VA Beach Lifestyle Photographer, Family Beach Session

Hey friends! The weather is finally warming up and I am SO excited to be booking sunset beach sessions again.

I have been shooting on the beach for years and I have learned a ton, I tell you. When I first started out, I was on the struggle bus for a while. Beach light can be tough, and it changes every minute, especially at sunset. But, beach sunsets offer some AMAZING light. When you know how to use it, that is. Ha ha. 

After years of trial and error, tweaking, hair-pulling, refining and straight up hard work, I have found a comfortable groove at the beach. I have shot hundreds of sessions at all times of the year and they get better every season. And so do my clients!

I have been so fortunate to work with some of the most amazing, free-spirited, trusting souls. It really is an honor to create and document memories that will be passed down for generations, and I don't take it lightly. 

 I know photography is not rocket science, and I'm certainly not saving lives or anything. So, I don't take myself too seriously, but I do know that many of the sessions I shoot hold a very meaningful place in the hearts of those couples and families. Sometimes, even years later, they email me to thank me for creating a lasting memory of the connections and moments that are dearest in their lives. It is a great blessing to be able to do that, and to have them trust me to do it well. 

So enough with the gush, I really wanted to say that so many of my clients just rock my socks. They open up, share their lives, trust my creative vision, and just let me do my thing. That freedom really helps me create my best work, and I am often blown away by what we are able to accomplish together.

Like this AMAZING session with the Thompson family! These folks were THE coolest. Seriously. 

Mom knocked their wardrobe out of the park. They showed up looking gorgeous, but were completely unpretentious, relaxed, and ready for fun. They just focused on making some one-of-a-kind memories together, while I got to work making images that captured all that awesomeness. 

And together, we made magic. 

In fact, the image below took 11th place in an international photo contest of over 412,000 entries. This image placed 11th in a category of 5,181 photographs.

How cool is that?! Several other images from this session placed in that contest as well.

See, I told ya the Thompsons were rock starts! :) 

And what priceless memories for these kiddos, am I right? They will never forget this evening on the beach, when their mom and dad let their hair down and played right along beside them in the surf. The freedom, the excitement, and the non-stop-giggles that make your belly and cheeks ache - those are forever etched in their hearts.

These images will take them back to those moments time and time again throughout the years. That makes my heart so full I could burst!

So, it's true I'm not saving the world. And, while they are kind of exciting, even awards and accolades don't mean a whole lot at the end of the day. But hopefully, I am giving each of my clients something priceless and personal and wonderful. That would make me truly proud. 

If you are interested, you can find out more about the Shoot and Share photo contest by clicking on the awards image below. If you had a session with me in 2017, one of your images just might have placed too! 

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

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 Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer, Virginia & Travel

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

Virginia Beach Lifestyle Photographers, Sandbridge Beach Photographers, family photos, beach session, Norfolk photographers, Chesapeake photographers