Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Herring.
Hi Valerie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always had an interest in photography due to my obsession with National Geographic Magazines. Although life got in the way of pursuing my interest, I was able to fulfill my desire approximately 20+ years ago.
I was a remote IT employee at a company in the southeastern United States. A remote employee tends to foster isolation, so my son encouraged me to purchase a camera and begin taking photographs as an outlet. I purchased my camera, and the sales clerk encouraged me to take a class at Long Beach City College to learn how to improve my skills. Long story short, I learned to work with black & white and color film. I developed a niche for theatre photography, which includes a skill set in handheld low-light photography, without accessories, and limited audience intrusion.
I was hired to be a Resident Photographer for a black box theatre in San Juan Capistrano, CA, for 2 years. This is where my photographs were published in the Orange County Register to accompany the written performance reviews. After the theatre shut down, I pursued other avenues based on my skill set. Therefore; I began photographing musicians in intimate venues where I could capture the intensity in my images. I want my audience to be able to feel the musicians’ commitment to their craft through my images. I shoot professional Jazz, Blues, and R&B musicians in both Los Angeles and Orange County. I would shoot 3 nights a week starting in 2016 until the COVID pandemic closed all venues.
Subsequently, due to a cancer diagnosis, I could no longer meet that rigorous schedule, so I began the process of revamping my business model to pursue commercial and legacy portraiture in studio/on location, pursue photojournalistic projects, and cultural environmentalism using the pictorialist methodology by the old masters like Alfred Stieglitz.
The musicians I photograph provide me with a historic dynamic of the industry. I embrace this information as I welcome incorporation into defined projects to create exquisite legacies as coffee table books. I have several in mind, such as the ultimate question – Is Jazz Dead…..I say NO!!! I have a deep love for music, where I sometimes get lost in the music while on assignment.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has not been a smooth one. There is a limited number of female, let alone African American, photographers in the intimate music venue industry with low-light photography experience. It was difficult to be recognized as a professional photographer versus a hobbyist. This business venture requires working at night, and as a woman, self-awareness and ensuring safety are vital factors to operate physically in this environment.
Self-promotion and self-funding are key. I was laid off from my IT job, which minimized my ability to continue self-funding my business. The COVID shutdown and my subsequent cancer diagnosis changed my world completely. I had to revamp my business, deal with my illness, and try to make sense of it all. I feel a motivational mindset is required to achieve your goals. Life difficulties sometimes invade your space, but you can move forward with grace, intention, and positivity. However, my reliance on the fact that God designs all things and He will never forsake you keeps me moving forward.
One of my favorite quotes – “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep it moving.” – by Albert Einstein.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a love for creatives, art, and ethnic cuisine. My start as a film photographer allowed me to learn how lighting works and the impact of an image. I had some of the best instructors which help me develop my eye. One of the proudest moments in my career encompassed several events. I am a 7-Time International Award-Winning Portrait Photographer. I was hired 3-times to photograph a Chinese Opera live performance – Peony Pavilion Chinese Opera. It is a 16th-century opera during the Ming Dynasty era. I was able to photograph backstage, work with the actors, the lighting director, and Chinese musicians. The other moment was my invitation to photograph on the Red Carpet during the Beverly Hills Film Festival, with publication of my images in the Hollywood Press Corp magazine and the historic Central Avenue Jazz Festival, World Stage Performing Arts Center, Barbara Morrison Performance Center, Lighthouse Cafe, and Catalina Jazz Club. These events are some of the highlights of my career. My relationships in Orange County led to becoming the Orange County Jazz Ambassador, which includes an administrator role on their Facebook page with a heads-up on music performances.
After my resident photography job at the theatre, I transferred my low-light photography skillset to music venues. I am known for my vintage black & white images. I love black and white film/digital images, which tend to focus on the subject without distraction. I photograph Musicians, the Human Form, and Cultural Memories in vintage black and white. I feel this form of photographing is a true reflection of the subject matter. My interaction with the community of musicians and culture has allowed me to develop professional relationships and true friendships.
My early days in film contribute structurally to how I photograph, by evaluating the light and waiting for the right moment to press the shutter. Pictorialism is a method I utilize to focus my imagery. Per the old masters such as Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, Gordon Parks, Imogene Cunningham, Chester Higgins, Jr., and James Van Der Zee, pictorialism is defined as the pictorialist, a photograph, like a painting, projecting an emotional intent into the viewer’s imagination.
As a photographer, I draw inspiration from the diverse rhythms of life. Whether I am capturing the dynamic energy of live music, the natural, vibrant color palettes of culinary arts, or the empowering, multicultural beauty of the human form, my goal is to create images that truly resonate. I use the interplay of light and shadow to emphasize natural shapes, curves, and colors. This intentional approach allows me to gently guide my clients, ensuring their authentic presence and unique beauty shine through in every shot.
“There’s a particular kind of intimacy I’m always hunting for in my work. Picture an upright bass player mid-performance, eyes closed, his hand drawing slowly along the strings—and in that instant, the gesture stops looking like technique and starts looking like tenderness. It’s the same softness you’d see in a man’s palm tracing the small of a woman’s back. That’s the moment I want my camera to catch: not the music itself, but the intimacy hiding inside it.”
To me, photography is a shared dialogue rather than simply capturing a moment. Guided by the philosophy to shoot what you feel, not just what you see, I aim to create evocative, vintage-inspired images that tell a cohesive story. The exact quote is “Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like,” by David Alan Harvey. To apply this philosophy, you often have to intentionally push aside traditional technical rules to let emotion take the lead.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My love of music, people, food, and history has brought me to this place and time. I have a love of photography, which can impart images that resonate with an aspect of life to be remembered throughout the phases of time. I thrive on community support and collaborations with different genres of the arts and culinary world in our society. My ultimate goal is to feature my work through exhibitions, education, jazz salons, wall art, and coffee table books. Each one of these supportive collaborations ensures a vital recognition of the work and promotes support for all societal interactions. We are ONE people of this world.
I look forward to working with a team in pursuit of this venture while promoting diversity through this art form. With the advent of AI, adding this technology will enhance my business workflow. I find that AI can be a vital tool for both marketing and promoting creativity. I have been using YouTube to educate myself on this new platform. Evaluation of AI to streamline my business while maintaining authentic creativity, without jeopardizing the impact on my work, is critical.
A creative team that includes a Creative Director, Make-up Artist, Body Paint Artist, Hair and Wardrobe Stylist to produce images and to document various cultural diasporas, such as African, Afro-Latino, and Native American, is an impactful way to streamline the artistic workflow. The mentioned list is a few notable genres; however, these are some of the cultures that are not highlighted in America. I believe we all contribute to this country and should be recognized as such.
As I mentioned, funding is key to making this work. These projects matter deeply to me, and the art community, venture contributions or grant support would help turn them from ideas into reality. Specifically, I’m also looking for resources that go beyond financial: access to studio space outside my home studio, working with interns, models, and independent artists to collaborate and help carry these projects forward.
My ultimate dream is to establish a space of my own — one that brings together photography, cultural environments, educational workshops, and a jazz salon, much like the former Mayme Clayton Library and Jazz Salon in Culver City, CA. I still remember what a treat it was to attend events there: listening to interviews, touring the library, watching seasoned musicians perform, and capturing it all through my camera lens.
I can be reached via:
Website: https://vherring7aa2.myportfolio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valerie.h.herring.3,
Email: [email protected],
Cell: 562.972.2611 or 562.257.6283
Pricing:
Current Mini Headshot Session – $250
Mastering Low-Light Photography: A Quick Start Guide $39.99
Portrait Session Consultations, IPS Product (Prices Varies)
Prints – Individual Prints, Table Book, Wall Art – Price Varies
Photo Box, Specialty Legacy Photo Box + Video – by Consultation
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Photo Credit: ©VJHerring Photography
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