Jessica Shea Photography

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Jessica Shea Photography

Editorial, portrait and event photography based out of Hampton Roads, VA. www.jessicasheaphoto.smugmug.com

25/10/2026

This year’s Virginia Beach Neptune Festival Boardwalk Weekend looked pretty different because of some crazy weather, but I was so impressed by how their team pivoted to still create a family-friendly weekend despite many events getting cancelled.

It’s always heartbreaking when weather shifts everything around in a moment’s notice when it took all year to plan, but people still showed up in a big way to support the 8k and craft fair!

I absolutely love being a fly on the wall and wandering around the convention center looking for moments of connection between shoppers and the art that moves them; expressions of awe, a pondering head tilt, people pointing to share what they discovered, or even just kids reacting to their face painting.

Sometimes I’ll stake out in one spot for like 10 minutes when I know the perfect shot will frame itself up for me, and it’s sooo rewarding when it unfolds right in front of me like I hope it will!

Did you make it out this year or did the weather keep you home? If you made it to the end, you can see how intense the wind was catching the tops of the waves 🌊

19/10/2026

Lisa and Rick’s wedding came with a little bit of EVERYTHING Saturday 🥶💨🌧️

Earlier last week, we were in the high 80s. Saturday? Temperatures in the 60s, wind gusts over 30 mph, and nonstop rain. Basically, a trifecta of wedding-day weather challenges that would make any couple anxious!

But these two stayed calm, trusted the process, and rolled with every unexpected twist.

I told them at the end of the day, the important part doesn’t change; you still get to marry your best friend. And I’ll always find a way to capture it creatively 💕

Our outdoor photo plans quickly went out the window, and we found ourselves improvising wherever we could—even taking couple’s portraits down in Waterman’s restaurant during peak dinner hours while a few curious guests watched the whole thing 😄

Lisa & Rick, thank you for trusting me with your day and reminding me what it’s all about. 🥂

13/09/2026

There’s really no way to post this picture without it feeling a little braggy… so I’m just going to own that 😂

But more than anything, this shelf is a physical reminder of years of showing up, doing the work, and being lucky enough to have people trust me with their stories.

I was honored to be named a Chesapeake Community Votes winner for the fourth year in a row, and seeing them sitting alongside the CoVA awards feels pretty damn cool.

Am I the best photographer around? No actually, not for everyone. But for the ones who did their research and decided to trust me, their votes speak volumes.

I’m proud of it. I’m grateful for it. And 16 years into my business, I’m still just really happy I get to do this 💜📸

07/09/2026

Allow me to introduce Miss Shelby, class of 2027!

I met her grandma completely by chance while I was out shooting the Neptune B**r Festival recently. She asked me if I did senior portraits, and the rest is her-story 😉

Of course, the forecast decided to threaten us with rain because apparently senior portraits need a little ✨drama✨ But we waited it out, the clouds cooperated, and we ended up with the prettiest evening.

I love when things just align. Right place, right time, the right people—and a little trust in the process. 🤍✨

10/08/2026

Ellie and Matt got 🌈DOUBLE🌈 good luck when it tried to rain out their wedding day Saturday!

You’d never know things weren’t going to plan based on how calm these two stayed the whole time.

Thank you both for being an absolute dream, trusting me along the way and being such good sports about having to pivot 💞 I think you two will do just fine together 😉

CONGRATS MR. & MRS. HAYES! 👰🏼‍♀️🤵🏻💍

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29/07/2026

Photographing a good friend is both easy and hard. Hear me out.

It’s made much simpler because you already know how to make them smile and don’t have to spend precious time building a rapport to get authentic expressions.

It’s challenging, though, because you want it to be PERFECT. Of course I’d love every session to be perfect but it’s even more pressure because you want to give them your best, so you push yourself to be the most creative and deliver the version of them that you know and love.

For Miranda it was SO easy for me to capture her best sides because she has so many 💕 absolutely gorgeous inside and out. Best of all she trusted me and was so easy to please. Beyond grateful for friends like her!!

The hard part? Trying to pick a favorite 😂

29/06/2026

When I found out MacArthur Mall was closing for good this summer, my heart sank and I felt an urge to figure out a way to memorialize the beauty of it somehow in a session.

With zero plan and a ton of hope, I was able to convince a client and the city of Norfolk that it was a good idea to do a senior photoshoot there. I’m so, so glad we were able to pull it off!

This weekend, it closed its doors for good so I wanted to share images from our shoot back in March as a small tribute! Thanks for the memories, MacArthur, and thank you to Korbin’s family for letting me explore a crazy idea!

15/06/2026

I cant believe it was eight years ago, I photographed Ryan’s senior portraits in this very garden 🌿

Last week, I had the incredible honor of returning to that same treasured family space to take her engagement portraits — a completely new chapter, but surrounded by the same beauty and memories that have been part of her story all along. If plants could talk, they’d also mention her sister’s senior portraits taken there, too 🍃

Moments like this are the reason I treasure this work so deeply. It’s never just about snapping photos — it’s about being invited into people’s lives, witnessing the milestones, and preserving the seasons that become part of their family’s story.

What an honor it is to grow alongside the families who trust me with their memories 💚

04/06/2026

“You captured just what I wanted for my professional photos. You’re the best of what you do.”

Thank you, Jeremy, for the not only continuing to trust me with your portraits, but for giving me the highest compliment I could ask for! Delivering exactly what my clients want is always the goal.

One of the things I appreciate most about long-term clients is the comfort that develops over time. There’s less pressure, more trust, and the freedom to create images that feel authentic and aligned with who they are.

To all of my repeat clients: thank you. Your continued support means more than any compliment ever could.

Shout out to Virginia Beach National as well for being so wonderful to work with!

21/05/2026

Sixteen years into this career and somehow this was my very first winery engagement session… and honestly? It was SO worth the wait🍷

A gorgeous couple, a gorgeous setting, and the kind of easy chemistry that makes my job feel effortless. The sweetest (or semi-dry, if that’s what you like 😉) bonus was getting to work with a familiar family again — one of my favorite parts of doing this long enough to see life’s milestones keep unfolding in front of my camera, having captured her sister’s senior portraits years ago.

These two trusted me completely, laughed through every moment, and made it nearly impossible to take a bad photo.

Already counting down to celebrating with them again in August 🤍💍👰🏼🤵🏽

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