Valerie of Vintage Noire Photography

* Why you love photography?

“For us at Vintage Noire, photography is about creating fine art images from precious memories. For as long as I can remember, I have always had an eye for it. You know, I believe my lifelong affair with art began when I was in an art class in kindergarten. I was asked to draw a tulip from a still life display. In creating my rendition of this image, I was able to portray this tulip in such a way that it appeared to take on human traits! The art teacher was so impressed that she submitted it to a countywide art contest for 5th graders. To my surprise, I won this countywide contest. In any artistic piece I produce, my goal is to capture the whole spectrum of human emotions and relay these feelings to those who view my work. I see an image of beauty and then use the photography tools at my disposal to bring that beauty to the forefront. A wedding or special event is one of the most important times in a couple’s life together and, to me, there is nothing more beautiful than those once in a lifetime images captured during those cherished moments.”

* Your favorite type of photography?

“Wedding Photography and vintage inspired shoots. Our style is a vintage inspired blend of fine art and photojournalism. We like to capture the film noir style of the 1940′s and add a modern twist, infusing our pictures with the best the of old and new. Our clients can step back in time and become 19th century Victorian or Southern ladies, 1920′s flappers, 1930′s film goddesses, 1940′s Tuskegee Airmen, 1960’s flower children, or they can even relive the first moment when they fell in love.”

* A funny/interesting photography story?

“They say that our kids are mini versions of ourselves, and this is so true! Our children often watch us take pictures and try to mimic our style on their Nintendo DS systems. Our eight year old daughter goes around saying, “Look at the bokeh I got in my pictures, Mom and Dad.” LOL”

* Photography tips or tricks?

“Sometimes it is not the posed shots that turn out to be the most inspired. Oftentimes, it is the unexpected candid moments. We always try to have two photographers at a photo shoot, with one photographer taking the lead with formal shots, while the other photographer tries to capture candids which catch the couple when they are relaxed and have for a moment forgotten that the cameras are there. This strategy often produces pictures with that extra bit of magic.”

* Comments about your web site design?

“We love SmugMug because of the high resolution used to display our pictures to best advantage. JR Customization was a pleasure to work with because of the great customer service and the artistic flare with which Jerry and his staff completed our website.”

- Valerie

Visit Vintage Noire Photography at Vintage Noire Photography to take a look at Valerie’s photos!