— About
My name is Valerie, but please call me Val! Charlene is my middle name.
I currently live at Holloman AFB near Alamogordo, NM. I grew up in a beautiful high altitude valley in the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range in Northern New Mexico, right along the Taos Scenic Byway. I am definitely a mountain girl and I absolutely love the outdoors! I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with double majors in Marketing and General Business from New Mexico State University. It was during my last year in college that I met my husband which ultimately led to my journey as a proud Air Force Wife!
I actually began my journey in Photography the summer of 2001 when I took a class at Luna Community College before my Freshman year in High School. I fell in love with Composition and Story Telling through photographs. In 2005, during my Senior year, I was involved with TSA (Technology Student Association) and I competed in the Imaging Technology category in the state of New Mexico. Using a Minolta 35mm camera and traditional film development, I won first place with my display of black and white photos that highlighted the history and culture of Northern NM and went on to compete at the National level in Nashville, TN. Shortly after, I put the camera away and focused on my studies while I was in college. After two years of long-distance dating, I "Tied the Knot" and moved to Tacoma, WA to be with my husband who was stationed at McChord AFB. I fell in love with the PNW! My husband gave me a Nikon DSLR for Christmas one year and I began taking as many pictures of the beautiful landscape as possible before we would have to leave for our next assignment. I also attended a Night Photography Workshop in Seattle! While working in a few different Marketing positions over the last few years, I found myself with a camera in my hands capturing images for advertising purposes and business events. I have also photographed at other events such as bridal showers, weddings, graduations, and other parties!
Throughout the past 5 years, my main inspiration to take photography to the next level has been my younger brother, Ryan. His creative talent and artistry with photography has given me the motivation to challenge myself and continue to nurture my creative side.
*This website is still being updated with photos and more information! To see some more recent pictures, click here to see my client gallery page! You can also click here to view a gallery my brother and I both did for Red River Brewing Company!*
Photo Credit: My mom, Donna Rudolph!
Photo Credit: Mike Kelvin
General Inquiries + Bookings
— I truly enjoy photography and would be honored to help capture an important moment in your life! Fill out the form below and we can start planning!