As a Virginia Beach maternity, newborn and family photographer, many of my clients love documenting their milestone at none other than – the beach! When it came time to choose a location for their Virginia Beach maternity portraits, Rachel and Ryan wanted something out of the way, wind-swept and golden for these timeless portraits before their baby girl arrives in a few months.

The beach is my absolute favorite spot for timeless, emotional images that capture the essence of maternity portraits, so I brought my clients down South a ways to the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge for their session!

Timeless Beach Photo Location in Virginia Beach for Maternity Portraits

The golden sunset, rolling waves and wind-swept hair, the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean and the dunes are perfect for your maternity portraits as well as family photos! This location in particular is unique in that it is not a public swimming beach, and it does require a commercial photography permit – but I handle all that so that my clients can have a unique, and stress-free experience with a nearly-empty beach so there is an even more intimate feeling during the experience and in their portraits.

When to Schedule your Maternity Portraits

When it comes to scheduling, I recommend Moms to reach out to book their maternity portraits as soon as possible! I myself only accept a limited amount of clients each month to ensure my clients get the BEST experience, so the more time to give yourself to plan your session with me, the better.

Around 28-32 weeks is the “sweet spot” for when I recommend scheduling your maternity portraits, as you will be bumping along in all your pregnant glory, but still feeling great (and not super swollen yet!).

Scheduling around that timeframe will also ensure there will still be time to actually ENJOY your maternity portraits before baby arrives, as well as allow time for your custom framed portraits or maternity album to arrive after we design those together!

Session Details and Links

PRO HAIR AND MAKEUP: Rachel’s hair and makeup were done by MeLissa of Dhalia Edwards Beauty, in the comfort of her own home – so she got to kick her feet up and get treated like the Queen she is before her portraits with hubby!

DRESS: Mom’s sequin Dress is Maya Maternity, courtesy of the Chelsey Kraus Photography client closet.

LOCATION: Session location is Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Chelsey Kraus of Chelsey Kraus Photography – a luxury maternity, newborn and family portrait photographer located in Virginia Beach – serving joyful families with fun, stress-free portraits!

GALLERY LINK: Interested in what a FULL gallery of maternity portraits would look like when you book with Chelsey Kraus Photography? Click HERE to view this full session gallery!

A Luxury Maternity Portrait Experience in Virginia Beach

As a premier Virginia Beach motherhood photographer, I take pride in pampering busy Mommas with a fun, stress-free portrait experience. From your initial inquiry to the installation of your artwork in your home, I’ll guide you through it all to ensure you get beautiful, timeless, joyful images of you and those you cherish most, AND get to enjoy them daily within the walls of your home – NOT just on the screen of your smartphone. 

Here are a few of my favorites from this maternity portrait session with this gorgeous expectant Momma and Daddy-to-be at their Back Bay maternity session.

Booking your maternity or family photos in Virginia Beach

Interested in reserving a session date for your own maternity, newborn or family photos in Virginia Beach, complete with tangible artwork at the end of your session so you can actually enjoy those memories in your hands and on the walls of your home?

As a busy Momma to 3 toddlers, I know EXACTLY what it is like to have an overflowing to-do list of items to check off daily, but also know how important and wonderful it is to have portraits of my family I adore – WITH me IN THEM! If this sounds like you – I can help!

I’d love to celebrate this milestone with your family! Head over to my main website at http://www.chelseykrausphotography.com to reach out & make your vision for this season of life a reality.

Documenting your Baby’s First Year

Should you hire a photographer to document all the important milestones of your baby’s first year? As your Virginia Beach maternity, newborn and family photographer, my vote is yes! This sweet family is a part of my First Year Collective and hired me to documenting their baby’s whole first year – with maternity, newborn, 6 month, 9 month and first birthday photos. You can view the blog for more details on the CKP First Year Collective to learn more!