About Me
Hi, my name is Valerie Steinkoenig,
Most people call me Val. I was born and raised in Texas and have called Austin my home for over 20 years. I am a mother of two amazing kids, a wife, knitter, seamstress, renaissance enthusiast, photographer, and an aspiring crazy cat lady with four cats.
I specialize in documenting maternity, birth, newborn, and the milestones of baby’s first year & beyond.
I opened my first studio in 2012 and in 2017 I moved the studio out of my home into a studio in the North Austin, Crestview area. Recently we moved again to a new space on North Lamar.
I studied photography at Austin Community College in The Dept. of Professional Photography, where I received the Certified Digital Assistant and Certified Photographic Artist certificates. I am a member of the Professional Photographers of America, Texas Professional Photographer’s Association, as well as the Austin Professional Photographer’s Association. I am a Certified Professional Photographer.
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”
Maternity and Newborn Photographer
Education and Training
Each year I continue my photographic education and strive to perfect my craft. I attend top industry conferences, mentor-ships, am a member of my local, state, and national professional organizations (Austin Professional Photographer's Association, Texas Professional Photographer's Association, and Professional Photographers of America. My work has earned many awards and has been featured in publications such as in Click Magazine as well as on BET's The Grand Hustle. My fine art work has been shown in art galleries around the United States.
I believe in safety and am a certified APNPI Qualified Newborn Photographer and have completed the Safety Education Course developed specifically for those working with the maternity, baby, and newborn populations. APNPI certifications increased my safety awareness about the unique needs of infants as needed in photography. These certifications require online training, testing, as well as image submission. You can only apply for the certification quarterly. If you fail any portion you must resubmit the next quarter. As a studio, which specializes in Newborn Photography, safety is our top priority. Valerie attends several workshops and other educational events each year striving to become a better, safer newborn photographer.
I have studied Maternity Photography and Newborn Photography with some of the best in the industry:
2017 In Person Training with Erin Tole of Erin Tole Photography
2015 - Present Online and In-Person training with Ana Brandt of Belly Baby Love
2018 - Present Online Training with Kelly Brown via Kelly Brown's Newborn Posing
2014 - Present Online training in Fine Art Women's Portraiture with Sue Bryce via Sue Bryce Education
2019 In Person training with Claudia Aguilar of Captured by Claudia Photography
2019 Week long in person workshop with Bree Adams of Bree Adams Photography as part of Texas School of Professional Photography
2020 The Baby Summit ONLINE due to Covid19
2021 Imaging USA Precon Maternity Workshop w/ Casey Dittmer
2021 The Newborn Retreat - ONLINE Photography Conference
2016 Newborn In Person Training with Bree Adams at Imaging USA (Professional Photographers of America)
2015 In person Basic Baby Workshop with Only Brand New Once Photography
I believe that prints are very important. Tangible. I love to watch as your prints come off of my printer and I love the way the paper feels in my hands. I am a Print Artist and each of my packages includes prints. My goal is to provide you with a wonderful experience, capture beautiful images and produce heirloom portraits that your family will cherish for generations. I have years of training in the fine art of printmaking from my time attending classes in Austin's prestigious photography program at ACC in the Department of Professional Photography.
I love working in my professional studio in North Austin as well as outdoors, on location.
Favorite Things
birds
babies
cats
diet Coke
chocolate
vintage cameras
bare trees
These are a few of my favorite things....