Stretching Myself as a Photographer | Personal

• May 18th, 2016 •

I just returned from The Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography (MARS) in New Jersey. It is a school I have been attending for the last seven years to stretch and grow myself as a family and portrait photographer. I love spending time with other professional photographers. Often, we will talk about WHY we became photographers and I have found that my story into becoming a professional photographer is often different than others. Most of my peers fell in love with the ART of photography. They began taking pictures at a young age and learned to develop film in a darkroom, excited by the process of photography. They often began by taking pictures of flowers, sunsets, landscapes, etc. Often that love of photography transferred into taking pictures of people. They seem to all have a deep appreciation and love for art of all kinds. They love visiting museums and often are skilled as artists with a pen, paper or paintbrush as well as behind a camera. They are passionate about art.

My story is different. I didn’t have a camera in my hand growing up and I’ve never developed film in a darkroom. I don’t often visit museums and I never did very well in art class. If you ask me to draw a dog, it might end up looking more like a horse… or a bunny. I fell in love with photography as a TOOL to capture love. I LOVE people. I am passionate about people and the connections between them. I began photography because I wanted to capture the love of family, the strength and passion in a marriage, the love of parents for their children, the connections between siblings, the transition of a young man or woman as they graduate high school and the beauty of new life in a newborn. THAT for me is the art I am passionate about. Photography for me is so exciting because it allows to to take those moments and preserve them forever.

That being said, I don’t shoot landscapes, flowers, trees, inanimate objects very often. I often will see a beautiful landscape and think “That is beautiful, I wish I had a family or couple here so I could create a beautiful portrait.” I notice the beauty, but to me, it would be made more beautiful if I could incorporate the love and connection of people into the scene.

Recently, I reconnected with an old friend who is an amazing artist in multiple different mediums. We had some long discussions about art and the definition of an “artist.” He inspired me to stretch myself and try to expand my view of art through my own photography. Don’t get me wrong, I see so much beauty and talent in landscape photographers, I have some friends who are incredibly talented in that field! I am in awe of what they capture! I just have a hard time myself bringing that same beauty to life behind my own camera.

Like I said, my friend encouraged me to try and stretch myself, and see beauty, vision and perspective in way that DON’T include people. Since I was going to be at MARS in Cape May NJ, a gorgeous place to photograph landscapes, old Victorian homes, animals, boats, etc, I decided to take him up on the challenge.

IT WAS HARD! I am so used to having a vision of what I want to photograph before I start, a vision that ALWAYS includes people. To just walk around and try to find inspiration in the objects around me… that was hard! I only really had one day to work on this personal project, and that day, it was raining and foggy. So my go-to sunrise or sunset pictures were out.

I’m definitely not ready to start selling postcards, but thought I’d share a little piece of myself with you. I feel like a brand new photographer again, as I definitely have a lot of room to grow here, but it’s important to stretch yourself and grow. Here’s me growing…

My New Office | Hampton Roads Photographer

• May 13th, 2016 •

What a year this has been. Last year was a pretty terrible year for me personally and I was so ready for 2016. I was expecting a much better year, but I didn’t expect this!!!

Less than two weeks ago, I signed a lease on my new office space. It has been dream of mine, to get out of my home office, for such a long time but I have been so afraid to take the leap. With a HUGE nudge from my husband, I finally took jumped off the ledge and did it!

My space is located at 1642 Pleasure House Rd. Suite 108, Virginia Beach. The downstairs space is Synergy Space, an amazing multi-use space that can be rented for multiple different uses (parties, classes, networking, meetings, etc) and the upstairs space is ALL MINE!

It’s not a huge space, I’ll shoot newborns and professional portraits/headshots here, but I’ll still rent my other studio space for larger studio work. It is an AMAZING space though to work, edit, meet with clients and have my viewing sessions!

It’s been a long two weeks getting it ready and I am SO THANKFUL to everyone who helped me. Jeris at Smartgiraffe (www.smartgiraffecs.com) was amazing at helping me get my computer up and running and a new screen projector installed and working. My friends were amazing and stepped up helping me paint, decorate, rewrite and organize. My husband Brett did a majority of the work while I was out of town and did all the heavy lifting! I may run this business alone, but I am SO VERY thankful to those who lift me up and surround me with support.

Here is a progression of our before and after images!!

My Olivia helping put up my curtains and touch up all the paint!

My handsome bandyman. I wouldn’t be here without his support and encouragement!

ALL DONE!!! A few little tweaks here and there BUT I’m officially open for business!!!

Soon, I’ll be announcing my open house date and I can’t wait to celebrate with you as I embark on this new adventure… but don’t feel you need to wait. I’d love it if you’d stop by and say hello. I love visitors!

My business evolution… Big NEWS!!! | Hampton Roads Photographer

• April 29th, 2016 •

Six years! I have been in business over six years. I started with an office in my bedroom and then moved into my garage. Then, four years ago we moved across town and I finally had my own office space in my home where clients could come do their viewings. It wasn’t ideal having everyone come to my house, but I was still a new business and it worked! For the past year I have been praying about moving my business outside my home. I have had a lot of reservations, mostly rooted in fear, but decided to put it out there and see what God would do. I was pretty specific about what I wanted though. A space where I could meet with clients and do their viewing sessions, a small studio space for my newborn sessions, within a specific price range AND needed to be near my home. I have been looking around and NOTHING met those criteria. I wasn’t discouraged, I had faith the right place would show up when the time was right.

Unexpectedly, two days ago, that time was upon me! I am now the owner of my own business space less than a mile from my home! “Cue fireworks and confetti”

WOW! Yes, I’ve been praying on it, but seeing places that were 2-4 times by budget just made me think that finding a space meeting my requirements just wasn’t going to happen. Should have known not to doubt God!

Wednesday morning I posted this on Facebook…

I posted this in the morning and then, just happened to check craigslist on a whim for office space. By 6:00, I had the keys to a new space in my hand!!!!!! WHAT??!!?!?!?

All I can say is that I am in awe. I am scared, nervous, excited and overwhelmed! But I have great friends and a supportive family and we’re busy painting and buying furniture and working hard to get it ready.

Can’t wait to show it off!!!! I am heading out of town Sunday for a photography school in New Jersey. (www.marsschool.com) I’ll be home next weekend and plan to be in the office and working by that Monday!!!

I am so thankful for the past six years. I am honored to have been blessed by so many of you who have trusted me to capture your precious family portraits. I am so excited to see what the future holds for Devon Shanor Photography and thank all of you, from the bottom of my heart, for standing by and supporting me!

Four Sessions in ONE! | Family Portrait Photographer Virginia Beach

• April 26th, 2016 •

When your anniversary coincides with your baby’s first birthday, you are pregnant and needing maternity portraits, and it’s been awhile since you did family portraits, do you need to book multiple sessions? Not with me you don’t. We can do them all at one and kill four birds with one stone!

When Cheyla called inquiring about anniversary/maternity portraits and little Rico needed his first year portraits, I said “Why not do them at the same time? And heck, if the family can come, we’ll do some family portraits too!”

We had such a blast and Cheyla is a ROCK STAR as it was COLD out! Spring kept coming and then leaving… 70 degrees one day and then 45 the next. We had already rescheduled once for wind and rain, and we didn’t want to do it again. So Cheyla braved the cold again! (Her last maternity portraits were in the SNOW!)

We had a great time in the park capturing the family portraits ( we missed big brother Angel but were happy to have Cheyla’s brother Chris there!) Prince Rico had a blast at the park celebrating turning one and was such a ham for the camera. We finished at the park with some romantic maternity portraits; I love capturing Cheyla and Eddie- their love is so genuine and beautiful!

W left the park to capture a few more portraits in the studio and to photograph his cake smash! He loved the portraits but wasn’t too happy about the cake! He had a few bites and then just wanted to be done and kept getting mad at us for smearing icing in on him. I cannot wait to photograph his baby sister when she arrives!

Announcing Baby Mack! | Baby’s First Year Photographer Hampton Roads

• April 10th, 2016 •

Nigel and Tia are expecting!!!! I photographed Nigel and Tia’s engagement and am so very excited to be continuing our relationship as we head into photographing the Baby’s First Year!

I was SO excited to get the call from Tia telling me the news…. they are expecting a HONEYMOON baby! YAY!!!

I LOVE that I was one of the first to know as they wanted me to photograph the announcement. Nigel is deployed so we wanted to do a shoot that incorporated him across all the miles, you’ll see him in the phone pointing at a picture of the ultrasound! I love how the images turned out and am so excited to do a maternity session in six months or so. Tia is already glowing and I can’t wait to see how she transforms into the amazing mom God has called her to be.

Congrats Nigel and Tia! So very excited for you and can’t wit to meet your little blessing.

The Lopez’s- Adding another boy to the mix! | Maternity Photographer Virginia Beach

• April 10th, 2016 •

Meet the handsome Lopez boys… oh, yeah, and the beautiful mom that impressively handles it all, Orlyn. I was so excited to capture this family as they prepare to welcome… another BOY!

We wanted to capture some family and maternity portraits outdoors, but the weather was a bit chilly! Thankfully, my studio has a beautiful outdoor space as well so we were able to do the family portraits outdoors and then head inside for a few more maternity portraits.

Everyone is so excited to meet baby Emmanuel and his big brothers can’t wait to teach him all the ropes of being a Lopez! We had a blast on our session and the boys were amazingly well behaved and simply adorable to photograph!

I will be sharing Emmanuel’s welcome to the world soon… but for now lets enjoy the family as they prepare to welcome him!

As a side note, Orlyn looks AMAZING! She totally rocked her maternity shots and looks like a hired model!!!

Welcome Shiloh | Newborn Photographer Virginia Beach

• April 4th, 2016 •

She’s HERE… Welcome baby Shiloh! Even though she was born in December, for me, she was my New Year’s baby! Why? Well- she was my first client of the new year! What a way to start 2016!

Shiloh has been a member of the Devon Shanor Photography family for years… as I have been photographing her mommy and daddy before I was even in business! Jared and Haley are wonderful friends and clients and they have trusted me for years to capture their memories! We’ve gone from their engagement to their wedding, from professional headshots to maternity portraits! We have walked through many ups and downs together and I was very excited to hear that they welcomed little Shiloh just after Christmas!

Shiloh is such a perfect little girl. I wanted to cuddle her as much as photograph her during her session! She’s blessed with such wonderful parents and extended family and I can’t wait to see her grow into the amazing little girl she is destined to become.

Thanks Jared and Haley for sharing her with me. She is such a beautiful little lady and I am so excited to see your little family growing!

Tough Siblings | Virginia Beach Photographer

• March 11th, 2016 •

Meet Kenneth, Hunter and Ethan… three tough brothers you don’t want to mess with! Last year, Kenny began wrestling at Great Neck Middle school with my son Logan. Our families became friends and we have enjoyed watching Kenny move onto high school and continuing to excel in the sport. So I wasn’t surprised when I heard his little brothers followed in his footsteps and began wrestling too! Today they all wrestle with the Great Neck Wrestling Club in Virginia Beach. Since it’s not often you find three brothers all excited about the same sport, we wanted to capture all of them together in some great portraits.

I love these boys and they kept me laughing through the whole session. Can’t wait to see how the next few years mold and change these boys into men!

Waiting for blessing #6 | Maternity Portraits Virginia Beach

• February 16th, 2016 •

This beautiful momma is Christy and she is expecting blessing number SIX! So very excited to celebrate with her and I can’t wait to meet little Brandon! After her baby shower at our church, we took a few portraits outside, as she’s already 8 cm dilated and we didn’t think she’d make it many more days being pregnant! But over two weeks later, little Brandon is still warm and snug in the womb! He’ll come when he’s good and ready!

Christy, you are a beautiful momma-to-be! Enjoy these last few days before you welcome this last little Sawyer! I know his brothers and sisters can’t wait to meet him 🙂

“Quirky” Author Headshots | Virginia Beach Photographer

• February 3rd, 2016 •

I LOVE when I get calls asking for something a bit different than what I normally do! Erin called and asked me for professional portraits to use as she promotes the new teen novel she wrote. Not so different, right? She mentioned “quirky” and “fun” and then she mentioned “Dinosaur park” and I got excited!!!

We headed out to Pungo and braved the cold to capture these fun portraits! She mothered the baby dinos and climbed through fields (okay, bushes) trying to stay out of the way of the T-Rex. He found her though and she had no choice but to take him out with her bow and arrows! She blew kisses to a Brontosaurus and ran with Veloso Raptures!

If Erin’s book as as fun as she is, I can’t wait to buy it for myself and my daughter! As soon as I find out where you can buy it, I’ll let you know. As for now, enjoy these portraits and remember, your professional portraits need to reflect YOU! If you are quirky, fun and a little silly… your portraits should be too!

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