The face behind the camera - your Whidbey Island photographer

Hi, I’m Victoria! I am the owner of Beeloved Portraits. I wanted to write a little bit about myself so that when you bring your babies to the studio, I’m not a stranger.

I grew up on the Florida gulf coast. After graduating from University of South Florida in 2015, I married Zach and we moved to Orlando where I did the Disney College Program and worked retail in Epcot. When my internship ended, we moved just outside of San Antonio, Texas where I worked in middle school special education. Zach enlisted in the US Navy and we moved right back to Florida, spending a few years in Jacksonville, where my son, Ezra, was born. While there, I worked in infant child care, pre-k special education, and as an associate photographer for an amazing photo studio. Our most recent move brought us to Whidbey Island, Washington, where Zach continues to serve in the Navy and I have dived head first into running my own photography studio.

After having Ezra’s newborn photos done, the owner of the studio posted that she was looking to add another member to the team. My grandfather was a photographer in the 1970s, so I inherited his old Canon AE-1 and started doing film photography in high school. I absolutely loved being behind the camera but I never dreamed I’d have the opportunity to do it professionally. I sent over the small portfolio I had, and by some miracle, the team took me under their wing and I was able to mentor under them for almost 3 years. Obviously, when we made the move cross-country, commuting to their studio would have been a little difficult, so that’s when Beeloved Portraits was born. I now have my own studio space for bumps and babies, but I also love photographing the gorgeous flora and fauna we have here in Washington.

In high school, no one could spell or pronounce my maiden name, Balestrieri, so I was dubbed Vicki Bee. I already loved bees and all things naturey, so it worked perfectly. My house became the beehive to all my friends. Zach calls me honeybee and I even got a bee tattoo. Naturally, I needed to incorporate bees into my business name. I played around with a lot of combinations, but finally settled on Beeloved. The reason we have portraits done is to capture memories of those we love most. Whether it’s those first few weeks of life in a newborn session, or the exciting moments of a reunion during a military homecoming, we are photographing the people that you love dearly.

I’m sure at this point, you’re wanting to hear some fun facts about me. My favorite color is yellow. I love reading, mostly fantasy but always open to recommendations in other genres. I love being outdoors, hiking, and camping. I have a major sweet tooth, and I love baking but hate the cleanup afterwards. I’m a bit of a nerd and enjoy Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Marvel, and Doctor Who. Some movies that I could watch over and over include Big Fish, The Princess Bride, Up, Beetlejuice, A Knight’s Tale, and Nacho Libre. I can (kind of) play the ukulele and guitar but I don’t practice nearly as much as I should. I would rather stay home with my favorite people than go out and party. My personality type is a 9w1 which adds up to a perfect 10.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a leo, so I obviously have no issues talking about myself. Hopefully I didn’t bore you too much or scare you away. If there’s anything else you’re wanting to know, please feel free to ask. I’m also a huge advocate for community over competition, so I absolutely love working with and meeting other photographers, so don’t hesitate to reach out!

I appreciate all the love and support my new business has gotten and I can’t wait to see where it leads!

• V