——Can you introduce yourself? How and when did you start taking pictures?
Valerie : I started talking pictures really long time ago. Probably in the early 90’s. And I started working with musicians such as PJ Harvey and Manic Street Preachers.That was probably mid-90’s. I eventually got more interested in my own personal work. So in 1999 or 2000..I can’t remember, I put out my first book which is called “I Want to be an Astronaut”. That kind of changed my life because I realized that my personal work and making books and zines and screen prints all that were really main focus on my career. So it was the different direction. I stopped doing the music. I just did like a few singers or bands that I really loved, and I started doing more fashion.
——Did you learn photography at school?
Valerie : No. I studied on my own.
——Wow. Were you in a band when you were younger?
Valerie : I was like a skateboarder. Haha. I loved music as well but I wasn’t very good. I played the guitar very badly. I wish I was in a band but no. (laughs)
——Were you taking pictures when you were in high school?
Valerie : No. Not really. In high school, I was really interested in skateboarding, and just going out and seeing band every night in New York like all the time. Just music and skateboarding. I didn’t really find photography until that later on. My dad kinda taught me when I was younger, but i just did it for fun. I didn’t really know that was… I just wanted to do something would be interesting and fun, like travel or not have a real job. (laughs)
——When did you get into taking photos?
Valerie : I’m not really sure. I don’t remember because it kinda happened naturally, very organically. Because I loved music so much, I would like to use my camera to get into clubs for free. Haha. That’s kinda how it happened. And then, once that stopped being as much fun, I needed to find something that was artistically satisfying for me and my photography. So just not bands but my goal was to document interesting people.
