Traveling Brand Photographer: Virginia Beach

Don’t you love when work and play overlap?

I know I do!

If you’ve seen my reels, you already know I love to travel. So when Stacy and Barry (of Sea Love Candles) first asked me to fly to Naperville, Illinois in 2023 to capture the opening of their Sea Love franchise store, I didn’t hesitate! 

And I still never hesitate to hop on a plane to capture the candle magic they keep spreading across the US.

This August, I made my way to Virginia Beach (the word beach is in the name–that’s my kind of place!). Stacy, Barry, and Sarah (Sea Love’s Operations Specialist) were already there, getting the new store ready for its debut.

So first, I had time to play! 

A friend I met on a photography retreat in Florida (in 2019–thank you social media for helping us stay connected!) saw on Insta that I was headed to Virginia Beach. She lived nearby, so she picked me up at the airport and drove me to–you guessed it–the beach! We relaxed, soaking in the sea air that was a whole lot warmer than the kind you find in Maine!

Saturday was a full day affair, in the best way! Since this was my sixth (!!) Sea Love franchise opening, Stacy, Barry, and I knew the routine. The first part of the day consisted of capturing details of the empty store, including the signature shot of the candle bar with the big Sea Love logo and franchise location (a must for every location!).

After that, I started adding people to the photos. Jennifer and Theresa, the owners of the Virginia Beach location, were incredibly sweet and welcoming. They’re also sisters, which was really fun! Also fun–the staff is entirely made up of their daughters! It’s a true family affair, and it was a blast to capture. After taking some headshots and pictures of them interacting with the store, we moved on to the main event: the first candle making experience–the thing Sea Love is known for!

There were two candle making experiences for me to photograph. Barry led the first, helping a group of Jennifer and Theresea’s family and friends make candles. This round really helps the new owners get a hang of the process. For the second candle making experience, the staff led the show. During this time, I floated around, photographing different angles and capturing cute moments (there are always so many!). 

In the end, Jennifer and Theresa got tons of photos to use for social media, marketing, websites, sandwich boards, flyers–the possibilities are endless!

To celebrate another fabulous opening, Stacy, Barry, Sarah, and I went out for dinner, followed by a walk on the boardwalk to decompress. Opening a store is a big deal, and a little sea air really helped us relax!

We were supposed to fly home on Sunday, but our flight was randomly canceled. You know what that meant? A bonus day!

Monday morning, instead of boarding a plane, I put on my tennis skirt and went to Top Golf with Stacy, Barry, and Sarah. Had I ever golfed before? Nope. Was it a blast? Absolutely! 

After wacking several dozen golf balls surprisingly accurately, I took myself on a date to the botanical gardens. You can’t go wrong with a botanical garden, no matter the season. In fact, I look for gardens wherever I travel (my top garden: Regent’s Park in London!).

On Monday, I cozied up in my airplane seat and made my way back to Maine. It was a busy, fast-paced weekend, but look at the memories I made!

Thinking of taking your business out of state? Now you know I love to travel–bring me with you to capture your new beginning!

Now that you’ve seen the professional photos, here’s a peak at some of the pics I snapped on my phone!