Virginia Dance School Photography

salmon dress dance group

Virginia Dance School Photography   At Hayne Photographers, we are your go to source for Virginia Dance School Photography. We pride ourselves on our ability to capture the dancers in poses that display their technique. If you or a dance center are looking for amazing pictures of your dancer(s), contact us today! Why Having Professional Pictures Matter Are you tired of pictures that don’t capture a dancer’s talent? Having a professional will ensure that the dancer and/or dance group are photographed in a flattering manner. With Hayne Photographers, you can expect a highly experienced and professional team to capture beautiful images of your dancer. Too many dance photographers shoot in a harsh light and distracting background. A big key to dance photography is having great quality lights and a beautiful backdrop that highlights any one being photographed on it. We have a wide range of backgrounds to choose from and provide top of the line professional lighting. If your dance studio has inspiration for a background theme, we are more than happy to work with you to get the perfect setting! We know that it is important for a dancer to have their technique and form shown, and strive to display their talent. Our Work Are you interested in seeing our work with Virginia dance school photography? Below is a gallery of various dance schools we service. With a diverse variety of ages, backgrounds, and talents, we are very proud to display our work! Videography We also offer videography services for dance performances and recitals. Our professionally trained videographers will be there on performance day and will record in HD video, high quality sound, and multiple cameras set up to ensure that the performers are captured from different angles. Below is just a sample of the many performances we’ve taken.   If you want to book your next dance portrait day, recital or performance with us, click here!

Professional Actor Head Shot

Professional Actor Head Shot

Professional Actor Head Shot Are you looking for a way to stand out in the acting community? Then consider having a professional actor head shot session with us.   Contact us today to schedule your session.   Getting Recognized  Adam came to us wanting to update his portfolio for his acting career. He wanted a way for directors to notice him and to be set apart from the rest of the acting crowd. Having professional head shots are very important to any aspiring actor or actress that are looking to make a big break. Adam was very eager to make sure that his images we as eye catching as possible. In the acting world, directors have an easier time selecting who they want in their productions if they are presented with a head shot that looks professional and unique.     Keep It Simple For actors head shots, simple is best. You want the directors to be drawn to your face, so as little distraction from the rest of your body as possible is great. Wear clothes that don’t have bright patterns or colors, and keep make up light. We recommend that you prepare before coming in by deciding on what character or personality you want portrayed through your head shots. Are you looking for more serious roles? Then a more serious attire and facial expressions. Want to work in comedy? Then more laid back clothing and a cheerful look. Want to do both? We can do that too! Your head shots are your chance to show off how you can get into character. In addition to having great facial expressions, having amazing lighting can make the images even more photographic. Adam knew when he came in that he wanted to keep his outfits simple and portray a serious and confidant demeanor.     If you want to boost your chances at being hired and build your portfolio, then schedule your professional actor head shot today! Interested in learning more? Read more about our professional head shots here.

Photoshop Digital Compositing

Music Photography

Photoshop Digital Compositing If you are a photographer, check out some of our photographer’s tools.   Check out this video from our music photography shoot.   What is Photoshop Compositing? Digital compositing in Photoshop is a creative way to create scenes and place subjects in them digitally.  This technique can provide your clients with literally an unlimited section of backgrounds or environments.  Photoshop has many features that make compositing less of a chore and more of a creative collaboration between the client, photographer and software.  While the idea in your head may be clear and the vision is sharp, getting that idea to translate in a believable way into a composite is tricky proposition.  In this brief tutorial I will explain my process that works well for my style but feel free to develop your own techniques that work best for you – keeping the principles I lay out here in mind. Step 1: Choosing a Scene Selecting the scene you would like use as your background is important since your subject will need to be photographed in a similar way that the scene is shot.  Many times I use a photograph that I have shot as a scene so that I know the exact position and settings of the camera. Stock footage of scenes can be a valuable resource as well.  Stock images present a challenge since usually you cannot determine the precise camera location, lens or settings used. Step 2: Photograph your Subject When photographing your subject, if possible utilize the same settings and lens that was used to photograph the scene you will be placing them on.  If you can place the camera in the exact location as the scene then your perspectives will line up very well.  Be aware of the lighting used in your scene and light your subject in a similar manner.  Getting the angle, color and strength of light correct makes for a very convincing composite. I prefer to photograph my subjects on a white or gray background.  Using a neutral background prevents your subject from getting any kind of color bleed from the background. Step 3: Extract Subject from Background Removing your subject from the background has become much easier with the advent of the “refine edge” tool in Photoshop. Using my “lasso” tool I draw a rough outline around the subject. After doing so, the “refine edge” button appears on the top menu bar.  The Refine Edge tool gives us sliders to control how sensitive Photoshop will be in detecting the edges of your subject. My sliders stay at 0 except for the “contrast” slider at 25%. I like viewing my selection on black, use “smart radius” at 4 pixels.  This is just my base setting and each image is different so I usually adjust as needed. Use your brush to paint areas that need further refining.  When I am satisfied with the selection I output it to a new layer that can be placed on top of my background scene. Step 4: Place Subject in Scene Most of the scenes that I prefer are shot with a wide angle lens.  As with all wide angles the center of the frame results in the least distortion.  Placing your subject in the center prevents having to alter your perspective to match the distortions on the edge of the frame.  The size of your subject is especially critical if the subject is a full length shot.  If you photograph your own scenes, placing a reference item of a known size in the scene can be a big help. As long as you photograph your subject with that same reference item you can simply match up the sizes (and even perspectives) of the item when placing the subject in the scene. Step 5: Blend Subject & Scene Together I believe blending the subject and scene together is the most important part of the composite process.  Adding shadows below your subject takes a keen awareness of the direction and intensity of the light source.  Some of the tedious work of adding shadows can be eliminated by only placing a tighter crop of your subject into the scene.  I use an exposure adjustment layer clipping mask above a copy of the scene where I decrease the exposure (decrease gamma also) of the entire layer, mask it, then paint it in the desired areas.  After the shadows there may be a need to darken the lower half of the subject showing some light fall-off.  A curves layer in “color” mode clipped to the subject allows us to change just the tone of the subject to match the scene.  I may also overlay a texture (in soft light mode) to further blend the images together.  As with any photograph, adding elements to the foreground may increase the believability of the composite as well. I trust that this brief tutorial gets you excited to try out some Photoshop digital compositing!  As with all things photographic, trial and error is a great learning tool.  As you do more composites you will refine or even develop your own techniques.  Always keep layered files since as your technique improves you can further tweak past attempts!  Good luck and happy compositing! Check out more of our digital photography tips. If you are a just beginning in photography, we can help!

Stylized Photo Shoot

Greta Garbo Style Photo

Stylized Photo Shoot Art Deco Style Are you dreaming of a stylized portrait session? Contact us and we will photograph it! Photographing a stylized photo shoot is always a great creative avenue for a photographer. To have someone prepare a thematic photo shoot with all the details is a photographers dream. It is a great time as a photographer to just slow down and create amazing photos. How to Plan a Stylized Photo Shoot A stylized or thematic photo shoot plan includes lots of background work and research. In order to have an effective photo shoot you need to ensure that you do a lot of research. This includes collecting all the elements needed to accomplish the photo shoot goal. If you have connections to great vendors, this is a wonderful opportunity to partner with them to achieve the same final goal…great marketable images for all! This Art Deco Photo Shoot was directed by Tanya Frazier of Graceful Designs She then partnered with Ava Clara Bridal Boutique, Royal Coach, The Wells Theater, Beecroft and Bull, hair and make up artist Jaqueline and Jessica Horton. Floral and linens by Graceful Designs. What Type of Stylized Photo Shoot Will I Plan When thinking about a thematic photo shoot, first you should think about the end goal. What type of images are you trying to portray? Modern, traditional or vintage photos? Why are you producing these stylized photos? What age would you like your model or models to be? Is the setting going to be industrial, contemporary or historic? What elements do you need to make your vision come to life? For this photo shoot Tanya wanted a vintage, Art Deco style. These images will be used in an upcoming publication of her latest magazine. Conceptualizing Your Thematic Photo Shoot Once you have decided on the basic elements of your thematic photo shoot, it is now time to start envisioning your photos. Who do you want to use as models? What will the models wear? Where will the photo shoot take place? Tanya wanted a two female bride models in their 20s and 30s. She only wanted one groom model. She decided that she wanted glamorous, vintage and unique images. Choose the Right Clothing for Your Stylized Shoot Now it is time for the fun stuff! Finding the right couture for your concept. For this shoot we were able to use gowns, accessories, shoes, etc, from Ava Clara. A wonderful thing with working with knowledgeable vendors like Ava Clara, is giving them your vision and allowing them to run with it. This dress boutique knew the perfect Art Deco wedding gowns and accessories to choose. They put together two complete looks for each of our bride models. (click on each image to enlarge) Beecroft and Bull did the same. We gave them the vision and they choose the perfect Art Deco wedding couture to do with it. Where to Photograph a Stylized Shoot When planning a stylized photo shoot with an Art Deco theme, it is important that the back drop that you choose fits the stylized theme. For this shoot we choose the Wells Theater. With it’s history and design, it was the perfect setting for these vintage styled images. How to Add the “Wow” Factor to Your Stylized Photo Shoot What can you add to your photo shoot that will be the icing on the cake? the cherry on top? For this shoot we thought a vintage Rolls Royce would be the icing on the cake!   “Ask and Ye Shall Receive”…Think about the people you have access to just on Facebook alone, not to mention all of your social media. If there is a special prop that you are looking for, post it! We did that for our son’s wedding and people flooded my inbox willing to loan us the vintage props we were looking for! Check out this Vintage Styled Wedding. If you are looking for a photographer to photograph your stylized photo shoot, contact us today! Want to see more stylized shoots? Check out this vintage maternity session!  

Engagement Session | Jon & Melissa

Urbanna Engagement Session

Engagement Session – Melissa & Jon Are you getting engaged? Are you looking for a creative engagement session? Contact us today. Melissa and Jon are engaged. We were excited to photograph their engagement pictures. Jon’s family owns property in Urbanna, Virginia. When they asked if we could travel to do their engagement session, we were excited. We always love exploring new areas. We love photographing destination weddings and destination photo sessions. The property where these engagement pictures were taken, is where their wedding reception would be held. It is property located on a historic horse race track. Urbanna, Virginia Historic Race Track This historic horse race track. was the home of many Kentucky Derby race horses. It originated in the 1920s.  Many horses were bred and trained here. One of the most famous race horses that was raised on this farm was Sun Beau. You can learn more about him here. The property was as amazing as Melissa and Jon. We love to photograph engagement sessions. When we photograph couples in an area that has history,we love it even more! The area was full of vacant horse stables. These structures were absolutely stunning. Almost as stunning as Melissa and Jon. Outdoor Engagement Session Photographing outdoor engagement sessions always offers a variety of backgrounds. This especially happens when you are on a farm in Urbanna, Virginia. We always are looking for a variety of back grounds and settings. This farm was full of creative back drops and scenery.   Landscape Photography Scott’s background comes from landscape photography. He has a love for beautiful landscapes. When we are photographing an portrait sessions we are always looking for things that we can compose in the foreground. Adding interest in the foreground of your subject creates added interest in your images. It also helps our clients remember exactly where they were and how they felt at the time the shutter snaps.   Pet Photography Many of our engaged couples are pet owners of some very special pets. We love to incorporate pets into our portrait sessions. Whether it is an engagement session, high school senior portrait session or family session, including your pet creates lasting memories. Meet Melissa and Jon’s beautiful Basset Hounds. They were like models. They did great on their first official photo shoot! Wait until you see their adorable wedding cake topper! It is a replica of these two precious puppies.   Sunset Engagement Session We love scheduling our portrait sessions around the golden hour. In photography the golden hour would be one hour prior to sunset. By photographing a portrait session during that hour you are almost guaranteed great light. Great light is everything to creating a great portrait. Melissa and Jon have an amazing pier that sets on the river. As you can see, a combination of a beautiful couple, beautiful light and a beautiful setting creates beautiful portraits! We are excited to post images from Melissa and Jon’s amazing wedding. Check back soon to view that post. View more of our couples portfolio here. Here you can learn more about our photography services,  

Wedding Photography | Molly and Eddie Got Married

Bride and Groom

Are you engaged or thinking about becoming engaged? Contact us today for information regarding our engagement and wedding photography! Molly and Eddie Got Married A beautiful couple + a beautiful venue = awesome wedding photography. This is the motto that Molly and Eddie should stand by. They are two beautiful clients both inside and out. We have had such an amazing time getting to know Molly and Eddie. We love to start building a relationship with our clients through their engagement session. That is where we learn more about their story. It also helps us figure out the best angles and poses for each client. Check out their engagement session.  You will see that they are both amazing in front of the camera. In talking to them both on multiple occasions, we knew that the venue for the wedding would be breathtaking. They chose to have their wedding ceremony and reception at the historic Upper Brandon Plantation. Upper Brandon Plantation Wedding The Upper Brandon Plantation is an amazing property full of history. The main house was built in 1825. You can learn more about the Upper Brandon Plantation here. Not only is the property filled with historical elements and buildings, it’s landscape offers the perfect backdrop for an amazing wedding. Wedding Photography | Preparation and Detail Photos We always begin our wedding day by photographing details. Detail shots are critical to a wedding. Our details shots not only consist of the gown, shoes, rings, etc, but every detail element. Our brides and grooms are spending so much time designing the perfect wedding day we make sure that we capture it all. If you are a wedding photographer and are stumped with what photos are critical on a wedding day, we can help. (click on an image to enlarge) The First Look Photos Molly and Eddie, like many other couples decided to do a first look. We personally refer to it at our studio as a private meeting. It is simply a time where the bride and groom see each other for the first time. This private meeting is just that, private. We set up a beautiful location where they meet. This meeting takes place prior to the ceremony. We find that when a bride and groom see each other prior to the ceremony, it often helps them relax. During this time we are able to capture real emotion through our wedding photography.   The Wedding Ceremony The wedding ceremony at the Upper Brandon Plantation took place that the gorgeous gazebo. (click on an image to enlarge) Bridal Party Portraits We love our time that we get to spend at a wedding with the bridal party. We strive to always capture great traditional portraits and well as more creative wedding portraits. Sometimes you feel like you have to wrangle a large bridal party in order to capture a great wedding photo, but as you can see, this bridal party was a piece of cake! Look at this cute bridal party portrait with the ring bearer and flower girl. By this time of the day Lucy and Xander’s patience was running out. To keep them engaged we decided to incorporate a little fun. We told them that they could run in this picture. What a great way to create fun for a 2 and 4 year old and capture a great bridal party portrait! Wedding Photography Portraits Alas, our favorite portrait time of the day. We cherish the time we get to spend with the bride and groom on their wedding day. We love creating lasting memories and portraits. This day was no different. One of the more beautiful things we capture is the love between a bride and groom. A wedding day is one of the most happiest days in our couple’s lives. This makes capturing amazing wedding portraits easy for us. As a wedding photographer, we are responsible for posing and capturing amazing portraits. We strive to pose our creative wedding portraits in a way that look natural and more candid. We also try to also incorporate dramatic lighting to create some awesome wedding photos. If you are having trouble posing your clients, check out our Couple’s Posing Guide. (click on an image to enlarge) Wedding Reception Photos We will just leave you with a couple of wedding pictures from the awesome wedding reception. Thank you Molly and Eddie for choosing us to be your wedding photographer! Thank you for giving us and amazing day to capture. Here you can learn more about our photography services. If you have any questions or would like to schedule your portraits, contact us today!

Molly & Eddie | Engagement Pictures

Unique Engagement Picture

Are you looking for unique engagement pictures? Contact us today! Engagement Pictures Tis the season for engagement pictures and weddings. We have kicked off our season in full fashion. We love when engagement season and wedding season arrive. It creates quite a stir of excitement in our studio. We love to opportunity to photograph engagement pictures for amazing couples that are up for anything. Meet Molly and Eddie. We had the awesome opportunity to photograph Molly and Eddie’s engagement session in a 2 part series. You can view part 1 of their engagement session here. Choosing a Location for Your Engagement Session Choosing a location for your engagement session is critical to the outcome of your final images. We always encourage our couples to choose a location that is near and dear to their hearts. If you viewed Molly and Eddie’s first session they chose to be photographed at Blue Bird Gap. Blue Bird Gap was perfect for Molly and Eddie. They love the outdoors. Blue Bird Gap offered an array of beautiful backgrounds for their engagement session. For the second part of their engagement portrait session we recommended shooting in a historic location. We are always looking for locations that offer texture, color and a variety of settings. Incorporating interesting textures and backgrounds add interest to your image. It encourages the viewer to explore deeper into the picture. Creative Photographic Lighting Creative lighting is something that is a signature part of our brand. We are always experimenting with light. We love to create a mood or feeling in an image by different lighting techniques. In these images we have used a photographic lighting technique called off camera lighting. Here is more information on our basic off camera lighting. We had the honor to photograph Molly and Eddie’s amazing wedding day yesterday. Check back soon to view a sneak peek into their wedding that was located on a historic plantation. Just breathtaking! If you would like more information regarding engagement pictures, wedding photography, family portraits, newborn portraits, senior portraits and more, view our information here. Contact us today to schedule your portrait session!

Fashion Photography

Are you looking for a photographer to capture your fashion photography? Contact us today! Fashion Photography Fashion photography is a genre of photography that the sole purpose is to capture clothing or fashion items. It is photography that highlights the detail and unique of these items. Fashion photography can be used for various things such as advertising, marketing or more. Fashion Photo Session This fashion photography session was for these unique fascinators. Fascinators is a headpiece. It is describe as a fine, lacy head covering according to Wikipedia. When we are hired as a photographer for a fashion shoot, we know that we are going to capture some unique images. For a fashion shoot details are well planned out because the end goal is to have these photos for marketing and advertising. Fashion Style The style of the fascinators were so unique that the make up artist matched the style of make up to the feel of the head piece. We always consult with out fashion clients prior to the photography session to ensure that capture the vision of their product. Using a variety of backgrounds and lighting that help highlight the product is critical. Fashion Shoot Lighting Natural light is always a gorgeous flattering light. We photographed this segment in our natural light area of our studio. We have a large studio that provides multiple sets and multiple lighting set ups. View our studio here. (link) We sometimes will partner our natural window light with a reflector to give the subject’s eye a beautiful sparkle.   Beauty Dish Fashion Lighting Using a 22″ beauty dish to bring out the contours of the face has always been a core part our photography. The unique abilities of the beauty dish when set in front and above the subject creates a one of a kinds type of light. The beauty dish is a focused light that directs the viewers eye to exactly what you want them to focus on. You’ll see this light used in fashion photography quite often, but using it for seniors and portraits always adds an extra edge to our photography. Here you can view more of our commercial portfolio. Are you looking for a fashion photographer? Contact us today.  

Virginia Beach Senior Photography Session | Haley

Awesome senior photography.

Are you a senior and looking for someone for your Virginia Beach senior photography session? Contact us today for more details! Beautiful senior photography. Virginia Beach Senior Photography Session Meet Haley. She is a Virginia Beach high school senior that came to us for your senior photos. We knew from the moment we met Haley, she would be so photogenic. She is a beautiful high school senior and loves being in front of the camera. We have built such a great relationship with Haley. So much so, we have called her to come a model for us on a number of occasions since her original senior portrait appointment. Model Photography Just recently Haley was able to come in a model for a video shoot. Once again she was perfect. Her photos were just stunning. When she arrived at the studio we noticed that she was wearing a jacket that had fur around the hood. Immediately we knew that we wanted to create some unique senior portraits with her wearing the jacket. Ring Light Photography We love using our ring light for our senior photography. The ring light creates some cool senior portraits The ring light is a steady light that creates a unique shadowless appearance. It casts the shadows directly behind the subject. Beauty Dish Lighting Techniques The beauty dish is a photographic lighting device used by most fashion photographers. It is a very flattering light. It reflects the light to create a focused lighting source on the subject. This draws the viewer’s eyes to the subject. Here are some of the photos that we took during Haley’s senior photography session using the beauty dish. Studio Senior Portraits During Haley’s senior session we photographed some photos in the studio. We start every senior photography session at our studio. Before the senior arrives we have our photography sets ready, complete with props and lighting. Here you can view our studio. Sometimes when photographers have trouble posing their high school senior clients. If you are having problems we have a tips that may help. Photographing Senior Hobbies and Sports We always encourage our seniors to bring in their clothing and props that highlight their hobbies and sports. We think this is important because we are documenting history. We are capturing what makes a high school senior unique. Outdoor Senior Photography Session Outdoor senior portraits are very popular. Most seniors want us to photograph a portion of their session outdoors. On this Virginia Beach senior photography session, we went on location. When we photograph on location we try to provide some props to make the scene more interesting. You will see here that we provided a vintage truck as well as a vintage couch. Incorporating the right props can add interest to a photograph. Beach Senior Photography Session We already mentioned how most seniors want some of their portraits on location. One location that is always on the top of everyone’s list is the beach. The beach is such a big part of our lives. We are in an area that is surrounded by beautiful beaches. Since Haley is a Virginia Beach high school senior, the beach was a must on her list. We photographed two different types of beach sessions with Haley. We did a regular beach session and also a trash the dress photography session. Here is the first part of Haley’s beach photo session. Trash the Dress Senior Photography Session You may be wondering what is a Trash the Dress photography session. Read more about this type of session. We begin our Trash the Dress sessions at sunset since they are usually shorter sessions. Why is that, you may be thinking? It is simply because once our clients are wet, the session ends quickly. Even though Haley’s water shots didn’t take long, I think we got some amazing photos. What do you think?   If you are considering senior portraits, you can learn more about your own senior photography session. We are running a senior portrait booking special today! Book your session now and your session is FREE! Yes, I said free! Are you ready to book your senior photography session? Contact us now!

Art Deco Stylized Photo Shoot – Models Needed

Scott and Adina Hayne Photographers

We will be working with the amazing Tanya Frazier of Tanya’s Graceful Designs who will be designing an “Art Deco” stylized shoot. This photo session will be for the expressed purpose of publication. Tanya has created a unique and informative magazine for future clients. This stylized photo shoot will be for  her next edition of her wedding magazine! This magazine is designed to feature vendors working under her creativity and services that she can provide her discerning clients. This will also show Tanya’s future clients what they can expect from her expertise in field of wedding coordination, event design and floral artistry. In a nutshell , she makes bride’s dreams come true. Art Deco Stylized Photo Shoot – Models Needed We will be the photographers for this editorial photo shoot.   If you have never experienced a stylized shoot you will be in for a treat. A stylized photo shoot has every element planned focusing on the theme. This even includes the photography in which we will be providing. Basically everything is planned for you. The style, the couture, the make up the props the everything! All you are responsible for is looking gorgeous! You may be wondering, what exactly is Art Deco? Here you can read more about it. This stylized photo shoot will be on Tuesday, May 13th. This will be an all day affair. If you are chosen as one of our models you will receive hi resolution files and a day of pampering. Tanya will be bringing her A Team! This photo shoot will begin at our studio. We will start the day with hair and make up application. If you have never visited our studio you can see it here. Bridal couture will be provided by a fabulous bridal shop. You will not have to worry about a thing. Except to be pampered. This will be an on location photo shoot with an area selected that fit the Art Deco architecture. Tanya is the visionary on this project and will be designing every aspect including all the floral and decor for this stylized photo shoot. Models Needed We are looking for 3 models. We will need 2 brides and 1 groom. For our bride models we are looking for one model in their 20s and one model in their 30s. As far as the groom model, we are looking for one male model in their 20s-30s. If you would like to be considered, please contact us! Please include your name, phone number, email address, Facebook profile and an image of you. All models will be required to sign a release to agree that their images can be used for various forms of publications. What we are saying is we want to use your beautiful images! This will be a time for cd or TFCD. What this means is that you will receive the edited hi res files that you can post and print from this session. We are excited about this upcoming shoot and the cool experience of this session. You will be surrounded with amazing vendors that are focused on making you look your best, surrounding you with the best and capturing you at your best. If you have any questions, please contact us. Would you like to learn more about our photography services? Find out more.

Vintage Themed Maternity Photography | Maternity Photographer

Unique maternity photography

Are you pregnant and looking to have maternity portraits taken? Contact us today! Maternity Photography The weather was absolutely beautiful for Larry and Jessi’s maternity photography session. After a cold winter, warm temperatures were a perfect setting for a gorgeous evening to take portraits. When you look at Jessi, it is hard to believe that she is due any day. She is 9 months pregnant. She will be the envy of all pregnant mothers to be when they look at these photos. We had to make a conscious effort to make sure that we posed her sideways. That way we would ensure that the viewer would know that she is pregnant. We also photographed a couples session for Larry and Jessi. If you would like to see Jessi before she was pregnant you can view their session. Click on image to enlarge   Since Jessi found out she was pregnant she started dreaming about her maternity portrait session. She knew from the beginning that she wanted something unique. She decided that a vintage themed photo shoot was what she wanted. Having months to plan, we were able to find the perfect location. In searching for a location we wanted rustic buildings, texture and a grassy field to photograph. In Smithfield we found the answer. Click on image to enlarge   We think the best time to schedule a maternity photography session is from 7-9 months. Vintage Themed Photo Shoot In a vintage themed photo shoot is it important to consider several things. The location, the dress and props are critical. Larry and Jessi did an amazing job choosing the perfect outfits. We brought an authentic vintage steamer trunk and a chair. With that combination we were able to create some unique vintage themed maternity portraits. Click on image to enlarge Sunset Maternity Portraits One additional critical element in creating a vintage themed photography session is picking the right time of the day to photograph. When we think of vintage photos we think of warm light. Scheduling them at sunset was key. For Larry and Jessi, this is their last pregnancy. Grayson Thomas will be their third child and it’s a boy! They already have two beautiful girls. Because it is their last, they knew they wanted something very special for their photo session. Click on image to enlarge   Our next photo session with them will be for their newborn photography! Remember that most expectant moms schedule their maternity photography and newborn session as soon as they find out that they are pregnant. To find out more about scheduling your maternity or newborn photography, contact us today.

Engagement Photos | Molly and Eddie

virginia beach engagement photo shoot

Contact us today for engagement photos and wedding information. Engagement photos are not only fun, but important for our clients. We call the engagement session their rehearsal for their wedding day. We find that most people are slightly uncomfortable in front of the camera for the first time. By shooting and engagement session, it helps ease the minds of our brides and grooms. They no longer worry about having the perfect wedding photos! Outdoor Engagement Photography Engagement Photos Meet Molly and Eddie. When looking for a wedding photographer, they knew that they wanted a photographer that could capture the essence of who they are and make them look their very best. What an honor to be chosen to be both their wedding and engagement photographer! For engagement photos, most couples will choose a location that represents who they are. For their engagement pictures, Molly & Eddie wanted a beautiful and natural setting. To begin their engagement session we wanted to capture some candid moments. We found this great path through this beautiful forest. This was the perfect setting for what we were envisioning.   It is great to start to a photo shoot is capturing candid pictures. Movement adds interest to a photograph. Also, capturing candid photos help our couples relax. The couple become comfortable in front of the camera. The area was so beautiful, we set up this next series of photos. We used the path to draw the viewer’s eye to the subject. The result is a beautiful portrait. We photographed Molly and Eddie by the tree in a romantic pose. We then discovered a barn that would be the next perfect portrait spot! We used a couple of different lighting techniques in the barn.   We love experimenting with light. Using different lighting techniques gives you various results without having to move your clients. What a great way to take advantage of a small area. For tips and tricks of our lighting techniques, check out our lighting information. For us it is important to incorporate the surroundings in a portrait. By doing this our client can reference exactly where they were, what they were thinking and remembering the experience of their portrait session.   If you need posing tips for your engagement session, you may like this tool. Molly has always been a tree climber. When we saw this beautiful tree we knew it was a must to include in their engagement photos. The limbs on the tree fit Molly perfectly.  We were able to create some relaxed and more candid photos using the tree as our prop. By using a variety of lenses we were able to capture multiple looks in the pictures. With the help of a wide angle lens we are able to capture the grandness of the tree. We are looking forward to Molly and Eddie’s wedding day. Stop back by the blog soon for their wedding day portraits! Find out more about our wedding photography. Call 757-201-7973 today to schedule your engagement photo session or wedding consult. We would love to learn more about your wedding and how we can capture the perfect pictures for you!

Virginia Beach Senior Pictures

Virginia Beach senior portraits

Contact us today to schedule your senior portraits. Virginia Beach Senior Pictures Katie is a gorgeous fashion model. When it came time for her senior portraits she wanted something unique. Since she is use to being in front of a camera, Katie was wanting the best senior portraits. We knew with Katie’s background as a fashion model she would be easy to photograph. Honestly, it is our job as photographers to make every high school senior look like a model in front of the camera. Katie’s senior portrait session started one hour early at the studio. She had chosen to have her make up applied by a professional make up artist. She understands the importance of a flawless look. With a large studio it gives us ample space to have hair and make up artists available at the studio. Have a look at our studio. Studio Senior Portraits We began photographing Katie’s senior portrait session inside the studio. We have several unique sets that allow us various options to capture unique pictures. We also have a variety of lighting sources from soft boxes, natural light to the beauty dish. With all these options we can create multiple looks. (click to enlarge picture) Ring Light Pictures Next we moved on to ring light pictures. The ring light definitely helped create some unique senior pictures! The ring light is cool technology that gives a very distinctive pattern of light in the eyes. It also creates a halo shadow behind the subject that is unique to the ring light. It is also is a very flattering light source for our clients. If the ring light pictures are processed correctly, you will get images that wow. Here are some of our processing tool that give us a beautiful finished image. (click to enlarge picture) Want to see more of our Virginia Beach senior pictures, see our portfolio. Outdoor Senior Pictures We took Katie outside of our studio and created some great senior photos. We often use the high grassy areas to pose our high school seniors. We also pose them in our foliage in our outdoor area. By using this technique it creates depth in our images. (click to enlarge picture) Dramatic Senior Portraits To add drama to our senior pictures we use off camera lighting. With the latest in technology and the right knowledge, you can create dramatic senior portraits. If you are having problems lighting your subjects, check out our Basic Lighting DVD. (click to enlarge picture) Beach Senior Portraits We finally ended up at the beach. When you are a Virginia Beach senior, no portrait session would be complete without a stop at the ocean. We always photograph our beach portraits at sunset. Why you may ask? We only want the sweet light or golden light. To create beautiful portraits you want soft light. (click to enlarge picture)   We are photographers that  photographs Virginia Beach senior pictures not only serving Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and beyond. Learn more about our senior portrait sessions. Contact us today to schedule your senior photos. Want to see more of our Virginia Beach Senior Portraits, see our portfolio.

Bridal Portraits | Virginia Wedding Photographer

Bridal Portraits

Bridal Portraits | Virginia Wedding Portrait Photographer Your bridal portraits should reflect your beauty. Anyone can take a photo. Capturing the essence of a bride is more takes an eye for detail. We know that when planning a wedding, you’re paying attention to every detail. We do the same for your bridal photography. That means using the best equipment available, skilled use of lighting and posing techniques, and perfectly editing your photos to enhance the mood we want to create. Contact us today to schedule your Bridal Portraits (click on image gallery to view images larger) You see it all the time in magazines – that sparkle in a model’s eyes that we all wish we could have in our photos. Your photos can have that sparkle! We shoot at just the right moment to get that perfect look. Sometimes people ask us if the brides on our site are models. No! We’ll admit, it’s even hard for us to tell that they aren’t when we see their bridal photos completed! (click on images in gallery to view larger) The bridal portraits in this blog post were taken at our Norfolk, Virginia studio. At our studio we have many beautiful backdrops and furniture props to enhance your photo shoot. We are Virginia wedding portraits photographers with a studio based in Norfolk. We not only photograph brides in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, but across the country and beyond. Take a look at our destination wedding photography page. Call us at 757-201-7973 to schedule your bridal portraits or wedding photography today.

Charlotte | Newborn Photo Shoot

Newborn Photography

Charlotte’s Newborn Photo Shoot One look at baby Charlotte and you can see why we love this newborn photo shoot! This photo shoot is special, because we’ve done newborn photography for each of Charlotte’s three siblings! We’ve seen the family grow through the years. Many families book a photo session with us, like a newborn photo shoot or a wedding and end up coming back year after year. Contact us to book your newborn photography today. The featured image on this page shows a vintage dresser that we love using as a prop in our newborn photography. The chandeliers provide such an elegant touch. At our studio we have lots of backgrounds to create all sorts of different feelings in a photograph. We’re also equipped with the latest technology for lighting, cameras and editing. This allows us to create dramatic images that are awe inspiring! One of my favorite images is in the gallery below. Charlotte is lying on a white chair. This photo feels slight “royal”, like a little princess perched on her throne. (click on images to enlarge) Contact Us today to schedule your very own newborn photo shoot. Our blog have many newborn photography shoots. Take a moment to look through it and see what your photo shoot could look like!