family pictures Virginia beach – Marathon Sample 2

08 Oct

Family in the City | Norfolk Family Portraits

admin / Children, Family, Headshots / October 8, 2022 / 0 Comments

I have know this family since before the kids were even born! They are some of my oldest friends and I was so happy to photograph them in the city. We literally STOPPED TRAFFIC! I love all the personality and uniqueness of each of them. We had such a great time.

Mom and Dad needed some updated headshots too. When you book with Devon Shanor Photography there is no need to book a separate session for that, we can just incorporate that right into our family session!

07 Oct

18 Months Old | Virginia Beach Portraits

admin / Baby's First Year, Children, Couples, Family / October 7, 2022 / 0 Comments

I had such a fun time exploring First Landing State Park with this adorable family as we celebrated 18 months with little M! We got some fabulous portraits with mommy and daddy, some great family portraits and then we had a blast playing in the water! We even took time to photograph mom and dad together, something I feel is some important to do. Don’t forget to capture the ones who started it all!

05 Sep

Beach portraits | Maternity Virginia Beach

admin / Baby's First Year, Family, Maternity / September 5, 2022 / 0 Comments

Lenae is so beautiful and glowing! We had so much fun at First Landing State Park for Marcus and Lenae’s maternity portraits.

10 Mar

DSP Candids of the Week! | Candids

admin / Baby's First Year, Bloopers, Children, Creative Chaos, Family, Newborn, Personal, Photographers, Professional Portraits, Senior, Uncategorized / March 10, 2021 / 0 Comments

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!”

Keep checking back for more candids on the blog!

23 Feb

Working with Family | Personal

admin / Children, Family, Newborn, Personal, Uncategorized / February 23, 2021 / 0 Comments

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! 🙂

08 Feb

Bullock Family | Beach Portraits

admin / Children, Family / February 8, 2021 / 0 Comments

How many years has it been since YOU took your last family portraits? If you answer is more than 3 years, it’s TIME!!! Don’t let the years slip away with out taking time to “freeze time” with a beautiful family portrait you can cherish for generations.

I LOVED getting the Bullock family in front of my camera. Three STUNNING women with big hearts and beautiful smiles. (Yes, this is a mother daughters portrait- not sisters!) We wanted to have a little fun so we brought some smoke bombs to the beach and created a little magic. They even brought their dog who LOVED all the adventure of being at the beach~!

It had been a RAINY week so we were so grateful God let the sun shine and kept us dry. Jess and girls, Thank you so much for allowing me to capture your family.

29 Jul

THANK YOU!!!! | Personal- COVID 19

admin / Business, Personal / July 29, 2020 / 0 Comments

Back in March, when my business was essentially mandated to close because of Covid-19, I called my accountant to go over options for my business. I had some business savings and was wanting her advice on what to do when it and if it ran out. Her advice scared the poo out of me! “We don’t know what the future holds, this could go on for quite awhile… we need to prepare as if you will not make another dollar for the rest of the year.” Wait what… WHAT? Can you repeat that????

I was not expecting my doors to be possibly shut for the whole year!!! Together, over the next few weeks, we formed a plan that would BARELY allow me to keep my doors open if the quarantine lasted more than a few months. For the first time ever, in 10 years of business, I had to consider a business loan, something I was very unhappy to even consider.

So… we shut down completely for about 2 months. And when I was allowed to reopen. I thought we’d have a slow and long rebuilding period. I was WRONG!!!!

I have the BEST clients! There was no “slow” rebuilding but a huge MOMENTUM of business! I photographed more high school seniors in late May- July than I did all year. And now, that business loan is not even a thought.

We’ve made some changes to adapt. For one, zoom consultations are now popular ways to plan your sessions with me. It’s different and I miss the face to face, but it’s easier for people to schedule and helps keeps us all safe. I also, haven’t opened the studio up full time yet, still being very cautious about who gets to visit the studio to help keep it clean and germ free for my newborn clients. I only RECENTLY started accepting newborns again and wearing a mask is no fun, but I make it work! (Good thing we can’t hug because I’m a sweaty mess when we finish!) Cleaning and lysol happen regularly now, practically before the door shuts when you leave!

Anyway- this blog is really just to say thank you.

I was so worried when my accountant gave me the above advice. I LOVE what I do and I simply couldn’t imagine waiting a whole year to be able to do it again. I was worried about my business. But God, faith, good planning and AMAZING clients all proved I had nothing to worry about. THANK YOU for sticking with me. THANK YOU for referring me to your friends. THANK YOU for supporting small business. THANK YOU for sharing and commenting on my posts. THANK YOU for booking your sessions. THANK YOU for purchasing gift certificates. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for helping me keep my doors open!

While my end of year profit- loss statement might not look as great as last year, I do know I won’t be having to shut my doors. As I thank about that, I actually am wiping away tears. To personally know of so many other business owners that still don’t see a light at the end of their tunnel… I am so very overwhelmed and grateful. I really do have the very best clients and I am eternally grateful to have your support.

12 May

Senior Class of 2020 | Carson

admin / Senior / May 12, 2020 / 1 Comment

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 post and 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.

11 May

Phenomenal Moms | How I spent my Mother’s Day

admin / Children, Family / May 11, 2020 / 0 Comments

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!