If you have ever been in one of math teacher Kristen Valenti’s classes, you may know about her talent and passion for photography, as well as the frequent hikes she takes with her adorable dog, Captain. “For years, I’ve always taken pictures on hikes with my phone,” she said. “Going into quarantine right after COVID-19 first started is when I had the time to get more into it, and I purchased a camera that summer.”
Combining her passion for photography with her passion for hiking, most of Ms. Valenti’s pictures are of the gorgeous landscape views that she witnesses on her hikes. Of course, Captain is heavily featured as well.
To experiment with different types of photography, Ms. Valenti has recently enjoyed photographing her sunrise hikes. “It’s been a challenge to learn how to take pictures of the sun as it’s coming up,” she said. Not only that, but the hike itself is a challenge on its own. She has to wake up extremely early for a sunrise hike, and the entire first half of the hike is done in the dark.
For those of us who are not able to wake up early or hike in the dark, Ms. Valenti graciously shares her pictures, and in doing so makes us almost feel as if we are there with her.
“To me, [photography] puts me in the moment, and it feels like time slows down because I can completely concentrate on what I’m doing,” she said. Not only is photography a fun and relaxing pastime, but it has also challenged Ms. Valenti creatively. As a math teacher, she has felt as though she has mostly been utilising her ‘“left brain,” or the logically-thinking side of her brain. But with photography, she is able to tap into her creativity and produce impressive photos in the process.
“I never thought of myself as being an artist, or being good at art at all,” she said.
“[Photography] has really challenged that side of my brain.” Her blog, as well as her Instagram page, have kept her busy lately, and she has enjoyed updating them in her free time.
“Rather than just tuning out and watching a show,” she said, “I’d rather look at my pictures because it makes me excited to go out and take more and also to learn from what I’ve done so far.”
Ms. Valenti also added that she enjoys editing her photos herself. While a phone camera already edits a photo for you, a camera captures an image honestly, which then allows a photographer to edit it exactly how they see fit, or not edit it at all.
Ms. Valenti definitely has a talent for photography, and we cannot wait to see the beautiful views she captures next!
