Disclaimer: Posts on this blog may contain reviews and/or affiliate links for a product or service that I was asked to review in exchange for compensation and/or free products.  However, all opinions are 100% my own.  The product review for Modern Map Art would fall into this category.

My wife and I have lived in our home for over 15 years, and we both struggle to decorate the walls.  This seems a bit ironic since I make many images each year that I would consider appropriate to print, frame, and hang.  However, my subjects don't always jive with my wife's style.  As such, we have several large spaces that are just screaming for something to be displayed on the wall.

Recently, I was contacted by Modern Map Art to see if I was interested in providing feedback on their product. I reviewed their website (https://www.modernmapart.com) to get a better understanding of the company and their offerings.  To say I was excited was an understatement.  I immediately showed Sue the prints of Pittsburgh, and we both agreed that this would look great in our home.  This is exactly the unique piece that we have been searching for to display in the dining room.  Needless to say I agreed to review their product.

I let Jennifer know that we would like the 24"x36" black and white print of Pittsburgh.  A few days later the print showed up well packaged in a shipping tube.  I am sure the smaller sizes and other items ship in appropriate packaging for their size.  The timeliness and sturdiness of the shipping process meets my expectations for this type of item.



Obviously we chose Pittsburgh, it is where my family lives, works, and plays.  There were numerous size options, color options, and even a couple other product options.  I noticed there is even a Custom Order option.  You can send them a note on your particulars and work through the rest with their team.  As I mentioned above we selected black and white, and upon unrolling the print I was not disappointed.  The paper is of an extremely high quality, the quality of the printing was excellent, and is perfect for displaying.

Since we would be displaying this in our dining room, I took the extra step and had this piece professionally matted and framed.  Due to space constraints on the wall, we decided to make this two pictures instead of one.  I feel the print of the city streets can stand on its own.  Therefore, the frame shop cut the word Pittsburgh off the bottom and framed this separately, which will hang separately in our game room.  This added a little bit more cost for framing both pieces, but the overall objective of finding the unique piece for our home was the main goal.  I would give the quality of the product the highest marks in terms of paper quality, printing quality, and options available and customization options.







The art has been hanging in our dining room for about a week now.  Each time I pass, my eye is drawn to it.  Which leads me to my next point.  Ever since I brought this home, my wife and I keep discussing all the different people, the hard to buy for people in our life, that would enjoy a similar piece for their home or office.  Regardless of where you call home, where you have lived, or visited my bet is that Modern Map Art has your city already available.  If not, I bet they can assist through the custom ordering option.

Overall, the product is a winner and the uniqueness is unmatched in my opinion.  I look forward to ordering my next piece.

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ModernMapArt takes your favorite cities, mountains, and places and turns them into beautiful works of art. If you're looking for the perfect way to remember that trip to Europe, honeymoon, place you got engaged, your alma mater, hometown, or anything else, our maps are a great way to display that nostalgia in your home. They make great gifts, too!

They also participate in all the social channels, so check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube.

I have heard about the hidden gem known as Churchview Farms, but until September I have never had a reason to visit.  If you are looking for a new venue in the Pittsburgh area to host a private dinner, wedding, or reception of sorts, then look no further.  This working farm nestled in the south hills of Pittsburgh is the perfect alternative to the "traditional" venues around town.  Tara and her team were a pleasure to work with, and I have a feeling that couples from across the region will be calling upon Churchview Farms to host their special day.

Danni and Jason had the honor of being the first couple to be married at Churchview Farms.  Their wedding was by design intimate and non-traditional in nature.  Surrounded by their family and friends Danni and Jason were married, toasted with champagne, and enjoyed a delicious meal and tasty beers.

Below are a few of my favorite images that tell the story from that day in October on the farm.

I am not sure exactly what Santa said, but the reaction was immediate and I am happy to have been able to capture it.  Both kids snapped their heads from my direction to his as quickly as possible.  Merry Christmas everyone.  Only 3 weeks remaining in this years project.

Several years ago, probably about five, my dad successfully completed the Dirty Dozen.  By successfully I mean he made it to the end and completed every hill except for Canton Ave.  The following year I joined the fun and completed 9 out of the 13 hills, and at that point I knew I would much rather photograph the event than suffer as a participant.

I had the opportunity to shoot the Green's recently at their home.  They also happen to be great friends and it was a joy to watch them interact.

It was also I did an entire shoot without my Canon gear, and I am extremely please with the results.  I did the entire session with the Fujifilm X-E2 and the 56mm f/1.2.  With the exception of sports photography the Canon 5D Mk II sits on the shelf these days.

The images below are a few of my favorites from the session and the top image is my weekly submission.

I had the opportunity to photography a small intimate wedding on Churchview Farm a week ago.  As the evening was coming to a close and the guests were saying their goodbyes, I was able to grab my favorite shot of the evening.  The groom's daughter, Sophie, making a wedding wish or possibly wishing for a new pony.  You can never tell with a 5 year old.

During this summer I had a day off during the week, and I was able to escape the normal day to day. With me I had my bicycle and my Fujifilm X100S. I headed to the the start of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP Trail) in downtown Pittsburgh and started my journey. In this case my journey was a short 50 mile round trip. After taking this short trip and stopping from time to time to make an image or two, I realized that I need to plan a trip for the entire trail from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C.

The X100S is truly the perfect camera for many situations and this is definitely true for bicycle trips. Below are a few of my favorite images from my day trip in July, and I am already mentally planning my trip for the entire trail. I am sure the X100S will make the trip or possibly the X100T.

There are a few events that make me feel like a kid at Christmas these days, Apple announcing a new iPhone, starting a new job, and Construction Junction's Big Pour would be at the top of the list. This year was my third Big Pour and I would have to say it was my most enjoyable experience to date. If you don't know what the CJ Big Pour is and you enjoy good beer and food, then you have been losing at life. The CJ Big Pour now in its 8th year, in my opinion, is the premier Craft Beer Festival in Pittsburgh. It occurs the Saturday after Labor Day, with two sessions, a 12:00pm - 3:00pm and 5:00pm - 8:00pm. Tickets typically sell out in 15-20 minutes and cost $75 each. I attended the afternoon session.

Let me start with my chief complaint from the previous years. When you spend a premium on a ticket to taste beers and delicious bites (there is food too), you don't want to spend 20 minutes of your three hour tasting window in line for the porta-potty. I think there were two forces at work this year that drastically improved this situation. First, it felt like it was less crowded, yet was still a sellout. This leads me to believe the smart folks in charge made this a more exclusive event, thus making porta-potty lines shorter, almost non-existent. Secondly, I think there were more porta-potties available. In the end it doesn't matter if my theories or perceptions are correct or not, since my experience was pleasant and more importantly FAST! Back to the beer.

As in years past the quality of the beer and the breweries represented was second to none. I would also have to say that each year the food gets better and better. Over the last several years the food scene in Pittsburgh has exploded, and these chefs bring their talents to CJ's Big Pour. To top it all off, this year as an added bonus we got to see and actually meet the mayor of Pittsburgh.

As you would expect I had a camera with me and this time it was my Fujifilm X100s. Here are a few of my favorites images from the event, waiting in line, tasting beers and food, hanging out with some friends, the Mayor, and the walk to my next beer at BRGR.

This past weekend was the annual Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (PVGP), so Jonah and I went to watch the cars and take some pictures.  The first 2 images are from my Fuji X-E2, and the top image will be my weekly selection.  The images following of the cars racing are from my Canon 5d MkII, which out performs the Fuji when is comes to sports photography.  My favorite image from the day is the last image, so you should make sure and scroll to the bottom.

As we walked to the races I noticed that some folks in Pittsburgh have begun expressing their love for one another by placing locks on the bridge. As I explained this ritual to Jonah, he asked "Can't they just get married?"  Seems like a reasonable question.

It was so nice out over the weekend that the whole family went for a bike ride.  Jonah wanted to ride over the river so we took the North Shore Trail, crossed the river, and landed at Point State Park.  The Block House was open so the kids went inside to check it out and listen to the local historian explain its significance.  While Sue and I were outside waiting, I noticed the Daughters of the American Revolution  (D.A.R.) emblem above the entrance and had Harper pose for a photo.

If Harper should decide to apply when she is old enough she could be a member of D.A.R.  My post here (http://www.theyellowbelt.com/2013/03/genealogy-surprises.html) highlights briefly how Harper is a family name.

During the wedding we were at last Saturday I stepped outside and snapped a few images of the Pittsburgh skyline.

Butterjoint is the full service bar for Legume in Oakland.  This restaurant-bar combination is one of the best in the city, and I have never been disappointed when visiting.  Usually when I visit, the bar and dining room are hopping and this view of the bar being empty is something I have never seen.  Sue and I were there for lunch the other day and I grabbed an image of the Butterjoint.  You should check it out if you ever have the chance.

I was driving through Pittsburgh around noon this weekend and was able to get a shot while waiting for the light to turn green.

On Sunday we took the kids ice skating down at the Ice Rink at PPG Place.  After we were done and everyone was taking off their skates I was able to capture this image.  The PPG buildings are probably my favorite in the city.

I shouldn't be blogging about this, since it is one of the best kept secrets in Pittsburgh.  Santa visits Phipps each year, and if you are a member you can have your kids pay a visit to have a discussion.  I say discussion, since this is not a rush job.  The line is short and you bring your own camera (which is the part I like most).  After the visit with Santa, you can check out the flowers, trains, and café.  It is a great time for the family.  Here are a few shots from the day.