Family Mini Sessions - Virginia Beach - Norfolk Photographer

Family Mini Sessions - Virginia Beach - Norfolk Photographer

To say this summer has been busy with photo sessions and weddings would be an understatement. I have enjoyed seeing some of my favorite clients and meeting many new faces. As beach season winds down and fall wedding season ramps up, I find that I have fallen behind on blogging and have several portrait sessions I have yet to share with you. Today I have some sneak peeks from a few beach mini sessions!

I am excited for some crisp fall weather and those gorgeous autumn colors, but I have to say, the beach will always have my heart. My gratitude to these awesome families and couples for sharing their time and memories with me! I hope you all treasure your photos for many years to come!

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

On location Lifestyle Portrait and Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Stories in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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

Virginia Beach Photographer - Maternity Mini Session

Virginia Beach Photographer - Maternity Mini Session

This beautiful family of four is growing to include one more! Mom and Dad wanted to schedule one last family photo session before their new member arrives this fall. They opted for a beach mini session to capture some fun family moments and a few maternity photos too. We enjoyed a lovely sunset on the beach and made some beautiful portraits for them. Here are a few from our Virginia Beach maternity session: 

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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A Lens on Love - Week 7 Winners

Sheryl Fish, of Oobaloos Photography, and I have joined forces to create a place that celebrates wedding photographers. We created a space for members of our industry to learn, grow, support each other and build relationships. A Lens on Love is dedicated to all things wedding photography. We have some of the top wedding photographers from around the world participating in weekly themes. We also have some very exciting guest judges sharing their inspiring work and selecting the top images for each theme. It is the perfect place to make friends in the industry, learn from each other, and grow our audience while having a ton of fun along the way!

Big News!! This week A Lens on Love welcomed a new team member: the fabulously talented Jen Fredette of Mountain Pearl Photography! Sheryl and I are thrilled and grateful that Jen will be lending her enthusiasm and immense creative talent to the team!  Please pop by, say hello to Jen and welcome her in style! 

And without further ado - on to this week's winners for our theme, "The Dress". Our accomplished guest judge was Richard Blain of Richard David Blain Photography, serving North Yorkshire, North Wales and Ayrshire, U.K . Richard's documentary wedding style produces images that capture poignant and memorable moments in the most naturally beautiful way. Be sure to check out more of Richard's gorgeous photos on his website and follow his page on Facebook. Thank you Richard for spending time with us this week! 

Top 3 Winner for "The Dress" 

1. True Era Photography Great story telling and use of what seems like the bridal party. I'll use this idea for a natural pose if I can myself, so thank you for that inspiration. Love it - Richard

2. Lisa Marie Halliday  Classic use of an amazing room with the dress still stealing the show. - Richard

3. 3CatsPhoto Anyone that can get the bride to walk in the sea with her dress on deserves credit. Well framed with cool and fresh tones. - Richard

Congratulations winners! We applaud your work!

Many thanks to all who participated! You certainly make the selection process difficult. We truly love seeing your images come in each week and we are SO inspired by your talent!! Don't forget to submit for this week's theme "Just the Guys." Happy shooting! 

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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 Stores in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Inspiration to Feed the Soul - Week 10

Inspiration to Feed the Soul - Week 10

I love a good quote. Words can be so inspiring and motivating. Sometimes a few words is all it takes to change our perspective, or give us that little extra kick that makes all the difference. I believe that our perspective, our thoughts, our mind-set, greatly effects our reality. Quotes help me to stay focused, centered and inspired. I thought I would start sharing few of my favorites here, and we are now in week 10 of this series.

This week I have a bit of Shakespeare for you! It is easy to get lost in this great big world. Too often we spend a great deal of time trying to fill our roles, to please others, and we lose ourselves along the way. It is important to regroup and focus on what calls to our soul. That little voice inside that guides us through the universe. If we ignore it, or get so caught up in the everyday noise that we can no longer hear it, then we are sure to wander astray.

These few words, though small, hold great meaning:

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Norfolk Wedding Photographers - Charming Southern Summer Wedding

Norfolk Wedding Photographers Charming Southern Summer Wedding

I have some sneak peeks to share today from last weekend's outdoor wedding in Wakefield. It was one of the hottest days of the year, but this awesome wedding party didn't let that stop the fun! They were such troopers during the formals, when I know everyone was ready for some cold beverages. 

Don't they look amazing in their mint and pink palette? You'd never know that we were all soaked through from the heat!  So many family members and friends came together to make this day special for Angel and Josh. Every detail of this southern DIY wedding was well tended, and SO beautiful! Also, the food was mouth-watering! Hands down THE best brisket I have ever had.  And  of course no southern wedding would be complete without some smokey pork BBQ, yum!

Here are a few highlights from Angel and Josh's summer wedding in the woods: 

Congratulations and best wishes Mr. & Mrs. Whisenant!

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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 Stores in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

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Norfolk Wedding Photographer Duck, NC Wedding

Norfolk Wedding Photographer Duck, NC Wedding

Sharing a peek of some of my most favorite recent work today!! This gorgeous DIY beach wedding in Duck, NC was filled with candid, natural moments, deep abiding love and stunningly sweet details. The colors, oh the colors! Swoon-worthy! And this couple - absolutely two of the finest, most generous and warm-hearted individuals I have ever had the pleasure to work with. A huge congrats to Dagny and Kevin on their amazing wedding and very best wishes for a happily ever after!

See more of Dagny + Kevin's intimate beach cottage wedding here: 

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VA Lifestyle and Wedding Photographer - Destination Wedding Photographer

Melissa Bliss Photography – Authentic Moments in Beautiful Timeless Photographs

If you are in the Hampton Roads, VA area and would like to find out more about our wedding photography services, contact us today!

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A Lens on Love - Week 6 Winners Announced!

A Lens on Love - Week 6 Winners Announced!

What is A Lens on Love? I have teamed up with my dear friend and talented British wedding photographer, Sheryl Fish of Oobaloos Photography, to create a space just for wedding photographers. We wanted to create a place for members of our industry to learn, grow, support each other and build relationships. A Lens on Love is a Facebook Page dedicated to wedding photography. We have some of the top wedding photographers from around the world participating in weekly themed competitions. We also have some very exciting guest judges sharing their amazing work and selecting their top 3 images for the theme. It is a great place to make friends in the industry, learn from each other, and grow our audience while having a ton of fun along the way!

Our theme this week was {Emotion} and we had some amazing entries! Our talented guest judge was Codi Shandel of Codi Shandel Photography! She shared a little about her business journey: 

"My goal in this life has always been very simple: to create art. I've been a professional photographer for three years photographing everything from newborns to weddings and have fallen more in love with every second. My style is a mixture of editorial and lifestyle posing, thick with nostalgia, emotion & authenticity. The quiet, peaceful, the elegant, the chaotic, wild fits of laughter...I want it all. I am so inspired each and every day by my clients and the trust they instill in me. Wedding photography specifically is the best kind of challenge. You are there from beginning to end, capturing the emotion and details of a once in a lifetime event. There is nothing more beautiful that two people madly in love surrounded by everyone who loves them, celebrating together. I'm not sure how I got so lucky, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

You can find Codi and her fantastic work here: 

http://www.codishandelphotography.com/
http://www.facebook.com/codishandelphotography 
codshandelphotography@yahoo.com

Our three winners for the theme as selected by Codi are:

Image by Right Start Photography "This one, oh me oh my! It makes me nostalgic and it's not even my Dad! Giving your baby away is not something to take lightly, and it's clear that the photographer was in the perfect mindset for this shot, focused in the exact right place." -Codi

Image by Of Fate and Chaos 

"I really love this one because of the spectrum of emotions shown. It's not everyday that you can photograph so many emotions in one image!" -Codi

Image by True Era Photography

"The joy in her expression is priceless. I love the joy - she is clearly in the right place." -Codi

That's it for Week 6. Congrats to the winners and many thanks to all who joined us!

The theme for Week 7 is to be announced on the page shortly by our new guest judge!  Be sure to submit your wedding images on Facebook by Sunday evening 8/14/16!

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On location 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!

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

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