Photography

I truly feel like I am living my dream career right now as a Virginia Beach family photographer + thought it would fun to share how I got here. I got my first DSLR camera (a canon rebel!) a few months after my oldest daughter, Waverly Maye, was born 12 years ago. Like a lot of moms, I was obsessed with taking pictures of my new baby and of course, I would post them on Instagram for my family + friends to see. This was WAY before Instagram was like it is now – there were no influencers or brand deals or ads, it was just pretty photos.

Before long, brands started reaching out to me to see if they could send Waverly outfits to wear in exchange for posts and photos, which was so much fun! I started using my camera more + more, learned a little bit more about photography, and eventually started shooting manual after a photographer friend taught me in her backyard during one of our kids playdates one summer morning. Fast forward to 2023, I was a whole lot better in photography and was working with quite a few favorite brands on shooting images for their websites + social media. I also did photos for families who were friends or friends of friends, and added three more baby girls to our family — completing our very own set of little women.

Being a Virginia Beach family photographer was always a thought, but also seemed very unrealistic since my “real” job was a teacher ( I have 18 years experience in teaching Fashion Marketing + loved it for so many years!). I went part-time after having my fourth but of course, it still provided that consistent income for my family and I had zero plans for ever leaving. Then in the spring of 2024, I found out that my job would not be renewed the following year because of budget cuts. At first I was devastated + super stressed, but then after much thought and soul-searching, decided it was a sign from the universe to finally make this photography thing official — something that had been on my heart for a very long time.

It’s been just about a year now since then, and I never could never have imagined how fast things have fallen into place. I am truly humbled by the number of families who have trusted me with their precious memories + feel like I am 100% doing what I am meant to be doing right now. So many of the things I love — taking pictures, working with kids + people, styling, and of course, being a mom! — have combined into this and I will never get over that this actually gets to be my JOB. What a dream.

If you are looking for a Virginia Beach Family Photographer, fill out my contact form here or email me at ashleybricknerphoto@gmail.com and let’s start planning for a session! I would love the opportunity to work with you.