have worked out much better. There was a thin layer of clouds giving the entire sky a beautiful, eerie glow.
Ever since my last helicopter flight last month, a lot of people have been asking me if I have night time aerials of
#Pittsburgh
. The answer is, you bet I do. This is one of my favorites, captured during a full moon (which was 100% planned).
It was a little bit smokey towards the end, but the July 4th fireworks in
#Pittsburgh
were spectacular as always. Here, the vibrant red fireworks to start off the show reflect in the Ohio River, creating an incredible scene.
Yinz know how I like to caption my images, but there's not much I can say about the incredible scene in
#Pittsburgh
today. This is a two minute exposure of one of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever captured, complete with the tallest and brightest light pillar I've ever seen.
I still can't believe what we all got to witness last night. The Northern Lights. Over
#Pittsburgh
. I've sat outside for hours countless times over the years, even if there was the slightest chance we could see them and have always come up empty. Not last night. Absolutely unreal
This morning I went into
#Pittsburgh
to see if I could capture Heinz Field reflecting in the fountain before the sunrise, and, well, it turned out infinitely better than I hoped. The lights through the fog, the fall colors, and that crisp reflection made for a spectacular scene.
One of the most underrated vantage points in
#Pittsburgh
, especially after a fresh snow. This particular view from above 279 as cars rush into the city looks more like a Thomas Kinkade painting than a photograph.
Well that's gonna go down as one of the best sunsets I've ever shot, in
#Pittsburgh
or anywhere else. It's almost hard to believe what I was seeing, with mammatus clouds moving in after the storms this afternoon. Just some absolutely otherworldly, Stranger Things like views.
Wow...what a morning. The first snow of the year in
#Pittsburgh
did not disappoint. I have a bunch of new, unique images to share, but we'll start with a tried and true classic: the Duquesne Incline climbing Mt. Washington behind snow covered trees today. Doesn't get much better.
As promised: the full moon rises behind
#Pittsburgh
tonight as the city is lit up in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I really don't even know where to start with these images, as this was one of my all time favorite shoots. The city was just glowing & it was incredible.
My plan was to sleep in today, after 3 straight 20 hour days at Arts Fest. But when my alarm went off at 4:30 & I looked outside, I had a feeling the sunrise was going to be a good one. Got into
#Pittsburgh
just in time to capture this 8 image pano. Well worth the lack of sleep.
What a scene in
#Pittsburgh
this morning. I really didn't have any intentions of capturing the moon, but when I saw how bright it was, that changed. Scrambling to find the right vantage point, I finally stumbled on this one in Oakland. Definitely one of my eeriest images to date.
As promised, here are this year's
#fireworks
over
#Pittsburgh
. The rain moved through nice and early, leaving clear skies by the time it got dark. The show was spectacular as it is every year, and this is definitely an early favorite. Happy July 4th everyone!
This may be my new favorite Christmas image of
#Pittsburgh
. Using a flash to illuminate the falling snow, I captured this view early this morning of the Horne's Tree glowing bright, in a scene that looks more like a Christmas painting than a photograph. More to come like this.
As much as I enjoy capturing fog, thereโs something about a bus sticking out of a sinkhole in downtown
#Pittsburgh
that I couldnโt pass up. I really love how the fall colors tie in with the caution tape and traffic light as they frame the bus.
What a storm this morning in
#Pittsburgh
: a towering lightning bolt strikes behind the city, as a distance bolt illuminates the clouds an eerie blue. And that sky...one of the most incredible I've ever seen during a storm.
If they ever decide to remake โField of Dreamsโ in
#Pittsburgh
, I may pitch this image to be the movie poster. This is a view that I captured on a foggy morning, with PNC Park visible along the Allegheny River on the North Shore.
I've captured
#Pittsburgh
from the air over a dozen times, and have been capturing holiday decorations for years. Tonight I finally had the opportunity to capture those decorations from the air. From downtown to Phipps to the Point, it was just incredible. Tons more to come.
I don't shoot a lot of sunsets in
#Pittsburgh
, but Declan and I just happened to be out in the city tonight, and man, am I glad we were. I can't remember a more colorful view at dusk, with blue, pink, purple and orange tones filling the sky. Just jawdropping.
The
#supermoon
rises over Polish Hill in
#Pittsburgh
tonight, glowing an eerie red as it ascends into the night sky just after sunset. Absolutely incredible to see.
Heinz Field looked incredibly this morning as it was shrouded in fog from the Allegheny River, with a purple sky providing an eerie backdrop as rain fell on downtown
#Pittsburgh
A black and gold sunrise: I don't capture
#Pittsburgh
from this location too often (along West Carson St.), but it's definitely up there as a favorite view. Here, the city and West End Bridge are silhouetted again a golden sky at dawn.
I don't normally like to post sunrise images at night, but this morning's sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
was just too beautiful not to share. The colorful clouds reflected in the river as the incline climbed Mt. Washington, making for the perfect view to start the day.
Well, 2021 certainly started with a bang. Nearly an hour before the first sunrise of the year, the sky over
#Pittsburgh
lit up with vibrant pinks and purples, creating an incredible view to kick off January. Here's to many more mornings like this one.
Happy New Year guys!
This is a shot that I've tried for many times, but just could never time the rain and puddles right. Finally was able to get it last week, a view of the Clemente Bridge in
#Pittsburgh
reflecting in the tiniest of puddles on the road. Black and gold was the only way to edit this.
What a way to start the day. The sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
this morning was absolutely incredible, with pinks, yellows, oranges, reds and blues all stretching across the sky and reflecting in the rivers. Made for a jaw-dropping view. Can't wait to get a huge print of this one.
The full moon provided a perfect background for the Duquesne University logo in
#Pittsburgh
as it was setting over the weekend, making the iron gate above the entrance to campus look like it had a light behind it.
Exactly a year ago today I captured my favorite unexpected image I've ever shot in
#Pittsburgh
. I was on Duquesne's campus to capture the full moon setting over St. Mary of the Mount, when the moon just so happened to move directly behind the gate featuring the Duquesne logo.
Of all of the fall views of
#Pittsburgh
that I've ever captured, this one is my favorite. The trees in Point State Park look like balls of cotton against a sheet of green felt, and the whole scene has a painterly feel. Love how you can see fallen leaves on the ground as well.
Capturing
#Pittsburgh
this morning was like capturing a whole bunch of paintings. The snow covered trees and rooftops made for some absolutely incredible views, like this one of the South Side Slopes under blueish/purple skies. Definitely my favorite image of the recent snowfall.
What a day. After nearly 5 hours of waiting on the West End Overlook, I finally got the view I was hoping for. An absolutely incredible double rainbow filled the sky over
#Pittsburgh
, towering high into the colorful sky. One of the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen in this city
These
#Pittsburgh
sunrises lately have been pretty incredible, and the one this morning was no exception. A vibrant band of pink and orange clouds provided the perfect backdrop for a silhouetted city, while the reflection make downtown look like it was floating.
Trying something a little different tonight, and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Usually my black and gold images of
#Pittsburgh
revolve around the bridges, but for this aerial I included the roads and street lights. Thoughts? Worth getting it printed for the store?
My
#Pittsburgh
snowglobe series wasn't just limited to Christmas trees downtown. I had planned to capture this shot of the Clemente Bridge in the morning but just ran out of time before it got light. However I found myself back downtown at night, and my goodness, was it worth it.
Since it was snowing again in
#Pittsburgh
today, I decided to head out to capture a few other snowglobe scenes that I had in mind in Oakland. It was definitely worth the single digit wind chills, because the views of Heinz Chapel and the Cathedral in the snow were incredible.
Today I had every intention of sharing images of the buildings of
#Pittsburgh
lit up green for St. Patrick's Day. But then this sunrise happened, and it's too beautiful not to share. The way the light was radiating from behind the silhouetted skyline was absolutely incredible.
Well here it is. The closest that I've ever been to lightning, and I'm pretty sure this is as close as I want to get. It was so bright, so deafening, shaking the sidewalk, and lighting up the entire hillside and
#Pittsburgh
skyline. Plenty more to come from tonight.
Figured we could use a little pick-me-up after that game last night. This is probably one of my all time favorite winter images of
#Pittsburgh
, with a fresh coat of snow covering the city and icy rivers.
Sometimes, as a photographer, all you really have to do is show up, and let Mother Nature do the heavy lifting. That certainly was the case during this incredible sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
, as a 2 minute exposure made the Ohio River look like it was on fire.
This view of the Ft. Pitt Bridge in
#Pittsburgh
from last night may be one of my all time favorite images of the city. It's a nearly 4 minute exposure, capturing taillights and turn signals as they crisscross down the bridge, creating a truly incredible scene.
For just a few brief moments today, neon pink and purple tones filled the sky behind
#Pittsburgh
, creating an incredible backdrop for the city, and matching the lights of Fifth Avenue Place and the Gulf Tower. Believe it or not, I actually toned DOWN the colors when I edited this
So sad to hear that Franco Harris passed away, just days before the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception and his number being retired. I was downtown when I heard, so I made a stop at the site of the greatest play in NFL history.
Rest in peace to a Pittsburgh legend.
I honestly completely forgot that I shot this image during the snow in
#Pittsburgh
last week with everything else I shot that night and since. The black and gold worked perfectly and the snow added this great painterly effect...up there as a new favorite in my snowglobe series.
What a perfect night for fireworks during the Regatta: a rainbow display fills the sky over
#Pittsburgh
and creates a beautiful reflection in the Ohio River during tonight's fireworks show.
Five years. Exactly five years ago today I captured the shot of a lifetime. Arriving at the West End Overlook just minutes before this bolt struck the Point in
#Pittsburgh
, getting pelted by hail while the wind nearly sent my camera flying...and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Whoever built this snowman on the bridge above the train tracks on the North Side of
#Pittsburgh
yesterday...thank you.
This might be my all time favorite winter picture. With snow falling all around, this guy is just straight up enjoying it. You gotta smile when you look at it.
Sometimes you just get lucky, and you cross the Ft. Pitt Bridge early on a weekend morning, with the bridge empty, your camera sitting out on the passenger seat, and the sun shining behind
#Pittsburgh
. Can't think of a more welcoming entrance to any city I've ever been to.
You all saw this coming, right? My
#1
image of 2017, of that incredible double rainbow over
#Pittsburgh
, and it really wasn't even close. A beautiful storm over a beautiful city...not sure how I'll top this one. But that doesn't mean I won't try!
Sometimes the reflection of
#Pittsburgh
in the rivers is so still, it can be difficult to tell which one is the city and which one is the reflection. Seeing the water this still doesn't happen to often, but when it does, there's no place like the North Shore to capture it from
Last night's full lunar eclipse was absolutely incredible to capture over
#Pittsburgh
. In this view, just minutes after the maximum eclipse, the moon can be seen sitting atop one of the spires of PPG Place. I have so many images to get through, and I can't wait to share them.
The light over
#Pittsburgh
as the storms rolled in today was straight up insane, like there was a spotlight on downtown...it almost looks photoshopped. A rainbow or lightning strike over the city would've made this an all-time favorite for me, but it's definitely still up there.
A black and gold morning for this rainy
#Pittsburgh
day. Captured this from the West End Bridge as the city was reflecting in the calm water of the Ohio River just before sunrise.
Something I didnโt know that I needed in my life until last night: slow motion
#lightning
over
#Pittsburgh
. Thereโs a certain calmness to it, and I just keep watching over and over again.
A two and a half minute exposure of the amazing sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
today, as vibrant tones spread far and wide over the city. What an incredible way to start the day!
Who doesn't love to start their day with a beautiful
#Pittsburgh
sunrise? Sometimes the only thing you can do is sit there in awe. Hope yinz have a great Friday!
Today was possibly be one of my favorite days of photography I've ever had in
#Pittsburgh
, with the city transforming into a winter wonderland. I'm so glad I was able to capture this view of the Mon Incline today, which I have in all the seasons, but not when it looked like this.
The sky above
#Pittsburgh
was absolutely incredible this morning about half an hour before sunrise, lit up with soft tones of pink against the blue clouds. This really helped the Christmas tree at the Point stand out, with its warm glow reflecting in the choppy rivers.
The first and the last sunrise of 2018 in
#Pittsburgh
: on January 1st, the ground was covered with snow as ice filled the rivers. Today, vibrant tones stretched across the sky behind the city as the forecast calls for rain, but for a few moments, it was just incredible.
A giant heart display in downtown
#Pittsburgh
: last night while waiting for the space station flyover, I noticed the Fairmont Hotel was lit up in the shape of a giant heart in support of healthcare workers. There's no doubt it looks great in color, but I love it in black & gold.
The full moon over
#Pittsburgh
was absolutely gorgeous tonight as it rose through the spires of PPG Place downtown. The sun had just set, and the warm glow was reflecting off the windows, contrasting with the deep blue sky perfectly.
Not all sunrises are created equal, and this one from the West End in
#Pittsburgh
was an all-timer for me. Incredible colors, near perfect reflections, and the Christmas tree glowing at the Point. Doesn't get much better than this.
Of all the helicopters flights I've taken over
#Pittsburgh
, the one from exactly five years ago tonight is one of my favorites, mostly because of this shot. There's something about it that's just so "Pittsburgh", with the fountain on, bridges glowing & golden triangle all lit up.
This might have been the stillest and clearest that I've ever seen the Allegheny River in
#Pittsburgh
; I mean, you can see sand patterns and rocks over 20 feet from the shore. Captured this just as a group of rowers (green streak) was going by as well.
Honestly, I can't remember a better string of sunrises than we've had this last month in
#Pittsburgh
. Once again the sky was on fire this morning, with the rivers reflecting the colorful clouds below the incline. Mornings like this one make being a photographer really fun.
What an incredible sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
today. I feel like mornings like this are kind of a photographers' cheat code, because all you have to do is show up and point your camera at the city. Between the colors and the reflections, this one is up there as an all-time favorite.
Redbud trees on the North Shore frame the Andy Warhol Bridge in
#Pittsburgh
this morning, as just enough sunlight breaks through the layer of clouds to illuminate the bridge, in what might be my new favorite springtime image.
Springtime in West Park on the North Side of
#Pittsburgh
is another of my favorite places to visit. The pink cherry blossoms, vibrant green leaves on the gingko trees by the railroad tracks, and how the entire scene looks like a Thomas Kinkade painting...just beautiful.
A year ago today, I was fortunate to capture the most vibrant rainbow I've ever seen over
#Pittsburgh
, arriving to Mt. Washington just minutes before it appeared. Stretching from Heinz Field to the Mon River, and framing downtown and the incline, it was truly jaw-dropping.
When the day starts like this, you just gotta sit back and say "wow". The sunrise in
#Pittsburgh
this morning was incredible, with pinks, oranges, purples and blues providing an absolutely ridiculous backdrop for the city.
What a scene in
#Pittsburgh
this morning, as low fog along the rivers engulfed the city under clear skies. The lights of downtown gave the fog an eerie glow, and whoever rode the incline was nice enough to be on their phone, adding some light inside the car as well.
A few more favorites from the July 4th fireworks in
#Pittsburgh
last night, as vibrant colors lit up the night sky. Between the lightning/rainbow/sunset/fireworks I have about 2,500 frames to go through, but that's a good problem to have.
Certainly wasn't expecting a sunrise like this in
#Pittsburgh
today. I originally wasn't even planning on going into the city, but I'm glad that I did, because the sky lit up just before sunrise with incredible red and orange tones. The purple clouds were a nice touch as well.
A towering rainbow stretches over
#Pittsburgh
tonight after the rain, as downtown is illuminated by perfect golden light as the sun set. The clouds looked like they were painted onto the sky as well. Certainly paid to stick around after the rain!
Seven years ago tonight the Giant Rubber Duck arrived in
#Pittsburgh
, and it's still one of the coolest things I've ever shot in this city. I'm so glad that I went downtown that night, as that was the only time that it was in the middle of the river, making for unique views.
It's been said that
#Pittsburgh
is the only city with an entrance, and with a view like this when you come out of the Ft. Pitt Tunnels, it's easy to see why. Today marks the 60th birthday of the Ft. Pitt Bridge (if bridges celebrated birthdays), so here are some of my favorites.
The (near) full moon rises behind the Cathedral of Learning in
#Pittsburgh
tonight, giving an eerie halo to the iconic building. Can't believe that this actually worked out how I hoped it would.
Today was another one of those mornings where I just wanted to sleep in, but I can't tell you how glad I am that I didn't. The sunrise was absolutely incredible in
#Pittsburgh
this morning, with vibrant colors spreading far and wide above the city and the Duquesne Incline.
If this image doesn't represent everything that is
#Steelers
playoff football I'm not sure what does: the lights of Heinz Field illuminate the steam on the Allegheny River in
#Pittsburgh
this morning as the fountain is encased in ice.
#HereWeGo
What a way to start 2018: downtown
#Pittsburgh
looked beautiful as it glowed under an incredible sky just before sunrise today. It's always fun to capture the first morning of the year. Happy New Year everyone!