Spring May Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens Engagement Photos

Happy Friday, everyone!  I’ve got my afternoon iced coffee, all my Hannah energy, and I’m ready to throw a bunch of beautiful, engagement photos at you! I hope you’re ready!  Let’s do it!  Miranda and Chris are (kind of) a NEW COUPLE.  They have been to multiple weddings of mine and we’ve met in person here and there BUT this is their very first time to shine on their own on the Hannah Barlow Photography blogs so please give them all your love and enjoy their Spring May Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Engagement Session!

First things first, when their is an adorable, fur baby…they get to go first!  HUGE shoutout to Miranda’s mom for coming to be the puppy sitter when she wasn’t in the photos.  There was absolutely NO struggle getting her to “smile” in that doggie way for me! Look how precious she is!

You all know I like to work fast and try and take advantage of ALL the time we have so I had them walk toward me to our new location!

I’ve been to the Pittsburgh Botanic Gardens before but this was super special for this couple.  THIS is actually where they got engaged last year…and not just at the gardens but on THIS bridge.  That’s right!

Chris popped the question in this spot last summer.  Miranda tells me this is totally Chris…planning something fancy or a fun day/night out just because!  She had no idea what he had planned!

We feared we would have to reschedule this session but the weather quite literally opened up for us and the hour we spent together photographing these engagement photos was the only hour throughout the whole day’s forecast that didn’t call for rain!  ALSO…and on another note…Miranda loves having her photo taken.  I knew that even before I read their couple fun fact survey.  She was a bridesmaid in another wedding I did and I KNEW she took amazing photos and is very comfortable in front of the camera.  Chris told me right off the bat I could boss him around and pose him however I wanted…and at first, I thought maybe…just maybe…he REALLY didn’t like photos and was going to hate this (my own husband would concur).  NOT TRUE…not true AT ALL!  Chris was one of those people who just moved through the poses without any prompt from me and gave me ALL the variety I could ever want!  I told him “THE LIES YOU TELL ME…”!  HA!  Whether or not he felt comfortable (if he didn’t…he faked it like a champ) or “knew” what he was doing, it didn’t matter…he was rolling with it and it was perfection!  I need more Chris like energy in my photographer life!!!  I told Lacey on the way home (who shot the other wedding with me and got to meet Miranda)…”These two take SUCH great photos.  The wedding photos will be perfection!”  Yes…yes…I frequently call the Hannah Barlow Photography team to talk about sessions and new couples!  It’s true!

In true, crazy Hannah fashion, I went into the pond (over a few rocks that just barely let me get on them) to get these photos!  Chris helped me get back to the other side while Miranda held my camera.  THANK YOU!  It’s a good thing they know I’m a crazy photographer with crazy ideas…they didn’t even miss a beat when I decided to literally hop on the only rock in the water.

THEN, we got some glow and I was my typical Hannah squealing machine!  The wedding Gods are giving us a sneak peek of what’s to come with these two!

Then, Miranda and Chris did an outfit change and I told her I need someone like her to style me!

Lots of men hesitate when I ask them to do this pose (below).  There is usually some coaching and prompting.  Chris was all “OOo yea.  Sure.  I can do that” and before I barely even got my camera up to my face, he lifted her perfectly and take one was complete! AHHHH!!!  I did give Miranda a hard time.  I knew she loved photos and doesn’t struggle in front of the camera but Chris many times was coaching her too and it was the perfect recipe for photo magic! YESSS!  Beautiful, stylish girl..confident guy…equals photo greatness!

Dip execution? 10/10!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to mix things up, take posing chances, make up new things, etc…I was full of inspiration at this session though (and I had a sense of speed because the forecast was calling for rain real soon). LOOOKKK!!! AHHHHHHH!! I can’t even.  These ones below are most definitely some of my very very very favorites!

I mean..we WERE at the Botanic Gardens so I was hoping there would be flowers in this little area.  I was right! AHHHH!

You can tell these two just jive, right?  They’ve been together for 4.5 years!

Miranda…GIRL…give me all those runway looks!

Miranda told me she likes leafy greens so I decided to nestle her ring in this little location.  HUGE shoutout to Chris for helping me cover my stuff too as it began to rain!  I held them hostage past our “quitting time” but they said they didn’t mind!! I also told Chris he’s not allowed to help and be this way on his wedding day…he has to sit back and relax and be king!  Miranda…that goes for you too!  You’re going to look like a QUEEN!

OOOo yea.  And all those ooey gooey lovey photos?  Don’t let that fool you.  This is what was really happening at the end! HA!

The colors in this session are making my heart happy because these two are getting married next fall (2023) at a barn and it’s going to be elegant with lots of flowers…a “toned down fall” as Miranda calls it and I’m already sucking Lacey in because she loves fall and what better way to celebrate than with “friends” and FALL! AHHH!! Can’t wait!

Thanks for reading and have a GREAT weekend!