From luxury listings to lifestyle photography, Krista Valliant produces award-winning imagery while nurturing the local creative community and celebrating the Shore’s distinctive style
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Written by Kristen Hampshire
Photography by The EXPOSURE Collective
Her photographs get noticed, establish a presence, tell uncommon stories and win awards in a decidedly Eastern Shore way. There’s a results aspect to Krista Valliant’s work—and, importantly, a local and creative bent.
“I just heard that a real estate listing we shot was under contract in a day,” says Krista, the engine behind a trifecta of brand-building lifestyle photography businesses: Krista Valliant Photography, Atlantic Exposure and The EXPOSURE Collective.
She adds, “They got over asking price and there was a bidding war.”
Imagery that inspires sales, sight unseen, is what realtors are after. But there’s even more to Krista’s work. Krista is fully immersed in all things coastal, and her exposure and guidance in elevating the Eastern Shore’s creative community is on the rise.
“I love taking photos, I love editing, I love teaching my team members and talking to clients,” says Krista. “It’s all so fulfilling.”
Now with The EXPOSURE Collective, she will explore how an expanding linked venture can inspire others to embrace the Eastern Shore’s joie de vivre and “feel the glow,” she says.
REAL ESTATE ROOTS
Krista’s name is familiar to Coastal Style readers, with her images populating the magazine’s covers and gracing the pages of Home + Garden features detailing architectural stories. Her comfort at building sites and in finished homes is rooted in family, having grown up in Seacoast Realty, one of the Eastern Shore’s long-running coastal brokerages. Since childhood, she has walked, talked and adeptly navigated listings, rentals and open houses.
Her professional story continued with versatility; shooting as Krista Valliant Photography, she creatively captured everything from bands to ocean views to travel destinations. Through this, she honed technical expertise informed by juggling eclectic assignments while injecting a visionary spirit into her work.
After joining a nationally acclaimed photography firm to shoot luxury listings and high-end leases in the Caribbean and beyond, Krista’s years of travel and experience capturing top-tier properties inspired her to launch Atlantic Exposure in 2018—a company that has since become well-known across the Shore.
In 2025 alone, Atlantic Exposure completed over 2,000 photo shoots and the portfolio keeps stacking up, each project intentionally executed with creative care. And the awards and accolades have accumulated over the years, much like Krista’s appreciation of community partnership and presence.
“Krista has developed a brand centered on
coastal connections and guiding expertise.”
A CREATIVE CALLING
Krista documents home interiors and exteriors on level ground and by drone (with FAA-certified drone pilots), facilitates lifestyle shoots and stages community-centered photo experiences. Now she also oversees a studio in downtown Berlin called The EXPOSURE Collective—a modern photography studio specializing in portrait photography, personal branding imagery and event photography for individuals, families and businesses.
Krista has developed a brand centered on coastal connections and guiding expertise. And she extends her artistry as a woodworker, crafting bowls. She’s been known to haul home extraordinary forest finds (those that can fit in the car) to use as another inspired medium.
All the while, Krista is nurturing a studio that is a trusted media partner with an insider’s edge and a team that balances technical expertise with creative freedom. And she gives back; her brand supports local organizations like the Ocean City Art League and Habitat for Humanity, among others.
An Eastern Shore native, Krista has cultivated a deep sense of visual creativity and appreciation for the Eastern Shore. She says, “The beautiful surroundings we live in—we can’t take it for granted.” CS
