A photographer is hitting back at a 'cyber bully' and critics after her photo shoot with a military family featured their baby boy wrapped in an American flag. Vanessa Hicks, 29, from Virginia Beach posted pictures from the photo shoot onto her Facebook page on Sunday, unaware that they would receive negative feedback. The image shows Landon Clevenger, at the time eight days old, from Virginia Beach being cradled in an American flag held by his father, Rodney Clevenger, who is wearing his U.S. Navy uniform. Scroll down for video . A photographer is hitting back at a 'cyber bully' and critics after her photo shoot with a military family featured their baby boy wrapped in an American flag. The image shows Landon Clevenger, at the time eight days old, from Virginia Beach being cradled in an American flag by his father, Rodney Clevenger, who is wearing his U.S. Navy uniform (pictured above) Vanessa Hicks (above), 29, from Virginia Beach posted pictures from the photo shoot onto her Facebook page on March 8, unaware that they would receive negative feedback . However, a community business page on Facebook, 'You Call Yourself A Photographer?' posted Hicks's image of Landon and Mr Clevenger criticizing the use of the flag. The group wrote that the flag is 'not a prop' (the post above) Hicks said her intention was to honor the U.S. flag while also honoring the parents, as Clevenger's wife, Samantha, also served for the country as a former US Army member, and he has served as a sailor in the US Navy for six years, according to ABC News. The family wanted to include their military service in the photos said Hicks. The mother-of-three and Navy veteran who served for four years said the image she took illustrates what Mr Clevenger was fighting for - the American flag. 'I have seen first-hand what is desecration of the flag,' said Hicks of her time in the Navy. 'At the end of the day I didn't do anything that disrespected this flag.' However, a community business page on Facebook, 'You Call Yourself A Photographer?' posted Hicks's image of Landon and Mr Clevenger criticizing the use of the flag. The group wrote: 'The flag is not a prop. I repeat: The flag is not a prop. To use the American flag in such a way is disrespectful, rude, tacky, disgusting, and against the U.S. Flag Code.' It continued detailing the 'key points' of the code including that the flag should never touch anything beneath it. The post concluded with: 'Mr. Clevenger, you have disgraced our fallen soldiers as well by disobeying that code. Hicks said: 'When I look at [the] picture, I see a man who has served six years in our Navy, the mother of this child is prior Army' (above Samantha and Rodney in uniform) Hicks said her intention was to honor the U.S. flag while also honoring the family, as Clevenger's wife Samantha (pictured above with her father, a Navy member), also served for the country as a former US Army member, and he has served as a sailor in the US Navy for six years . 'I don't know what the military teaches these days but I do know my son was taught the flag code and also taught that any disobedience towards that code would result in repercussions from your command....yet here you are in uniform, name fully visible, on a photographer's Facebook page disobeying that code and dishonoring our fallen soldiers and you obviously don't care.' Several Facebook users supported the post agreeing that the 'code was broken and the flag was used as a prop', while others said 'anyone who is offended by this is uptight and ignorant'. One user wrote: 'I agree the code was broken and the flag was used as a prop. And desecrated by pee and poop from what I heard. 'I hold the flag sacred and it is my opinion is has 2 places. On a pole or on the casket of a fallen hero.' Hicks said she spent hours taking down comments from her business and company page criticizing the photo. Several Facebook users supported the post agreeing that the 'code was broken and the flag was used as a prop' (above a user slams Hicks's use of the flag in the photo shoot) On Facebook, she posted earlier this week writing that she almost let the negativity take her down, but then decided to take a stand and fight back. She wrote: 'Yesterday, I woke up to see this photo was shared on a group site that is meant to bash other photographers. It was in their opinion I had disrespected our nations flag. I had disrespected our country by taking this picture. 'Several of these people not only bashed the picture, but me, saying I should be ashamed of myself, my husband should be ashamed, etc and I received several private messages to my business page. 'They even took it a step farther and bashed the service member in the picture, hoping he gets in trouble for participating in desecration of the flag.' The photographer who is married to an active-duty Navy member announced that she has since offered the Clevenger family free photo shoots for life from her company as a way to thank them for their support (the Clevengers above) On Facebook, Hicks posted earlier this week writing that she almost let the negativity take her down, but then decided to take a stand and fight back. She has since received overwhelming support from those including military members who said the picture was not offensive (above a former solider shares appreciation for the photo) Hicks said that she believes the picture of Landon and Mr Clevenger shows what it means to be American (above a Navy member writes that those offended by the photograph are 'up tight and ignorant') Do you find this photo of a baby wrapped in an American flag by his sailor father disrespectful? Do you find this photo of a baby wrapped in an American flag by his sailor father disrespectful? Now share your opinion . Hicks added: 'I almost let these cyber bullies get me yesterday. I could have easily deleted the picture off of my business page and ended it with that. I almost did. Then I thought, why? 'These cyber bullies would win! Hell no! So I went to the group and I stood up to them. I stood up for what I believed in! And you know what, so did so many others!' Hicks said she has since received overwhelming support from those including military members who said the picture was not offensive. A user wrote in support of Hicks photo: 'It brought tears to my eyes. I am a former Soldier of the 82D Airborne Division, I cannot think of anything more perfect, to describe what fighting for your country truly means, than your picture. 'It is the embodiment of patriotism. I know the friends I have lost would think exactly the same thing. Thank you for your beautiful work.' Hicks said that she believes the picture of Landon and Mr Clevenger shows what it means to be American, according to WTKR. 'When I look at this picture, I see a man who has served six years in our Navy, the mother of this child is prior Army,' she said. The photographer who is married to an active-duty Navy member announced that she has since offered the Clevenger family free photo shoots for life from her company as a way to thank them for their support.
Vanessa Hicks, 29, from Virginia Beach took photo of eight-day old Landon Clevenger with US flag cradling him 'to honor his military parents'
Photo includes baby's father Rodney Clevenger, a US Navy sailor, who is holding him while in uniform; mother, Samantha, is former US Army member . Critics said flag is not a prop and said Mr Clevenger 'disgraced fallen soldiers by disobeying flag code'
Hicks hits back saying she is not desecrating flag  but using it as symbol to honor the Clevengers' service .