Tag Archives: fitness photography

Sunrise session with Whitney Lockwood at Hillier Ignite Fitness Park.

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My first time shooting at the Virginia Beach-based outdoor park at the Oceanfront.

Normally I hold my beach sunrise sessions somewhere other than at the resort area of our great city. All those hotel patrons coming out to the beach or watching from the patio of their rooms really adds to the pressure of someone trying to relax and get comfortable posing. I’ve had beach goers literally try to get in the picture with the clients, try to ask me photography questions when the lighting is peaking, or just stand there five feet away, ignore the sunrise, and stare at us.

But then there’s Whitney. Whitney is fearless. She’s a powerhouse of confidence and strength in a compact frame. She’s a powerlifter, personal trainer, and a fitness bikini competitor. So, she walks the walk and talks the talk. She would be just fine.

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Danielle’s Fitness Session in Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

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She was in final prep for a local fitness competition plus she wanted to honor her mom.

Danielle was the second person involved in my latest duo super session, along with her friend Shelley. These are her images and story.

I love helping people see themselves in a new light. I truly believe we are our own worst enemies when it comes to our self image. When we look at ourselves in the bathroom mirror at 7 am all we see are the “flaws” and “issues.” We never see the truth, the good.

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Welcoming Summer 2017 Sessions.

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It’s time to head outdoors and create unique images that will be cherished for generations.

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.

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So let me take a moment to remind everyone what I offer. I have extensive experience in the following: Continue reading →

Let’s rock, people.

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Coming back to Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads.

Today is my last full day in central NY. Three weeks flew by so fast.

Heads up, Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads. I’m re-energized and inspired to try new ideas. I’ll be back tomorrow and ready to rock out more sunset, fitness, fashion, beauty, urban, nutrition, Power, headshots, senior portraits, couples, engagement, small weddings, bridal, maternity, baby bonding, and boudoir/nudoir sessions. I am proud and thrilled to announce the return of the popular sunRISE sessions for those looking for something different.

I also provide small group and one on one photography classes covering all aspects of the genre from a beginner wanting to learn how to take better pictures with their cell phones on up to advanced topics like lighting, sports, portraits, working on location, off-camera flash, social media and much more.

Let’s rock.

Mark Knopp is a Virginia Beach-based portrait photographer covering the Hampton roads community. Contact him today at mknopp1@cox.net for you photographic needs or for photography lessons.

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Modern Women series – Li Ling Cavanaugh.

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My first foray into a new series. Join Me.

Ok, let me start off with a little disclosure. Yes, I looked at “those” magazines growing up. You know the ones. The ones that combine cars with a curvy woman or two next to them, in front of them, on them, et cetera.

As I started into my foray into the photographic world I was submerged into a world where the women were posed doing various things, typically with an open shirt, a wet shirt, short shorts and such. It didn’t take long to figure out that sex sells.

Somewhere along the way I started to think about the women in these scenes. Do they know how to use that wrench they’re holding? Do they know how to use that skateboard they’re holding? Can they even ride that bike they’re straddling, et cetera.

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Li Ling Cavanaugh by the Captian america bike.

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The (almost) lost fashion session with Miss Merrick.

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Have you ever said to yourself that you should do something, plan the whole thing out in your head, and then actually forgot to do it? So, this is what happened here. I was going though my hard drive yesterday getting ready to move things off the main computer onto an external when I came across a folder of images I shot while I was in upstate New York this past July.

I had sent the images to Miss Merrick months ago. She’s actually posted some of them on her social media pages. I made plans to make a blog entry, had the images picked out, knew what I was going to write about, and was ready to roll. Then my computer died. The folder of images was lost in the shuffle to get a new computer, get it up and running, and catch up on the backlog of images. As I had done it several times in my head, somehow “You must do this” got switched to “You did this.”

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Jane Kanyinda’s sunrise photo session at Virginia Beach.

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The bikini fitness competitor proves that women can be fit and feminine.

Jane Kanyinda reached out to me for some images recently. She’s a Norfolk-based bikini fitness contestant and wanted images that shows where she is now in her fitness journey. Naturally I said yes and we made plans to meet up for a sunrise session in Virginia Beach.

When I started covering the field of fitness photography last October I was pretty much alone in the Hampton Roads community. I was the only one doing it locally and regionally. Now, a year later, you can throw a rock in just about any direction and hit someone advertising fitness photography. That’s fine by me. Competition is healthy.

My desire for working in this field stems from my own journey. You see, I’m no stranger to fitness. When I was in college I was an assistant manager of the college gyms. Not only was I a certified trainer but I was working out six days a week. I know what is involved – the sacrifices, the struggles, the lows, and the highs.

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Jane Kanyinda silhouetted against a Virginia Beach sunrise

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