Virginia Beach Lifestyle Photographer – Beach Day

Virginia Beach Lifestyle Photographer – Beach Day

I am a beach girl at heart. I was born and raised in Virginia Beach and have spent many days with sand between my toes listening to the tide rolling in and out. I love the warmth of summer, the salty air and the wide open space at the shore. Winter is not a friend to me. I feel cold when the mercury dips below 65 degrees. The dreary gray days seem to drag on and I long for sunny skies and balmy breezes. I am thankful for the short, mild winters here in Hampton Roads. And I love it when the temp pops up now and then, giving hope that spring and summer are on their way.  I also love taking full advantage of those rogue warm weather days.

That’s just what I did earlier this week! The spring-like weather popped in to say hello and I packed the kids up for an afternoon beach excursion. It was short-lived, but oh, it was heavenly! A beach day in March? Yes, indeed!

Capturing these fleeting childhood moments is so important to me. Every time I blink my kids seem a foot taller. You never know when that piggyback ride to the car will be last one, or that late afternoon snuggle on your lap will be the farewell performance. It just happens one day and then it doesn't happen anymore.  I want to document as many of those treasured everyday moments as I can. And when I shoot just for me, I enjoy taking full poetic license to capture the moment as I feel it. There is no right or wrong. There is only my lens, my heart and the pieces of it that walk this earth outside my body. Here are a few faves from our afternoon at the shore:

It was a glorious day. The freedom to explore under the sun, to dig in the earth, to let all of life's worries blow away with the salt breeze and to just be in the moment - those memories are priceless. And I will enjoy revisiting them for years to come. 

I am currently booking Summer 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

Norfolk Photographers, Virginia Beach Photographers, Suffolk Photographers, Chesapeake Photographers, Portsmouth Photographers, Sandbridge Photographers, Smithfield Photographers, Williamsburg, VA Photographers

Norfolk Photographer Lifestyle Family Photo Sessions

Norfolk Photographer Lifestyle Family Photo Sessions

The season is changing, the weather is warming, the flowers are blooming and now is the time to book your lifestyle portrait session! Reserve your appointment to capture your connection with those you hold most dear during a relaxed and fun lifestyle photo session at your favorite Hampton Roads location.

Now booking engagement, maternity, newborn, family, child and senior lifestyle portrait sessions for Spring & Summer 2017.

Get in touch and we'll plan the perfect session to suit your personality and lifestyle - whether that's enjoying the beach, wandering through the woods, sipping java at your favorite urban cafe, relaxing over beverages at a local microbrewery, or whipping up a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies at home - your session doesn't have to be the same old thing, and it absolutely should reflect who YOU are! I love collecting joyful memories for my clients. Let's make a date to document the moments and people you love the most.

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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

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

Norfolk Photographers, Virginia Beach Photographers, Suffolk Photographers, Chesapeake Photographers, Lifestyle Photographers, Sandbridge Photographers, Williamsburg Photographers

Virginia Photographer - Virginia Beach Boardwalk Family Session

Virginia Photographer

 Virginia Beach Boardwalk Family Session

I love shooting in new locations. It's always exciting to explore the creative possibilities of an new site. And while I do enjoy the beach quite a bit, I also ADORE urban themed sessions. The lines, the architecture, the way the light bounces around off walls and windows, the busy street scene, these are all things that draw me to this type of session. So when the Walters family asked to shoot their session around the boardwalk area in Virginia Beach, a place they frequent often, I was game! 

I love that their gallery is a reflection of their lifestyle and personalities. I had a blast exploring the Virginia Beach oceanfront area with mom & dad and their adorable boys! Here are some of my favorites from our recent urban family session:

Hampton Roads offers a ton of variety in scenery for family, engagement, and senior sessions. We really are lucky to live in an area that includes beach, riverfront, historic, urban, rustic and wooded natural areas, all within driving distance. There are so many possibilities to explore. I can't wait to see what my next session brings! What's your favorite session for a photo session?

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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!

Norfolk, VA Photographers, Virginia Beach, VA Photographers, Suffolk, VA Photographers, Chesapeake, VA Photographers, Portsmouth, VA Photographers, Sandbridge Photographers,

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Virginia Beach Photographer - Spring Cherry Blossom Mini Sessions

Virginia Beach Photographer

Spring Cherry Blossom Mini Sessions

Spring is on it’s way and the gorgeous Cherry Trees will soon be blooming! I have time this year for only three mini sessions during the bloom season. These are some of my favorite sessions throughout the entire year! These gorgeous blossoms can’t be beat for the perfect spring portrait back drop. If you wish to snag one of these appointments, don’t delay. These spots will go quickly!

Details about these seasonal portrait mini sessions:

 $200: Session includes 20 minutes of the photographer’s time. Up to 4 family members may be included in your session. Additional subjects will incur an additional fee. 5 retouched high resolution digital images will be available for download from your online proofing gallery. Gallery will be ready two weeks after session date. Print purchases may be placed a la carte through your personal online gallery. A contract and invoice payment are required to reserve an appointment. VA Sales tax will be added to invoices when applicable. Please note:  Peak bloom time varies from year to year. Appointments will be scheduled for late March/early April. I only schedule a small handful of these sessions to allow flexibility for weather and bloom time changes. I cannot, however, guarantee that blooms will be at their peek for your session date. I will make every effort to schedule appointments for peak bloom days.  All appointments will take place in the evening. Please inquire for further details.

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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!

Norfolk, VA Photographers, Virginia Beach, VA Photographers, Suffolk, VA Photographers, Chesapeake, VA Photographers, Portsmouth, VA Photographers, Sandbridge Photographers,

Smithfield, VA Photographers, Williamsburg, VA Photographers

Virginia Beach Photographer - First Landing State Park Maternity Session

Virginia Beach Photographer

First Landing State Park Maternity Session

“For when the cold winds blow, I will close my eyes calmly, knowing I am anchored to you.”

— Tyler Knott Gregson

Today I am sharing some stunning images from Danielle and Chris's maternity session at First Landing State Park. They are nature lovers who met through work and married in the UK. Being the adventurous souls that they are, 6 months into their marriage they decided to uproot and move to the USA. They have lived in Virginia Beach for a few years now and enjoy exploring the outdoors together. They tell me they love the mild weather and often enjoy hiking, climbing and then savoring the sunset hours over a bottle of wine (when not expecting, that is). Chris is a photography enthusiast, so he enjoys documenting their adventures together with his camera. 

We decided that First Landing State Park would be a beautiful choice for their maternity session. The park offers plenty of trails for exploring, and a variety of gorgeous natural scenes, both wooded and waterfront. It was indeed the perfect backdrop for a session that celebrates not only the love these two share, but also the amazing new adventure they are embarking on together. Here are some highlights from our recent Virginia Beach maternity session: 

Getting pregnant wasn't an easy road for these two, but their love and strength carried them through that journey together. I am beyond thrilled that they are expecting a sweet baby girl, and I know they will be amazing parents. 

“Just a little light,
that’s all I need,
just a little sunlight from you
and I promise I will grow.”

— Tyler Knott Gregson

Congratulations Dani and Chris! I wish you and your sweet girl a beautiful life filled with joy and happy memories. XO - Melissa

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On location Lifestyle Maternity 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!

Norfolk Photographers, Virginia Beach Photographers, Suffolk Photographers, Chesapeake Photographers, Portsmouth Photographers, Williamsburg, VA Photographers, maternity session

Norfolk Engagement Photographer - Surprise Proposal at the Hague

Norfolk Engagement Photographer

Surprise Proposal at the Hague

On a cold, windy winter day in Norfolk, by the locks of love over the Hague River, he proposed. 

She said yes. 

Oh course this was all carefully planned ahead of time, and I was ecstatic to be a part of the behind the scenes! Liz was totally surprised and, as you can tell by the smiles and kisses, she was thrilled to say yes!

Jake was so eager and delighted to plan this big surprise! I had a blast working with him to make sure Liz was utterly unaware of the impending excitement we had in store. Liz is a med student at EVMS, and Jake is in the Army. He planned a weekend trip into town to visit, and set up a dinner out, like he normally did for the two of them. Since it was a reasonable walk from her apartment to one of their favorite restaurants, we decided the bridge across the Hague was a perfect spot to pop the question. This bridge is the one adorned with "Locks of Love." These locks are inscribed with the initials of lovers and locked onto the iron bridge by couples as a symbol that their love cannot be broken. Pretty romantic right?

After the shock and giggles subsided a bit, we spent some time taking a few shots around the Hague and Chrysler Museum. They are pretty adorable together don't you think?

It was a joy to meet these two lovely souls and be part of such an exciting day in their love story!

Congratulations Liz and Jake! Happy wedding planning!!

Hampton Roads Engagement and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Hampton Roads Photographer - Chesapeake Newborn Documentary Session

Hampton Roads Photographer

Chesapeake Newborn Documentary Session

Some sweet baby goodness is coming your way today! Gosh I love in-home newborn sessions! Not only does it remind me of those first emotional, sleep-deprived, overwhelmed-by-love days with my own babies, but it brings me back to why I was so enamored with photography in the first place. I am a visual storyteller. I have always been drawn to human stories wrapped up in tiny fleeting moments - a gentle touch, a wistful look, a shared laugh, and even the cozy, personal details of a carefully planned nursery - they are all part of this baby's heritage. They are his roots and they will help him define his place in this world. The memories made in these kinds of tiny moments will carry him through future moments of doubt and sadness. They will also enrich all his joyful reasons to celebrate life. They are the tapestry of his life story. And they are SO worth hanging on to. 

I first met Jaime and Steve as we were planning their maternity session a few months back. I absolutely loved working with them, so naturally I was thrilled when they asked me to document their sweet boy's welcome into the family. The "Blizzard of 2017" swooped in and changed our plans for an early January session. It was no matter though, the day we shot turned out to be just perfect. Here are some highlights from our sweet-as-can-be in home newborn session:

Welcome to the world Alexander! You are loved.

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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 757-646-7408

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

Norfolk Newborn Photographers, Virginia Beach Newborn Photographers, Chesapeake Newborn Photographers, Portsmouth Photographers, Sandbridge Photographers, Williamsburg Photographers, documentary photography