One of my very favorite things to photograph is couples that have been married for decades. So often we forget to truly appreciate and cherish the love in a marriage when kids, school, careers, sports, activities, bills, church and EVERYTHING else that comes with running and family and a household, comes FIRST. We forget that two people started it all, two people who fell in love are the foundation of it all. Too often we forget where it all began and truly celebrate each other and the love they share.
My Treasured Love Sessions are such an important part of my business. They bring me so much joy and hope! These session celebrate the couple and their journey through life, love, commitment and sacrifice.
I was SO honored to photograph Joe and Faye. They met in FIRST GRADE! They have so many decades of memories, from coloring and recess, to sock hops and cotillions, from football and cheerleading to building a family, to retirement and grandkids. It was such a blessing to “walk down memory lane” with them as they shared so many of these special moments with me and reminisced on a life well loved.
We even photographed Faye in her wedding gown… that still fit!!!! She looks as beautiful now as I am sure she did then, and her grooms eyes are still focused on her!
During our session planning, I had them each answer a few questions without the help of knowledge of the other. I used their answers to “write” them a letter from one to the other. It was such a special moments as they read their letters to each other and then danced to their favorite song.
Enjoy this little walk down memory lane with us as we celebrate the love between Joe and Faye!
I was so excited to photograph Malorie and Xavior. I have known Malorie for years and was SO EXCITED to find out she was pregnant. But she had recently moved across the country so I didn’t think I’d be able to photograph her maternity portraits. But… on a trip home for her baby shower we were able to fit in her session.
She was GLOWING for her session at First Landing State Park. It was HOT but the love between them and the gorgeous Virginia Beach weather helped me to create these amazing portraits. It was almost impossible to narrow down to our favorites from heir session!
I cannot wait to meet her little one in November when she comes back to visit. Stay tuned for more portraits then!
Portraits are supposed to be fun! Posing and staging is only half of it! Personally, Candids are my favorite! One of my favorite things about Devon is her ability to make any session fun. It doesn’t matter if it’s a tantrum, nervous mom getting her first boudoir shoot since kiddos, a Dad that “really hates getting his picture taken” or that senior that is only doing portraits to appease Mom and Dad… It’s a fun experience here at DSP!
Here are some of our favorite candids that we absolutely love!
“I love my baby brother!!!!… Sooooooooo much!”
“Don’t mind me… just struttin’ my stuff with the newest fad… Wear necklaces around our teeth!”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BEAUTIFUL MATTHEWS SISTERS!!!
“Nothing like a cold ocean touching your toes to make you run like the wind!”
Anybody who has talked to me about working with Devon has heard me say “I don’t work with Devon just because she pays me…” and that statement is more than true…
I started as a client, I wanted to do newborn portraits for my son Bradley and I tried to do them myself… I procrastinated and finally said I need a professional to do this! Devon was sweet and understanding and we did a “newborn” style shoot when Bradley was three months old. I was so happy to have newborn portraits, even if he wasn’t really still a newborn. She was so patient with me as a new mom, especially one that was suffering from Post Partum Anxiety and didn’t know it at the time.
We loved them and the experience, this woman even got my husband to enjoy getting his photo taken. I even got him to agree to do family photos once a year! So the following year, we did Bradley’s one year portraits…. this was so much fun! Devon had just gotten back from her latest trip to Ethiopia with Habesha Mama so we got talking about what she does there for kids in need. It was such an incredible story that just made me love her as a person even more. (keep an eye out for a post about Habesha Mama if you’d like to hear about it!) We talked and laughed and bonded.
The following year, Andrew was born. Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to get newborn portraits right away! Andrew was 13 days old when we got his newborn photos and I will treasure them forever! This time Devon learned more about me, she found out I was a real estate photographer, and had some significant experience with graphic design.
The following year… (yes, I got my husband to do pictures FOUR years in a row with Devon!) for Andrew’s one year portraits we were already family. My kids looked forward to seeing her, and my husband was not nervous about pictures and as a result, I wasn’t stressed out about getting ready for pictures.
After his cake smash, during our inevitable hour chat, Devon told me that busy season was coming and what was on the horizon for her and Devon Shanor Photography. I told her that if she ever needed a hand I would be happy to help out! A few months later, she took me up on it! It started as a small edit here, to collages, and evolved into so much more.
Here we are in the fifth year, I’m integrated into Devon Shanor Photography more than I ever expected to but I LOVE IT. A little bit of graphic design, little bit of office management, little bit confidant, little bit organizer, and so much more. Jack of all trades is an understatement when it comes to what I do for Devon Shanor Photography…. But let me tell you, Devon SAW that in me.
I work for Devon… not just because she pays me, but because it’s like working with family. There is a comfort and openness that I’ve never had working anywhere else. My opinion is valued and appreciated, and my skillset is valued and even encouraged to grow. There is an honesty and respect that you don’t usually see in big work place politics. We aren’t scared to put each other in their place. She tells me I’ve gone off on a tangent and got distracted (ADD… Just saying, it’s brutal!) and I’m not scared to tell her that the fifteen different folders for the exact same thing really gotta go. There is respect, love, friendship, Christ, honesty and so much more working with Devon, because that’s WHO SHE IS, and it’s who we have become as a team. Devon always says this, but Dev, MY TURN! I LOVE MY JOB! 🙂
EVERYONE needs a beautiful professional headshots. Today most people are judged before they are met as others check out their social media sites and websites.
Kyndra wanted something fun and different for her professional portraits. So we headed to First Landing State Park , a perfect mix of woods and beach and always a beautiful Virginia Beach sunset!
We had a bit of a technical issue with my lighting equipment as it decided to go on strike during the shoot. But, I always have a few tricks up my sleeve and with some creative ideas using an on camera flash, a reflector and my super cool assistant, we overcame and created some beautiful AMAZING portraits!
I love what I do and am blessed to help others succeed with beautiful headshots! I’d love to help you with yours!
I was blessed to photograph Ashley about 5 years ago when she was still in high school. Then, she called me with news of her COLLEGE graduation from Wesleyan.
Covid-9 put a wrench in our plans and we had to reschedule a few times, but her portraits, taken at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens was nothing short of spectacular!! She STUNNED with perfect makeup and outfits and the scenery at the gardens was just amazing. There may or may not have been a wardrobe malfunction while changing but the rain held off until the last snap of my camera. So all in all… I’ll call her session a success!
I can’t wait to continue my photography journey with Ashley! Who knows what comes next. But I know she will be amazing in her future endeavors. She’s such a sweet, fun and beautiful woman and will be a blessing wherever her degree takes her!!
I have begun a new series in the studio called PTSD Empowerment. (PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.) As someone who has been directly affected by PTSD, I believe there needs to be more attention and insight brought to the public. Depression, anxiety, emotional distancing, nightmares, flashbacks, memory problems, trust issues and isolation are just a few of the problems people face. And so many think that PTSD is only for military veterans, which is so false. PTSD can affect anyone who experiences a trauma. It can last for months, years or even a lifetime. This series explores the highs and lows of PTSD and gives my clients a physical, tangible, concert way to express what they feel, from their trauma through their ongoing recovery. It is not my place to share their story from my perspective, so I will be allowing them to share it from theirs. Here is one of my clients words and her story as well as her images we have created and chosen to share with you.
Hello. I am Constance. I am a Christian, a mother, a friend, a massage therapist and have beautiful aspirations similar to all of you. I, as well, have PTSD. A disease that affects my life in all aspects everyday.
I wanted to do this session with Devon; although it was a scary idea to unveil my imperfections. But I wanted to help and bring awareness to those that may not understand PTSD and to empower those that are ashamed. It’s ok to say it out loud or in a picture.
I have had many experiences of death in my life that slowly brought me to this point. My little brother, who had autism, was severely burned from the neck down. I fought by his side for months, I slept in chairs waiting rooms and prayed endlessly. He passed away in my arms after his valiant fight and a piece of me chipped away. Yet still I had to keep my smile and mind together, because who has the time to breakdown when you have two kids under 5, right? Then my best friend and godmother of my children developed an addiction. I loved this woman as my sister. I fought with her often and prayed with her. Then, I got a phone call from a detective and I needed to get her things. She was no longer here to fight, talk to or pray for. But again, I had no time to process her death or breakdown as I now had a husband and five children.
Then unexpectedly, my husband my protector the father of my child passed away suddenly in my home. His last breath was mine as I administered CPR. I was helpless, this death finally broke me. My PTSD was here and present, paralyzing and could not be ignored any longer. I sought help because I had no choice. I could not be a mom,a friend and even an advocate for myself I was mentally dying. I sought God and counseling. With those things came medications everyone is so ashamed of talking about. Which by the way, I was ashamed too, and had to learn to deal with that shame. I eventually got myself a career as massage therapist helping others with their physical pain.
That was 2014. Now in 2020, my stepson was killed by a driver under the influence of drugs and my mind triggered once again. But, through my past traumas, I have learned the tools to help myself the best I can. My images in the photos are what I felt inside. Chained up, balled up weighed down. Pulling my hair in despair, the anxiety and fear for my loved ones that are here and can be gone in a split second. Shame that I can’t keep it together. Silenced with duck tape because no one wants to hear it anymore.
Devon captured it all so well. The photo of me holding my kids was inspiration and such a perfect example of what made me fight so hard. God was and is my anchor. I wanted to make sure we included that in my story.
Becoming a massage therapist allowed me to bring healing to others, which in turn helped me to find and seek my own healing.
I want everyone to know that this is real. That the shame is unwarranted. I want people to know that it’s not simply getting over it, it is a daily struggle. And if you don’t understand the disease, it’s okay to ask. We are not just complaining, we physically and mentally are changed. Please excuse our moody times, anger, depression, our unexplained crying, our fake smiles. We are on a journey of healing. This photo shoot was a piece of that healing. And I hope by stepping out it will help yours too. God bless you, for I am with you and you are not alone.
The class of 2020 really lost so much this year. The prom, the senior trips, spring sports, time with friends, graduations and so much more. Itis heartbreaking for them and for their families. At Devon Shanor Photography we are working hard to show them support and love. One thing we are doing is sharing their Cashtags through Cashapp. Through this app you can send them a little congratulatory gift. (What 17 or 18 year old doesn’t love some money at graduation???) If you could, let’s flood them with some hope and a tiny bit of joy in these unfair moments!
Our featured Senior this week is Christian. He attends Hickory High School in Chesapeake. He’s a quiet guy but loved his metal music! Like many senior guys he wasn’t super excited about senior portraits but did them for mom. 🙂 We are so happy that he was able to do them before mom deployed too. She’s been away during much of his Senior year but getting to experience his senior portraits with him with such a blessing for her!
Christian is still exploring his options after high school. He’s looking into trade school for possibly welding or electrical (let’s hear it for trade schools!) I think he’s ready to start adulting and be done with school! Help Christian feel celebrated and send him some love via CashApp at $Chutt12Let’s celebrate this 2020 Senior!
I have been honored to photograph so many Class of 2020 high school seniors this year. Sadly their senior year came to an abrupt halt in March with COVID-19. Schools were canceled as well as so many special moments; proms, class trips, senior activities, graduation parties and more. It’s unfair and sad. These are moments they won’t get back.
I think it’s so important to still show the class of 2020 some love right now. Learning that life isn’t always fair is HARD. And being stripped of so much WHILE having to stay home, leave your jobs, stop your athletics and programs and have no in person interaction with your friends really hurts. So, here’s how I’m going to try to help!
I am going to be doing a feature on each of my 2020 Seniors. Introduce them a bit and show off their beautiful Senior Portraits. Then I’ll include their $cashtag through Cashapp so you can send them a little gift. (What 17 or 18 year old doesn’t love some money at graduation???) Could you spare $5-20 to say you are standing with them? Include the note “Congrats graduate of 2020!”so they know it came from this postand what it’s for. Let’s flood them with some hope and a tiny bit of joy in these unfair moments!
Our Senior this week we are highlighting is Carson from Cox High School. He’s a bit of a shy young man, but he was so much fun to work with and went along with all my crazy ideas! He even climbed a tree for me! The beach is a family favorite so we had to make sure some pier portraits were included!
Carson is heading to ODU in the fall which I know makes his momma happy! I’m excited to see how well he does as a new freshman. Help me celebrate his accomplishments. Hi Cashapp is $CarsonJohnson13 if you’d like to send him some love and congratulations.
Yes I worked on Mother’s Day. My church, Freedom Fellowship, and I have done family portraits on Mother’s Day for the past 8 years or so. It has become a traditional so many of us look forward to each year! It might only be a few minutes and you might only get 3-4 images, but even just ONE beautiful portrait is such a gift to us moms.
We have some phenomenal women in our church and such wonderful examples of motherhood! We have single moms doing this all on their own without any support from their children’s fathers. We have mothers who have lost their husband and have been thrust into single motherhood unexpectedly. We have mothers who never got to hold their babies but are still mothers to heavenly children. We have mothers who are without biological children but have many spiritual children who look to them for advice and guidance. We have mothers who never birthed their children but choose to love a child born from another as their own. We have mothers who chose adoption for their children and have sacrificed knowing their children call another woman mom. We have mothers who struggled for years and needed the help of science to help them bring their children into the world. We have mothers whose children have emotionally cut them off, who mother now through their prayers, praying their children will reach out. We have mothers who’s children have passed away and who have a very difficult time “celebrating” Mother’s Day. We have grandmothers who fill the role as mom. We have military mother’s who are celebrating being a mom while deployed across the world away from their children.
Motherhood takes on very different roles for different women. Mother’s Day might have passed but take time to recognize ALL the different mothers in your life, in your neighborhood and at your job. Don’t forget to celebrate their motherhood journey as well!
Please take a look at some of the amazing mom’s I was able to photograph yesterday. I can’t post them all as we had such a great turn out for our “Drive-Thru” Mothers day portraits. (We had a line of cars in the parking lot social distancing and waiting their turn to get out of their car!) This is just a snapshot of the phenomenal moms of my church. Such a blessing to know and photograph them!
This beautiful momma celebrating the 14th Mother’s Day without the child she never got to hold. The amazing Pastors, Rick and Diana, from Freedom Fellowship New momma!
