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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Virginia 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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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 its 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. That area is 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.  

Chic’s Beach, Virginia Beach

Chesapeake Beach, also known by some as Chic’s, is located on the Chesapeake Bay. The beach is lovely and offers shallow waters, which are great for littles ones. The area is largely residential, and parking can be scarce, especially in warmer months. The beaches are often crowded with visitors throughout the summer, including well into the evenings. But, the sunsets cannot be beat! This area is especially lovely in the late spring, or early fall.

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!

 session locations, beach sessions, virginia beach photographer, sandbridge photographer, fort monroe beach sessions, family photography, engagement photography, hampton roads photographer

Beach Wedding Photographer - Shifting Sands Damneck Wedding

Beach Wedding Photographer - Shifting Sands Damneck Wedding

Today I'm sharing some sneak peeks from Morgan & Liam's beach wedding! Morgan is a recent graduate from Old Dominion University and Liam is a service member in the Navy. They were married at a small beach ceremony at the Shifting Sands Beach Club, on Dam Neck Naval Base in Virginia Beach.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a very windy, rainy day. These two braved the elements and were married on the beach despite the less than ideal conditions. They were surrounded by their closest family and friends. 

The wedding ceremony was short and sweet, but SO full of love and joy. After their "I do's" were final, we took a couple quick shots on the beach before heading for cover. 

Their wedding reception was held at The Founder's Inn in Virginia Beach, which made a lovely location for some indoor portraits of the bride and groom and family. We were thankful for indoor haven from the wet weather, and the atrium made a beautiful backdrop for a few quick shots. 

Congratulations Morgan & Liam! May your days be filled with warmth and love, even if the sun doesn't always shine.

If you would like to find out more about the MBP wedding experience, contact me today! melissablissphotography@gmail.com

Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer, Hampton Roads, VA & Beyond

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stores in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Virginia Beach Family Photographer, Little Island Park Session

Virginia Beach Family Photographer, Little Island Park Session

Toes in the sand, camera in hand - it must be summertime! The weather lately has been just perfect, and I've been thrilled to meet so many fabulous families for beach sessions this month.

I met the Hostetler family at Little Island Park in Sandbridge for a session documenting their summer family vacation fun. This sweet little family of 4 stole my heart. We had such a great time and their littles are SO adorable! This family is full of big love, and their images capture it all. Here are some favorites from our beach session:

I absolutely adored every minute with this sweet little crew! I can't wait until they come back to visit again. Thank you for sharing your memories with me Hostetler Family!

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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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Sandbridge Photography - Family Vacation Photos

Sandbridge Photography - Family Vacation Photos

Summer is officially here, and that means family vacation photo sessions - lots of them! I recently met the lovely Monsour family for an extended family beach session at Little Island Park in Sandbridge. They spent a week on vacation at the beach, and though our first appointment was rained out, we did luck out with a beautiful evening the night before they left for home. 

These two little cuties are quite young, and it's unlikely they'll remember much about this special family time years down the road. That's why I'm so happy we were able to capture these images for them to look back on. They'll be able to see all the love and joy that surrounded them!

Thank you Monsour family for sharing your memory-making with me. It was a pleasure to get to know you all. Come back and visit soon!

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

 Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

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Chick's Beach Family Maternity Session - Virginia Beach Photographer

Chick's Beach Family Maternity Session - Virginia Beach Photographer

I've got another gorgeous sunset beach session to share today. And these peeps are near and dear to my heart, in fact, they're family! We had a blast playing in the warm sunset light on Chick's Beach last weekend.

We selected the calm bay area for this session because of its kid-friendly atmosphere and its amazing sunset view. That soft, sweet glow just sets the perfect mood for these maternity portraits, don't you think?

It was a special treat to be able to do this session for my beautiful sister and her awesome family. I am SO crazy excited to meet our newest little family member very soon!

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

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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