Posts in Photoshoot Locations

Engagement photo locations can be as individualized as you want them to be - including the college bar you hung out in while you were dating! Mandy’s mom said she would never meet a nice boy in a bar, but I guess she proved her wrong! These two were absolutely adorable for their engagement session. Mandy grew up in Indiana, while Blaine grew up on farm property in Clarksburg, a neighboring town. They wanted to incorporate their love of Indiana in their shoot since that’s where they met!

We started the session at the iconic Vinegar Hill, a spot made famous by the actor Jimmy Stewart that Indiana is known for. The Stewart family used to travel up and down this hill to the family’s hardware store on Philadelphia street. (Interesting fact, there are 33 stairs on this hill - I run up and down them a lot when I exercise!) The hill is a beautiful spot in town because of the ivy that lines the staircase, and then of course the spectacular views of Downtown from the very top!

After spending some time on the stairs, we traveled to another iconic spot downtown - the Indiana Theater. We got some photos on the rooftop which afforded a unique look at Philadelphia street from above, and some of the best views of the clock tower that can be seen at most spots around town. It was then just a short walk to Culpepper’s where we did some photos in front of the restaurant’s famous black and white awning, the stairwell up to the second floor bar, and the lighted sign depicting the spot’s nickname, “Culps.”

We ended our session at Blaine’s family’s farm where Mandy and Blaine were great sports for literally hanging out of a two story barn and placing some lighting gear behind them for an interesting element. I forgot to turn the light on before the climbed up to the second story, so we had fun tossing it up and down to each other once they were in the loft.

I hope you enjoy this unique engagement session featuring some of the best spots around this little town we know and love! And I hope it inspires you to do a session, whether it be an engagement session, a family session (anything!) at places that are special to you, no matter how unconventional!

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Engagements, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerSeptember 24, 2019Culpepper's

Allegheny Park Engagement Photos

Pittsburgh engagement session at PPG place

There are so many amazing spots in Pittsburgh to take engagement photos, including Allegheny Park, the Northside Allegheny Commons Park and the most colorful place this side of the three rivers - Randyland!

As Pittsburgh natives, Janelle and Zac love their city, the architecture, the bridges, the skylines - and have all of that amazing goodness to look forward to in their wedding photos next year that will highlight the city scape and bridges near their reception venue, the Renaissance Hotel. For their engagement session, however, they still wanted to be true to their love of Pittsburgh and it’s architectural features, but maybe something a little more fun and casual!

We started the evening at PPG place, where by summer it boasts a really unique and fun water fountain feature that springs right out of the ground, and by winter is a magnificent Christmas tree surrounded by an open, public ice skating rink! We made good use of the architecture, with it’s dark mirrored glass and silver lines, to add drama, while Janelle’s cute pink dress provided the movement and whimsy to keep things light. And, of course, I made them step in the fountain.

They told me that they wanted to incorporate some bright colors, so they asked if I have ever heard of Randyland and if we could go. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT MY DREAM COUPLE?! Yeah girl, I’ve been to Randyland. hahahahaha! We snapped some cute photos around the sidewalks just as golden hour was hitting, and were even treated to a monologue by Randy himself about some of his methods and finds that make his courtyard so special.

After wrapping up in rainbow paradise, we ended our session at Northside Allegheny Commons Park where golden hour was in full force. It was almost impossible to take a bad picture there while everything glowed a gorgeous yellow. We met up with their sweet pup Sophie to get some family pics, and of course captured more of that Pittsburgh skyline Janelle and Zac love so much.

I hope you enjoy the highlights of this shoot. It was, and I don’t say this lightly, probably by favorite session as of yet! I can’t wait for the wedding!

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Engagements, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerAugust 21, 2019PPG Place

At Home Engagement Session

If you’re looking for an engagement photo location that’s meaningful and special to you, consider doing your session at your home, a family member’s farm, or somewhere that you and your fiance spent a lot of time getting to know each other! When I first met Dawn and Richard one evening over a Starbucks coffee, I was excited to work with such a sweet pair. Little did I know how fun and playful they were, and how totally opposite their upbringing was! We started this sun-kissed country engagement session at the farm where Dawn grew up in Mineral Point, among ponds with Queen Anne’s Lace, dairy cows, frisbee-fetching collies, and corn fields drenched in golden hour light.

Our first few snaps were playing around in the corn field where I learned RIGHT AWAY that these two would be a DREAM to photograph. Richard probably has the best, most natural smile for a groom (to be!) that i’ve ever been blessed to capture. Whether he was actually having fun or found the whole process hilarious I’m not sure, but dang those smiles are killer! Dawn is of course a knock-out, so it was almost too easy to get incredible photos of these two enjoying the place that’s so dear to them.

We found little spot beside a pond along their lane up to the farm rimmed with “weeds”, but framed the right way, the weeds can be beautiful! To me, this session was all about chasing light. Both Dawn and Richard just returned from the beach the day before, so their glowing tans coupled with the beautiful gold light made for a warm, rich feel to the photos.

After the pond, we paid a visit to their pet dairy cows (yes, one is named Annabelle!) and even made sure these girls had a chance to photobomb some moments to make the session even more memorable. Besides the dairy cows, Dawn’s family also has beef cows, pigs that eat marshmallows out of your hand, kittens, a Great Pyrenees, and two Border Collies! We ended the session with some piggy-back rides under the family’s apple trees and a good round of frisbee with Dawn’s 10 year old Border Collie Lilly.

These memorable sessions are what make my job amazing - to be invited into someone’s world to experience the things that make them happiest, the people who make them who they are, and the moments they want to hang on to forever. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite moments from this county engagement session on the farm!

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Engagements, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerAugust 13, 2019

Inclusive Wedding in Johnstown PA | Eden + Ro at the Grand Halle

Johnstown PA Wedding Venue

If you love Disney and donuts, puppies and popcorn, macarons and movies, fairytale venues, and believe that everyone deserves to have the wedding of their dreams, then buckle up and hold on for this amazing All-Inclusive LGBTQ Johnstown wedding! I met Eden and Rochelle in a fun twist of fate when I walked into a local distillery and was introduced to these amazingly down-to-earth and kind women that were planning one heck of a wedding. Through several meetings, lots of emails and texts, and a super cute engagement session, I got to know these two amazing people and call them friends!

Eden and Ro met 8 years ago during a complicated time for the both of them, and Eden became a light during a dark time for Rochelle. They've been together ever since. Eden always begged Ro to propose to her in Disney World, and it was always a joke of how amazing it would be. The two took a trip to Florida with Eden’s family in October of 2017, and they shared that one of the best parts was going to Animal Kingdom. Little did Eden know, Rochelle had the ring.... but it was back at the hotel! She waited until the next day at their favorite beach in Clearwater. Ro knew she wanted to ask the big question at sunset, but Eden decided she needed pizza right as the sun was setting! So with a slight delay, they sat in the sand and Ro told her that she had a letter for her to read. When she opened the envelope it was her beautiful ring. She paused for what seemed like forever, and then said, “WAIT. Did you ask my dad?!?!?” (of course she did!) Another long pause... then Ro just had to ask, “so is that a yes?” …YES! She said yes! Later on that evening Rochelle distinctly remembers Eden saying, “Wait, you couldn't have done this yesterday at DISNEY?!?!” Either way, she said yes! …and then FaceTimed every human imaginable that entire night to tell them!

Their favorite thing to do together is travel. They’ve done some amazing things: hiked the Smoky Mountains, watched dolphins migrate up the coast in Cape May New Jersey, been to Florida so many times, enjoying sunsets, Disney, and Harry Potter World. The very first vacation they went on, Eden surprised Rochelle with an experience of holding a baby tiger (her favorite animal)! They have always loved traveling together, and long car rides don't bother them, it gives them time to always connect and fall even more in love with every adventure!

And what an adventure this wedding was! The day started at the Hampton Inn where everyone in their 16 person bridal party got ready for the big day, all in the same hallway! I snuck in some shots of their incredibly fun and thoughtful details, like the grape soda cap pins from “Up”, Ro’s Gryffindor socks and Harry Potter handkerchief, and their something old, new, borrowed, and blue which were special gifts from their grandmothers, aunts. and mothers. Eden shared a beautiful first look with her dad, where he placed a penny in her shoe and then put it on her foot (how Cinderella-like!), then the two women shared their first look together in some peace and calm and quiet before hopping on the trolley!

The decor at the Grande Hall was spectacular, each table having a unique vignette of the couple’s favorite Disney movies, sprinkled with macaron’s under mini glass domes (hello, Beauty and the Beast!). All these nestled next to hot tea bags with “drink me” on the tag to match the “eat me” tag on the macs! Guests enjoyed a snack PRE ceremony, too, from a vintage popcorn machine, allowing them to munch through a 17 minute slideshow of the couples most treasured photos together to start off the ceremony. The couple exchanged their first “kiss” as married women by gifting each other necklaces with an acorn and a thimble pendant, reminiscent of the kiss exchange between Wendy and Peter in the Peter Pan movie.

After post-ceremony photos at the gorgeous Forest Lawn Cemetery, we returned via trolley to the Grande Hall where guests had been busy enjoying a dozen adoptable puppies from A Darrah Bull Bully Rescue, and of course breaking the internet with the cuteness and kisses and all the pup-selfies! We snapped some quick photos with the adorable pups before grand entrances, and then DJ Jack Labarko started off the night with an awesomely curated Disney dinner music playlist, and then the best mix of dance music through the ages all night! My favorite was the cloud machine expertly used to make Eden and Ro’s very special choreographed first dance to “A Million Dreams” from the Greatest Showman look like there were literally dancing on a cloud!

Enjoy some of my favorite highlights from this extremely well-produced and insanely unique wedding!

Photography: Jill Gearhart Photography assisted by Rachel Russel

Venue: The Grand Halle Johnstown PA

Gown: Essence of Australia dress - White Lace Bridal Indiana PA

Hair: Whitney Helman, Real Deal Salon; .Amber Mertens

Bridesmaids Dresses: White Lace Bridal

Tuxes: White Lace Bridal

Rings: Kay's

Invitations: Zazzle.com

Florals: Penna Flower Company @pennaflowercompany Taylor Pascuzzo

Cake: Peace, Love & Little Donuts - Monroeville

Caterer: Anthony's Restaurant

Favors: Macaron's from La Gourmandine (Hazelwood location)

DJ: DJ Jack Labarko Inc.

Transportation: Rix Limo (Trolley Service)

Puppy Adoption Event: A Darrah Bull Bully Rescue

getting married at the grand Halle? click here!

Weddings, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerJuly 2, 2019Grande HallJohnstown, Grand Halle, LGBTQ

Urban Wedding Photo Location Ideas

Sometimes wedding photo locations can be very surprising, even just the Main Street of your town can provide for some awesome photos! Here we highlight some of the great urban locations in Indiana, PA to hopefully inspire your next photo session or give you some ideas if your wedding day doesn’t have a park and trees nearby.

We started our session on a rooftop with great views of downtown, but many times accessing these locations requires special permission and permitting, so if you spot a building in your own downtown with roof access, be sure to do your homework first and contact the building owner. Another thing to note is that there is no shade on a rooftop, so if you’re shooting in the middle of the say, prepare for sunny and harsh lighting.

Other great options are business facades with fun artwork, interesting architecture, or just historical significance to you! I’ve taken beautiful wedding portraits in front of bowling alleys, in college bars, and in front of abandoned buildings. If you’re willing to be creative and open minded, you can undoubtedly have unique portraits that won’t look like any one else’s!

These particular models had been married in a small, private ceremony at a local park previously, and as they were planning for a big wedding, life had different plans and they chose to do what felt right to them and just enjoy their married life together without a big party. We ended this super fun session with a few photos at the park where they got married at for sentimental value!

These types of urban sessions would also be great for anniversary photos or senior photos! Don’t be afraid to tell your photographer about locations that are special to you - almost any place can be photographed well!

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Families, Photoshoot Locations, Wedding TipsJill StifflerJune 11, 2019Revelry Church

Covered Bridge Engagement Photo Ideas

The covered bridges at Yarnick’s Farm in Indiana make for a beautiful engagement or anniversary shoot location! I had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely people when my husband and I traveled to Texas for a once in a lifetime destination wedding with the sweetest couple, Cody and Faith (see the wedding here!) Brooke and Jake went to college with our friends that invited us to Texas, and also found themselves in Indiana, my hometown! For their 1 year anniversary, Brooke contacted me to do some photos, and I thought her unique story of living over 1,000 miles away from home to honor her husband just needed to be told. I admire her strength and steadfast faith in the Lord for getting her through leaving everything and everyone she loved to dedicate herself to a strong marriage and the man she loved. Enjoy their story!

In February of 2017 Jake had received a phone call that two weeks later found him in Indiana, PA. He received a job offer from an Energy company as an assistant project manager. March 6th he moved across the country while I stayed back in Stephenville, Texas to finish my school- to say the least I was terrified of what to come. Our long-distance relationship lead to long nights and even longer lonelier days. I had phone call after phone call with my mom telling her I can’t do this. I thought I wasn’t strong enough and would lose the person that I wanted most.

This was a complete whirlwind from our relationship prior to Jake taking this job. When we met we instantly clicked. It didn’t take long until my cousin told me “when you know you know”. We started going to church together, studying together and started dating 3 months after meeting. Needless to say I had less desirable moments with my roommates at the time and found myself at Jake's house the majority of the next year and a half.

Jake decided that this job was a chance that he couldn’t pass up, but made me promise him that if the distance ever got too tough to tell him and he will find a way to come home. “It’s just a job” I remember him saying. It was a big, hard change but Jake still managed to make me smile and keep faith in our relationship from 1,260 miles away. Thank goodness for today's technology because daily Facetime dates made the distance somewhat bearable.

Fast forward through a lot of flights back and forth and a few days worth of driving, Jake proposed September 1st 2017. That same weekend I moved up to PA with him and we bought a travel trailer together where we lived at Yellow Creek with our two pups. Oh, an adventure that was! We encountered our first PA winter and it was HARD. Canned goods, hairspray, and my toes froze some nights, but together we made it.

A few months before the wedding I decided that it was best to go finish planning my wedding back at home. May 5th 2018 we had our dream wedding and I permanently moved up to PA to live with my new husband. The thought of moving away from all of my family and friends was gut punching- I have a nephew whom doesn’t know me and a niece that is getting “too cool” to come jump in my lap and snuggle.

Since the wedding I had not seen my family for 7 months. It was hard, I went to bed many nights with tears in my eyes from missing my sweet family. However, in those seven months Jake and I had created a beautiful marriage. We did everything together: cleaned together, cooked, went shopping, everything. There was never one of us without the other unless it was forced.

Before I got a job up here I had no one but my husband in Pennsylvania- I had no friends, I had no family, no job to even have co workers to talk to. I had my husband who worked long days six days a week and even seven sometimes. Being away from my home that I left everyone in is hard, do not let me trick you into thinking opposite, but being able to rest my head next to my best friend every single night is beyond priceless and worth it all.

This season of life will one day pass, but for right now we are grateful for the foundation of our marriage being built away from home letting us focus on just each other. We have had to fully rely on one another as that is all we had. I believe that waking up everyday with just my husband for the past year has given our marriage a unique but strong foundation. We look to each other for everything- support, answers, advice, assurance.

Jake and I along with many other people believe that life’s priorities are in this order: God, your spouse, your children/family, yourself, and lastly work. Our first year of marriage has modeled this so easy- we have been able to focus on only each other and create the best foundation possible before we start a family and life’s stressors are thrown into the equation. One day we will move home from this strange place that we call “home” where we will start a family and create a new life that we will love and together we look forward to that. But for right now I look forward to tomorrow that I get spend with just my husband.

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Engagements, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerJune 4, 2019

May the Fourth Star Wars Wedding with a Sheetz Run

Bridal party in front of sheetz for a wedding day sheetz run

You may have seen other May the Fourth Star Wars Themed Weddings, you may have even snuck a Sheetz Run into your wedding day plans, but you haven’t seen anything like this one! Normally, light sabers and Mac n’ cheese bites don’t necessarily go together, and they certainly aren’t a normal wedding day accessory, but Sam and JJ were unapologetically themselves this past Star Wars weekend when they infused light sabers with their love of apps and Galliker’s tea and pulled off a delightfully unique start to their forever!

We hit 4 different towns in 10 hours, and the force was definitely with us to get everything done and running smoothly all day! The day started in the Hilton Garden Inn where the girls got ready, then we ended up in Homer City for the ceremony! The beautiful church with stunning stained glass was a perfect place for the I-do’s (and the “I love you…. I know’s”). After that, we were off to Blairsville to the Pine Ridge park for some epic light saber battles and some snuggling under the flowering dogwoods.

Then of course the Sheetz run! These Sheetz Freaks (and their entire bridal party!) were great sports to stop at the Blairsville store off of route 22 and grab some one-of-a-kind wedding photos! We snuggled up by the Soda Cave, kissed by the MTO touch screens, and celebrated a surprise double order of Mac-n-cheese bites by the smoothiez signs outside! Once these freakz got their fill, we were off to Portage for their Star Wars themed reception! There, guests enjoyed tasteful black and gold decor (shoutout, Pittsburgh Steelers!) and an epic Star Wars themed processional, cake topper, sweetheart table, and photo booth!

Enjoy the highlights, you will, from this perfectly “Martin” day! Sam and JJ, thank you for becoming such great friends and for trusting me to capture such amazing, unique, vibrant personalities!

The Vendor Team:

Gown: Essence of Australia - Tamzen’s Bridal (Carlisle, PA)

Bridesmaid Attire: David’s Bridal

Groomsmen Attire: Jim’s Formal Wear

Rings: Littman’s Jewlers

Hair: Paige Walter

Makeup: Beauty by Bethy Mae

Photography: Jill Gearhart Photography

Videography: Bridge Perspective

DJ: Royal Heir DJ Services

Photo Booth: BOOTH222

Cake: JMP Cake Designs

Caterer: Remini Catering

Florals: Clear Spring High School Agricultural Department

Venue: The Royal Ballroom, Portage

Photo Locations: Pine Ridge Park, Blairsville | Sheetz, Blairsville

Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn, Indiana

planning a Star Wars wedding? I'm there!

Wedding Tips, Weddings, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerMay 7, 2019Sheetz

Indiana PA Senior Pictures

Senior photos don’t have to be in a studio, against a plain background, and otherwise boring besides your sparkling personality. I am obsessed with finding places that match your personality, your favorite outfits, and showing off the beautiful town where you spent some of your best memories!! If you want senior photos in cool and unusual places, you found the right person! Suffering from senioritis? No worries my friend - this shoot went from inbox to delivered in 5 days so there’s no reason to stress if graduation is right around the corner!

We started our awesome session on the rooftop of the Indiana Theater (it’s ok - I’m allowed!), grabbed some cool urban-grunge shots in the neighboring alley, fire escape, and parking garage, then put our rainboots on and trekked to Yellowcreek! Even though a tree fell over the steep, muddy trail we had to drive down to get close to the parking area, we all agreed that it was worth it to get some gorgeous shots! Changing outfits was easy in my pop up changing tent, and even though it was a little windy, we used that to our advantage with Emerson’s gorgeous, long curls to get some movement in the photos! Hope you enjoy som of my favorite snaps from this seriously gorgeous session!

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Seniors, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerApril 30, 2019Indiana Theater

Sibling Photo Shoot Ideas

If you’re looking for unique portraits in Indiana, PA, there’s nothing quite as fun as exploring new places - especially if you have to be daring and reckless to get there - with your sibling! How many of you got in trouble growing up snooping around places together that you shouldn’t have been?! These sisters were not only up for an adventurous photo session in 50mph winds (WHAT were we thinking?!), but they also didn’t bat and eye when I suggested we climb 2 stories onto the roof of the iconic Indiana Theater on the Main Street in town. (

I was luckily enough to develop a friendship with Christine back when we worked together, and her younger sister Alex is just as sweet and has become a friend over the years of their “sister shoots” we’ve all experienced together! Since Alex lives in North Carolina, this sister shoot was even more special because it celebrated the bond these two have that is stronger than all the miles between them!

I can’t give these girl enough credit for sticking through some tough shooting conditions - since we could all only be together that particular day, we made the best of it and got some really cool urban shots! If you’re into industrial (or are just into Christine and Alex!), you’ll definitely love these photos!

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Families, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerMarch 19, 2019Indiana

Pittsburgh Senior Portraits at the Point

Cas may live in Indiana, PA, but for her senior photo session she really wanted a more urban, big city feel, which is why we ended up at some of the coolest places in Pittsburgh! If you’re a senior, I can’t stress enough how important it is to spend some time talking to your photographer to let them know your interests, talents, hobbies, and vision for your shoot. We were able to incorporate Cas’s love of color, art, coffee, music, and urban life by having a little bit of knowledge about the area and a whole lot of knowledge about what makes her unique!

We started out at Randyland, a wonderfully fun and quirky (and colorful!!) public art spot in the North Side of Pittsburgh. You can check out more about it here!

As a coffee connoisseur, Cas and I thought it would be appropriate to do a few shots after downing a cappuccino in the city’s best coffee spot. Luckily right down the street from Randyland is Commonplace Coffee in the Mexican War Streets area. We did a few shots in front of the town houses that line Buena Vista street before heading to the coffee shop. The owner was very kind to let us capture some snaps while we enjoyed our lattes.

A shoot in Pittsburgh would also not be complete with some of those iconic yellow Pittsburgh bridges, the Point State Park fountain, and the 3 rivers!! We headed to the fountain right at dusk to get some truly breathtaking and twinkly shots! Also, have you ever seen a bassoon at the Point? Well, you’re about to!

I hope you enjoy what was probably my favorite senior sessions ever (the fact that we ate IronBorn Pizza for dinner and Millie’s Ice Cream for dessert didn’t hurt either!)

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Seniors, Photoshoot LocationsJill StifflerNovember 6, 2018

Johnstown PA Wedding Venue

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