Mark Knopp is a Virginia-Beach-based portrait photographer and photography teacher that covers the Hampton Roads community and beyond. Contact him today at mknopp1@cox.net for all your photographic needs.
Yep, it’s time to take the show on the road. Time to hit local and regional locations to use as backdrops for your portrait session. While I love working inside, the great outdoors appeals to me in so many different ways. We use the power of different environments to add depth to a scene and to inspire us as we work.
Most importantly, we use it to awe the viewers when it’s all said and done.
So let me take a moment to remind everyone what I offer. I have extensive experience in the following: Continue reading
I recently met up with Sarah and Jordan at First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach on a warm, breezy May day. It was cold and rainy for almost a week beforehand but it all went away on the day of the session.
I’ve known Sarah for a couple years now but never had the pleasure of meeting Jordan until our consultation day. It was apparent from the moment we all met that it was going to be an epic session. We agreed to a beach session, made plans, and counted the days until go time.
I was walking my dog just now and realized that, for the first time this year, it would have been a glorious morning for a sunrise session. The air was warm and the sky was dynamic. I love working at the beach but I simply am crazy about sunrise sessions.
Now, you know me. I love doing portrait sessions at the beach. There are so many different “looks” we can achieve there. Then we cap off the session by using the sunset as a background for some truly stunning portraits.
So what’s the difference between a sunset portrait session and a sunrise portrait session? Let me explain.
People know me as a portrait photographer. I’ve written about the deeper satisfaction I get when working with people as subjects in the past so I won’t get into it here. I also adore photographing relationships. I love exploring the inner workings and intimate moments
Viewers here might remember Sydney. She’s an awesome friend who reached out to me to photograph her and various critters for her Clever Critters business (https://www.facebook.com/Clever-Critters-107466329295241/?pnref=about.overview) a few years ago. When she contacted me a few weeks ago I figured she wanted to do some new images.
She might as well have punched me in the gut. Her dear, sweet puppy Wesley was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she was wondering if I would meet up and take some images of him for her.
I honestly can’t remember exactly how I first met Jessica Magary (https://www.facebook.com/jessica.magary). I think it was on a group shoot where a bunch of photographers get together with a bunch of models and worked with everyone for a little bit. I’m not sure. But somehow we did meet up and we agreed to do a solo session together. I even remember the date and location – September 28th, 2011 at First Landing State Park.
Now, mind you I was new to the area. I was living in Williamsburg and teaching but really hadn’t gotten into the local scene yet. I was still refining my off-camera flash skills, didn’t know the Virginia Beach area at all, and was looking for someone to work with to get my skills down.
In walks Miss Jessica. Her and her mom were super nice and understanding. We talked about rescheduling the session as there was supposed to be a storm.
In celebration of the death of Winter I’m posting some of the greatest hits from last year’s sessions. It is only a matter of time before we can head back outside and create even more magical images. I am not the same photographer that I was last season. I’ve grown skill-wise and want to stretch and use the new photographic muscles
On a personal level, I’m celebrating the impending arrival of a studio backdrop and other equipment in an effort to rebuild a small studio space at my place. I used to have one when I lived in upstate NY but it got destroyed in the move.
Having this small studio will allow me to create more fine art style images as well as fitness images, headshots, fashion and such. Recent forays into short video has shown a potential new route for me to take and this space will help with that. It also will become a default “Plan B” in case bad weather ruins a location session.
So, the future is looking bright. I hope you join me as I explore and grow.
Mark Knopp is a Virginia-Beach-based portrait photographer and teacher that covers the Hampton Roads community and beyond. Contact him today at mknopp1(at)cox.net for all your photographic needs.
