Virginia Beach Family Photography at First Landing State Park

Virginia Beach Family Photography at First Landing State Park

I can't tell you how happy it makes me that my amazing clients have little ones that I get to play with. My youngest is almost 7 now, and I miss those little giggles, squishy baby legs, and drooly chins. It's true, kiddos grow up waaaaay too fast. That's why I know I am incredibly fortunate to be able to photograph so many beautiful growing families! 

This little beauty and her mom and dad met me at First Landing State Park for some outdoor family fun. We explored the trails, listened to the birds, and watched the sun sparkle through the leaves. Baby girl LOVED the outdoors! She flashed that adorable smile over and over. Isn't she gorgeous?!

She is clearly adored by her mama and daddy. I can't blame them. It's so easy to get lost in those big, brown eyes! She had me wrapped around her finger too. 

“The best moments of your life will be the small nameless moments you spend smiling with someone you love. ”

— Ritu Ghatourey

Thank you, Gegick family, for sharing your sweet family moments with me! I can't wait to see you again soon!  - Melissa 

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Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to schedule your creative portrait session, contact us today!

Norfolk Family Photographers, Virginia Beach Family Photographers, Suffolk Family Photographers, Chesapeake Family Photographers, Portsmouth Photographers, Williamsburg Photographers, fall pictures

Family Photo Session at Norfolk Botanical Garden

Family Photo Session at Norfolk Botanical Garden

I met the beautiful Carbonell family for a fun little session at Norfolk Botanical Gardens recently. They were passing through Hampton Roads in between duty stations and on their way to Japan. What a family adventure! 

I'm so glad I had a chance to meet them to create some lifestyle family photos while they were here. We chose the Norfolk Botanical Gardens for their session. I love shooting at NBG because it's always gorgeous year-round! Even though we had a humid, overcast day...and a few sprinkles too...their session still turned out beautifully! Here are a few favorites from our afternoon at the garden:

Check out the cheeks on their little man! Does it get any cuter?!

Thank you Carbonnel family, for spending time with me! It was a joy to meet you all and I wish you wonderful happy memories in your new home!  - Melissa 

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to schedule your unique portrait experience, contact us today!

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VA Wedding Photographer - Lazy Days Winery Lynchburg Wedding

VA Wedding Photographer, Lazy Days Winery Lynchburg Wedding

Today I am rolling out some peeks from the amazing weekend I had. You see, my gorgeous niece, Ashley, did a thing. A BIG thing. She married this awesome guy, Chris, at a beautiful mountain winery near Lynchburg. (By the way, you can catch their engagement photos here.) It was fantastically fun! Annnnnd, I had the honor of photographing the wedding for them! 

It was SO lovely - the weather was perfect, the food was marvelous, the sunset was stunning, puppies were involved...I'm tellin' ya, it was an outstanding affair.  I couldn't wait to share some images from the festivities, so without further ado...here are some highlights from Ashley and Chris's Lazy Days Winery wedding. (You might want to grab a cuppa. I went a little crazy on the sneak peeks).

I loved the rustic setting at the winery, and they had a huge wedding party, which totally adds to the fun, festive atmosphere. It was one big ol' party!

Aren't they gorgeous?! Gah, so happy for these two!

Can you believe this crazy girl DIY'd all of the details - and almost the whole weekend! She did have help from some amazing family and friends, who pitched in to make it a perfect event. 

Cake smash! He went all in. 

We snuck away from the reception after dinner to capture this gorgeous sunset.

It was such a wonderful weekend! It was an honor to be trusted with capturing their wedding memories, and one that I enjoyed immensely. 

Mr. & Mrs. Carasella, I wish you guys big love and much happiness always. XO

The amazing vendors for this event were:

Venue: Lazy Days Winery, Amherst, VA, Day of Coordinator: Candace Kingrea, Caterer: Blue Ridge BBQ, Lynchburg, VA, Cake: Sam's Club, Cookies: Serena Beale, Florals: Sam's Club, arranged by Ashley Carasella, Hair: Ashley Carasella, MUA: Jessica Rose Makeup, Lynchburg, VA, Music: Braxton Mann & Jonathan Shirey, Invitations: Zazzle, Photography: Melissa Bliss Photography.

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Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

If you would like to find out more about our wedding photography services, contact us today! Serving VA & NC. Available for travel destinations worldwide.

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Virginia Beach Sunset Family Photo Sessions

Virginia Beach Sunset Family Photo Sessions

I had SO much fun with the Adams family at our beach session! They were in town visiting family, and decided they needed some family beach photos. Mom grew up in Virginia Beach, and they now live in Texas. They have the most beautiful family, and are blessed with a happy life. She confided in me though, that she sometimes misses the beach. So, a sunset family session was in order, of course.

I love it when families show up ready to play. I had a blast playing along the shore with the Adams and their adorable boys in blue!

And, oh the love this family shares! It made my heart all toasty-warm and glowy. Kind of like that golden sunset light does. ;)

Now those beautiful boys have some happy family beach memories and mama has some fantastic family photos for her walls. 

Thank you, Adams family, for sharing your immense awesomeness with me! I loved hanging' with you guys. Come back soon!!

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If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to schedule your unique portrait experience, contact us today: melissablissphotography@gmail.com

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Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Virginia Beach Family Photos - Hampton Roads Family Sessions

Virginia Beach Family Photos - Hampton Roads Family Sessions

In true summer fashion, this month has been insanely busy with family sessions, engagement portraits, beach sessions and weddings! I have loved seeing so many favorites clients and meeting new families visiting the area. I'm working like mad to keep up with all of the editing. Today I'm sharing some sneak peeks from some recent sessions. 

It's hard to believe that summer is half over already! It has been great fun making memories with all of these beautiful souls. I'm looking forward to more beach sessions and some wedding travel over the next month or so. Stay tuned...

I am currently booking August-October 2017 sessions, as well as 2017-2018 weddings. 

If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to schedule your lifestyle photography experience, contact us today!

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Virginia Beach Engagement Photographer - Oceanfront Proposal

Virginia Beach Engagement Photographer - Oceanfront Proposal

There is no doubt about it, surprise proposals are always fun and exciting to shoot! Amit & Jasmit's surprise Virginia Beach oceanfront proposal certainly was packed with anticipation and emotion. She had NO idea what he was planning.

They had finished up their spring college semester and were vacationing in Virginia Beach. Amit had  dinner reservations for Saturday evening, and he had also secretly reserved my services to shoot their marriage proposal.

Before dinner, Amit lured Jasmit down to the beach to watch him fish. It took some convincing to get her out on the beach. (She probably wondered why he was fishing in a dress shirt, ha ha.) As we waited for her to finish dressing for dinner, the anticipation mounted. After 30 minutes or so she finally appeared.

I hung out snapping photos of the sunset, while Amit tried to get her to check his line for him. She reluctantly agreed, and found a strange box on the end. When she walked back up from the shore, he quickly swapped the wet box for the real ring box and got down on one knee. 

She was totally shocked and overjoyed. Laughter and tears flowed freely and a small crowd of on-lookers cheered them on. 

Once the shock wore off, we spent some time taking a few engagement portraits before they headed off to dinner to celebrate. 

It was a thrill and an honor to be able to capture these moments for them. 

Congrats and best wishes you two!!

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Best Locations for Beach Photography in Hampton Roads, VA

Best Locations for Beach Photography in Hampton Roads, VA

With over 112 miles of coast, there is no shortage of beach front in Virginia! Fortunately for us, much of it lies within Hampton Roads, and easy driving distance for a portrait session. Having specialized in beach session for over 5 years, I know them well! Today I'm sharing some of my favorite locations for beautiful beach photography in Hampton Roads. 

Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach

Sandbridge is a popular vacation spot for families, and especially for big family reunions. I shoot many extended family sessions on Sandbridge Beach every year. The beach is similar north to south, all lined with dunes and beach houses. Pretty much anywhere along Sandbridge beach is suitable for photography, but I love the area just south of Little Island Park for it's seclusion. Little Island Park itself is fun for a bit of variety, with the colorful condos and pier adding interest to the backdrop. It can be more crowded though, especially around holiday weekends. My least favorite area to shoot is the main drag at Sandbridge Road and Sandpiper, near the grocery. It's often crowded and the power lines detract from the sunset skies. 

North End, Virginia Beach

I love shooting at the north end of Virginia Beach, which is residential. It is more secluded than the touristy boardwalk area, but still only about a 15 minute drive from most boardwalk hotels. In the summer months, I avoid shooting in the boardwalk area as it is just too crowded with foot traffic, trash cans, banners and other distractions. Parking can be tricky at the north end as many streets don't offer on street parking and enforce towing so it is best to plan ahead, especially in peak summer months.  

Fort Monroe Beach, Hampton

I love shooting at Fort Monroe because the beach is easy to access and the fort, just across the street, offers some awesome architecture and unique textures to add lots of variety to any session. The beach is smaller than the others, but the rocks add visual interest and there is always plenty of nearby parking. Sometimes crowded in summer months, I prefer to shoot here off season or on weekday evenings. 

These are just a few examples of some of the best beach locations available for photography sessions in Hampton Roads. Whether you are interested in engagement photos, family photography, senior portraits or the perfect spot for a beach wedding, there are tons of choices and I've only touched on a few. There are many more options to explore, so check back soon for more of this location series. Coming next...other awesome beach locations, urban sites, historic landmarks and more!

Looking for tips on what to wear for your photo session? Find lots of helpful wardrobe advice here.

Hampton Roads Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to schedule your unique portrait experience, contact us today!

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