Top 5 Photo Shoot Locations in Virginia Beach

From engagement sessions to senior photos, picking the right location for a photo shoot is essential, and can often add unnecessary stress to what should be an exciting moment. Whether you're a client or photographer, I've compiled this list of photo shoot locations in Virginia Beach to make the planning process a little easier for you! One of the BEST things about these locations is that they have such a vast array of places within them to take photos, allowing variety in your pictures. I'll list each location, and some of my favorite areas within each; let's get started!

1. Sandbridge Beach, Little Island Park/Fishing Pier

Sandbridge's beach extends approximately 4.5 miles from north to south, and is often dubbed "The Outerbanks of Virginia Beach" due to its location in relation to the Atlantic Ocean and Back Bay of the Currituck Sound. What sets this beach apart from others in Virginia Beach is its quieter environment, and lack of giant hotels that stick out like a sore thumb. The section of Sandbridge near Little Island Park and Fishing Pier is special, due to it's even further distance from the main parts of the beach, and the fishing pier itself. Both of these qualities make for fantastic photo backgrounds. Additionally, on most clear weather days, you can take advantage of gorgeous sunsets here, often fiery and deeply hued. One last added bonus is the abundant presence of a plant commonly referred to as "cattails". Cattails add such a bohemian, beachy look to photos when used in the background. These qualities combined make Sandbridge at Little Island Park one of the BEST locations for a beach photo shoot in the area!

2. Town Center of Virginia Beach

For a location more modern and architectural, Town Center of Virginia Beach is a go-to. This area has a plethora of beautiful buildings and street scapes, making the backdrop opportunities endless. You can easily use the sharp angles and neutral colors to your advantage in this area, especially for portraits. One of my favorite spots to take photos in Town Center is on the staircase directly to the right of Drybar (when you're facing the building head-on from Market St.). Not only does it provide crisp angles and that big city feel, but it's also a stunning, clean white and gray that makes it so versatile for photography. There are tons of nooks and crannies in Town Center, and you should have no issue discovering shoot locations you'll come back to in the future!

3. Red Wing Park

Red Wing Park is known across Virginia Beach for its undoubtedly beautiful cherry blossom trees, arranged to make a pathway that allows you to walk beneath them. In addition to the coveted cherry blossom trees, Red Wing Park boasts stunning Japanese gardens with water features, a small bridge, and flowers of various kinds. With that said, Red Wing Park is a photographer's DREAM. It's important to note that the cherry blossoms don't bloom until late March/early April, and a festival is held in the park each year around the end of March to celebrate the blooms; this is crucial in planning your photo shoots. All in all, Red Wing Park is a fantastic shoot location that provides several amazing backdrops, airing a very floral and woodsy feel.

4. First Landing State Park (64th St. Access), Formerly Known As Seashore State Park

Seashore State Park is a beloved place in Virginia Beach, boasting lush greenery and forest areas that are backed up on The Narrows. With its combined greenery and beaches, this location is incredibly versatile in all types of photography shoots. I especially love Seashore State Park for portraits and couples sessions, due to the stunning sunsets and landscapes you can experience here. You can access both the beach itself and the forest trails parallel to it, and I highly recommend taking advantage of both. It's important to inform your clients that this area can be very rocky on the trail, and of course sandy on the beach, and will require some walking. To access what I consider the best part of the state park, enter the access on 64th street and Pacific Avenue in Virginia Beach. If you are having trouble finding this entrance, try inputing "Seashore State Park" into your GPS, as the park was formerly known by this name before being renamed to First Landing State Park (64th St. Access). You will have to pay a state park entrance fee of $7 ($10 on weekends from April-October) per vehicle to enter. Once you're in the park, follow the long, winding road all the way to its end. The road will eventually end and turn into a parking lot, where you can park for no additional cost. Once you've parked, it will be simple to find the trail head from here! Once again, the trail head and beach run parallel to each other, and you can often reach the beach from various points along the trail.

5. The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club

This location is perfect for those of you looking to plan events of any kind. The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club is a stunning venue, with historical architecture, lush gardens, and beautifully curated interior design. Between the hotel, beach club, and various restaurants and bars available here, there truly is a lot to be excited about as a photographer or a client. As a photographer, you can easily make good use of the front of the building's gardens and beach view, the furnishings within the restaurants and club, and the historic feel reverberating throughout the property. For a luxurious yet historical feel to your photos, The Historic Cavalier Hotel and Beach Club is certainly the way to go!