Mermaids with Mommy | Hampton Roads Mermaid Portraits

• August 21st, 2017 •

Heidie and Nala were my first and perfect mommy and daughter duo! Heidie decided to make a special surprise for her husband and surprisingly it wasn’t Nala who spilled the beans to dad after the shoot, it was Heidie! She loved her video so much she showed him the video as soon as I produced it!

The session was AMAZING. We shot at Chicks Beach and it was a beautiful day despite the water being just a tad chilly. Nala, our little mermaid was upset when she got her tail wet, but momma stuck it out!

These sessions are still available but not for long as the chilly weather is approaching! Contact me today if you are interested in making your mermaid fantasy a reality!

Mermaids wash ashore in Virginia Beach | Mermaid Portrait Photographer

• July 3rd, 2017 •

Gabby came to me with the idea of doing mermaid portraits. She had been thinking of doing them for years but hadn’t found a photographer she felt could capture her vision of what she wanted. So we discussed what ideas she had in mind and searched for tails, accessories and props. We decided to go for it and create her dream portraits.

This session was AMAZING. Even the sunset seemed to work with us in creating perfect portraits and gave us amazing colors and beauty. Gabby was a magical mermaid!! We even has a little girl come up wanting to see the “real life mermaid” on the beach.

These sessions are available to book now! We have openings in late July, August and September. I can turn your children into beautiful little mermaids or even make your own mermaid dreams come true. Book a mommy/ daughter session or a session with your best friend.

Contact me today if you are interested in making your mermaid fantasy come true!

2017 Graduate Kendall | Hampton Roads Senior Portrait Photographer

• May 30th, 2017 •

Twelve long years of school finally come to and end!!! I have watched this young lady grow up over the past 10 years and I am so excited to see how she has blossomed and grown into this beautiful woman. She will be starting her schooling all over next year at Liberty University, her parents Alma Mater, and couldn’t be more excited.

We had a great session, even if we did get attacked by gnats and bugs. 🙂 Kendal rocked every minute of her session and her portraits turned out amazing.

I am so very glad that we did a few family portraits at the end as well. It’s important to do family portraits before your kids go off to college, who knows what the next few years may bring. 🙂 There might be additional family members, people may move away and spending time together as a whole family may come less and less. It’s so important to take family portraits when you have the chance to capture your family, as your kids are born and your family is growing, as they are growing up and toothless and all legs and arms, and as they are embarking on adulthood and about to go spread their wings. It’s moments and milestones that we remember, but havign portraits to show us those moments is such a treasure!

So, thank you Kendal and the Farnsworth clan for allowing me to capture these moments or your family and this amazing milestone. Kendall, I am so proud of the woman you have become. <3 <3

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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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Actress Headshots: Megan | Hampton Roads Headshot Photographer

• August 24th, 2016 •

Megan is an up and coming actress in Hampton Roads- already doing amazing things in the area… and she’s still in high school!!! Next year she’ll be heading off to college and has some very big dreams. So very proud of her and can’t wait to say “I photographed her when she was just a teen!”

Megan- you were a joy to photograph and can’t wait to see all your dreams come true. Make sure I get an invite to your upcoming shows this year!

Getting Ready for Moses III | Maternity Photographer Hampton Roads

• August 1st, 2016 •

I met Moses and Angel David almost 10 years ago. Even back then I can remember them talking about having a 2nd child, but waiting on God’s timing. Well… God finally said it was time! I was SO EXCITED to hear they were expecting a little boy and that Amani was going to be a big sister! I can’t wait to meet Moses III, aka 3D.

Their maternity session was AMAZING! We got a break in the crazy heat and the sunset was GORGEOUS! Add in the fact that the David family is stunningly beautiful… well, it was a photographers dream! I can’t wait to photograph 3D’s newborn session… and maybe more maternity sessions in the future! I think the world could do well with a few extra little David’s running around! Enjoy!

Whitfield | Family Photographer Hampton Roads

• June 21st, 2016 •

Can this family GET any cuter?!?! I had so much photographing CJ’s first birthday portraits as well as their family portraits. They haven’t done family portraits yet AND mom and dad hadn’t done any portraits together ever, so this was an extra special shoot for them. And when I say they ROCKED this session, I meant it! Denise and Christopher are a stunning couple and made my job so easy! The light was perfect and CJ was such a little model and his adorable smile melted my heart! I would have shot for another hour if it hadn’t gotten dark and chilly.

The images that resulted from this shoot are STUNNING! Denise cried when she saw them and honestly, that is one of the favorite parts of my job. I know it sounds terrible, “I like making my clients cry” but when they are crying tears of joy because they have never had such beautiful images of themselves… well, I might have shed a tear or two myself!

Denise and Christopher, thank you so much for allowing me to capture your family. It truly was an honor and I can’t wait for our next session!

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!

Raschdorf Family | Family Photographer Virginia Beach

• August 4th, 2015 •

I LOVE seeing my families grow! It has been a few years since I photographed Jake and Brittany’s family… and since then they have added Kenzie! So it was such a joy to photograph them again and I have to say, these girls LOVE to model! Usually I have to fight to keep little ones just looking at the camera… with Kenzie and Kira it was hard to get them to STOP posing! Future little models I think for sure! They loved the camera and were SO MUCH FUN to photograph. The next kids I photograph have large shoes to fill!

We had such a blast climbing trees and sand dunes, playing with umbrellas and seashells and enjoying a beautiful sunset. Thanks Jake and Brittany for trusting me again with capturing your beautiful family!

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Minkewicz Family Portraits | Virginia Beach Portrait photographer

• August 2nd, 2015 •

I love this family! We have so much in common with our kids being about the same ages and Christina and I are heading on a mission trip to Ethiopia in just a few weeks! They are such a wonderful loving family and I was overjoyed when Christina called me to capture their family portraits. But then she told me their last family portraits we taken THIRTEEN YEARS AGO! That mean big time pressure for me… this would be their first professional pictures since both Max and Clara had been added to the family!

The day came and God provided us with a beautiful day and an incredible sunset. The kids were excited to take pictures prepared to have some fun! I loved when I was trying to get the kids to smile and told a joke… everyone laughed and Max encouraged me by saying “Good job Devon, just keep the jokes coming and this shoot will be easy!” Lol, what a riot!

One really interesting thing about this shoot was that, they knew they wanted the beach, but were open to whichever beach I choose. I choose First Landing State park as it has great sunsets. Later as we were viewing their images, Christiana told me that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel seen in the background of their images, has a very special place in the start of their family. When they were first married they traveled that bridge weekly as family and work were on opposite sides. To have the bridge in the background of their portraits, 15 years later is pretty memorable… the fact that it happened on accident is just awesome.

Thanks Christina and Frank for creating such an awesome family and allowing ME to create some beautiful images for you to cherish for years to come. Let’s just not wait ANOTHER 13 years til we do the next session! 🙂

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