Santa on the Beach | Virginia Beach VA

• October 7th, 2022 •

Santa is back at the beach. So excited to have Santa Todd and Santa Randy back in Virginia Beach for our Santa on the beach portraits! Time slots will sell out quickly so don’t wait to book. And keep checking back if you can’t make it, we are doing cookies with Santa in December!

Bring the whole family as there is enough time in the session for a few family portraits and portraits with Santa. Check out some of these amazing portraits from last year!

https://devonshanorphotography.studio-booking.com/booking/santaonthebeach2022/

Superhero Kent

• January 11th, 2019 •

Kent was 6 months in December and he was happy and ready to celebrate his new ability to sit up on his own! He was also pretty excited about Santa coming to visit later in the month! Nichole, Kent’s mom, had to take a conference call during the portrait session so she spent time in the office while Kent and I got some fantastic portraits of him in the studio. Kent was such a superhero for his portraits! Thank you again for letting me photograph your handsome little man!

I continue to be proud that I made the decision to expand my space last year because it gives my clients and I the much needed space during the sessions!

Why Hanging Portraits Help Children | Hampton Roads Photographer

• February 5th, 2018 •

Many parents, like mine, have hung every portrait ever taken whether it be just their children or family portraits. It has been proven to boost a child’s self esteem when they see themselves in portraits hanging around the house.

According to David Krauss, who is a psychologist from Cleveland Ohio it’s important to have those family/children portraits. It helps children see themselves as an important and valued part of the family unit.

As a photographer, I am biased, they say that there is something powerful in touching your fingers to an actual print. There’s stimulation of the brain when you have that sensory experience like touching a portrait. There isn’t really any of that in the digital world with all the social media that exists. You are touching a keyboard, mouse or a touchscreen but you are not touching the actual image that involves your child or family.

Children like to feel like they belong, especially in this world that we live in today. Photographers get to create an image where the child feels safe and protected. They can look back on this even when they’re older and remember that safe feeling.

So yes, not hanging portraits doesn’t do any harm, but hanging them could help your child!

Here are some photos from my clients of them hanging portraits I captured!

Tis the Season! |Hampton Roads Photographer

• December 13th, 2017 •

It’s the Christmas season which means it’s time for Christmas portraits! Meet the Coopers! I have worked with this amazing family before and they’re just a blast to work with!

Mia wasn’t in the Christmas spirit but thanks to my awesome assistant Olivia who gave lots of tickles and bragged them with candy canes, a few smiles were able to break through.

These little munchkins made mom get teary eyed because out of all their family photos they have never gotten everyone to look at the camera which made mom super excited!!!I think these portraits turned out AMAZING. It was such a fun shoot!

If you’d like to get some Christmas portraits there is still time! I’m having a Christmas mini session! It’s $50 for a 15 minute in studio session with a $25 print credit! These make wonderful gifts or amazing Christmas cards! Contact me today to book!

Santa Clause Came Early! | Hampton Roads Photographer

• December 8th, 2017 •

Santa Clause made an appearance at the beach this year! The weather was chilly but I’m sure that made Santa feel at home! We had so many great families!

We love when Santa on the beach mini sessions because we get to capture so many beautiful portraits for families and help a family in need. Instead of a session fee we ask that those participating donate a toy for a family who may not get a Christmas this year. We actually over filled a big box of toys for the munchkins we are helping out, how awesome is that!?!?!

We had so much fun with this shoot as you can see below! Each family was super awesome and we were able to capture such great portraits that we love so much and hope you do too!

Santa Is Coming Early! |Hampton Roads Photographer

• October 17th, 2017 •

There are so many people in Virginia Beach who consider themselves Beach Bums… and years ago Santa got jealous! The cold in the North Pole got to be too much so he has made it a point to visit our beach every fall!!!

We are so excited to bring back a session everyone has requested… Santa on the beach! We know all our clients love this session, and so do we! You’ll have a chance to get some amazing family portraits with santa and without. We ask that you make a $25 deposit to hold your slot, which will go towards print credit. In place of a session fee, we do ask that you bring an unwrapped gift so that we are able to help children in need during this time of year.

Unfortunately this will most likely be the last year we get to do this at the Lynnhaven Fishing Pier. If you haven’t heard, the up-keep with the bridge and all the finances that go along with it were just too much to keep up with. They are closing the bridge in a few weeks for good and have sold it to Westminster-Cantebury, who haven’t disclosed their plans for the pier yet. So who knows what our santa on the beach looks like next year?!?! If you are a frequent “Santa on the Beach” client, don’t miss out this year to get what could possibly be the last year with our amazing pier in the background. (Don’t worry, we will still have Santa back next year no matter what happens to our beloved pier!)

Even with all the sad news, we are super excited to create awesome portraits with everyone! Remember if you haven’t put your deposit in, you should do that quick! Please make your payment to Devon@DevonShanorPhotography.com. Slots are going quick… Saturday is nearly full!! We wouldn’t want you to miss this awesome activity!

A Year in Review | Hampton Roads Photographer

• December 31st, 2016 •

Another amazing year has passed. Last year at this exact time, I was just so thankful 2015 was almost OVER. It was a year filled with so much sadness and loss. I prayed for 2016 to be a BORING year at least! I just wanted to get past all the pain of 2015. God answers prayers and more. Like he states “There is a time and a season for everything.” The BORING year I was praying for didn’t happen, instead He gave me so much more.

Personal highlights of 2016… I started the year off on a cruise with my family. The first cruise we have done together and it was a beautiful welcome to the new year! In the spring, I visited NYC with my son and godson and got to see my childhood crush, Will Smith (aaaaahhhhhhh) film the movie Collateral Beauty. (Seriously, I was like a giddy child- and the coolest thing was it was an unexpected surprise to see him on set!! Thanks to an amazing friend who set it up!) In the summer, I visited Ethiopia again, with Habesha Momma, and got to start the process of opening a home for homeless and trafficked children. I also FINALLY got to take my husband to NYC. I love NYC and Brett has said for years “NEVER” when I ask if he’d like to go with me. However, he finally agreed and we had a fabulous time together enjoying the big city!

One of the biggest personal and business highlights was I moved my business out of my house and into a true commercial space!! It was a HUGE leap of faith but I am so very thankful I took the risk. I LOVE having my own space. I’ve been a successful photographer for years BUT having my own name on the outside of a building makes me feel “I’ve made it!” It has been an amazing whirlwind of a year! I had a phenomenal Open House in my new space and felt so much love poured out. I have been blessed by the opportunity to photograph so many amazing people, families and projects. I truly love my job and don’t take for granted the fact that I am given the gift of creating moments in time for each of you.

This blog every year is one of my hardest… to go through the year and pick my favorite images to share. Each one of you are so special to me, all of our shoots hold special moments and laughs. In every single session- I am creating memories that I pray will be cherished for generations to come. Narrowing that down to 15-20 images to show my year in review… it is SO HARD! But here are some of the highlights I was able to narrow it down too… and once again thank you. Thank you for trusting me, thank you for supporting me, thank you for allowing me into your family.

I pray blessings, love and lots of laughter in 2017!

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It’s time to think about Christmas Cards | Virginia Beach Family Photographer

• October 8th, 2014 •

It’s Christmas card time! You all know you love all the GOOD mail you get every November/December. Seeing how much your nieces and nephews have grown and matured, seeing how much weight (and hair?) your brother is steadily losing, and how stunning Aunt Emily still looks. It’s all there to see in their yearly Christmas card which you proudly display on your wall, mantle or refrigerator!

Guess what? YOU can be that awesome family member too! Send out your own amazing Christmas cards this year! It’s time for some amazing family portraits anyway! The kids are growing up and when was the last time you captured the WHOLE family and all that awesomeness in one portrait?? Be the cool family member who “has- it -all- together- she- even- sent- out- these- cool- Christmas- cards!” as well as FINALLY create and hang that amazing wall canvas of your family you have been dying to do for years!

Contact me today to book your family portraits before Dec. 10th and I will throw in 25 FREE Christmas cards! Here a few samples with some of my awesome current clients!

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