My name is Valerie Ronin and I live in the Inland Empire in beautiful Southern California. I drink a lot of soda. I listen to a lot of punk rock. And I also take a lot of pictures.

 

I am married to the coolest man alive and together we have two little girls that drive us crazy and melt our hearts on a daily basis. When we're not busy watching the same episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba over and over, we spend most of our time together at Disneyland or Costco.

 

I graduated from the University of La Verne in 2006 with a degree in journalism. After working in the field for a few years,  I got pregnant with my first child. In 2009, I quit my job and became a stay-at-home mom, trading in my full-time job for diapers, Play-doh and puppet shows.

 

A few months after my second daughter was born, I got a little adventurous and bought my first fancy camera. After a few clicks, I was hooked. I soaked up every bit of information I could and turned my little babies into my models. As my pictures improved, people noticed. Friends started asking me to take their pictures... and I was thrilled.

 

I feel most alive when I am behind the camera, capturing every precious moment that pops up. I love to take portraits and candid photos that tell special stories and make your heart smile. There's just something special about capturing real, raw emotion and pulling the viewer into the moment with me. I can't get enough.

 

Photography has changed from just being a hobby for me. It's my passion. I love it. I love learning about it. And I love using it to tell stories. I'd love to tell yours.