By Btittnee Nave

Star Correspondent

A local photographer will celebrate 10 years in Elizabethton this upcoming March.

Courtney Valentine, who has been taking photos part-time since 2003, opened her first studio, selling framing and custom paintings by her father.

“I first opened my studio with custom framing and selling my father, Don Iverson’s, local watercolor paintings,” she said. ”But as the photography business accelerated, I soon found I had no time for the custom framing business.”

According to Valentine, who grew up in Banner Elk, N.C., her love of photography began at the age of eight.,

“At the age of eight, my sister gave me my first little gold and black Kodak,” she said. “I went nuts. I took pictures of everything; my family, my house, my dog, mountain scenes, sunrises and wildlife. By the time I was 16 and had my driver’s license, I was heading to the Blue Ridge Parkway every chance I could get, hiking to the ridge tops with friends and snapping pictures, sometimes skipping school to go shoot.”

Valentine ultimately ended up studying public relations in college, but she said photography ultimately chose her.

“I did not choose photography, I feel like photography chose me,” she said. ”I have a degree in public relations but photography has been my life since I was a child. I cannot help myself.

“Everywhere I look, I see life in pictures. And I ache to capture it. People, places, magic moments, it all jumps out at me constantly. I usually keep my camera in my car. I am forever whipping the car off on the side of the road and shooting breathtaking skies or a full moon over the mountains or a wild animal.”

Valentine’s favorite things to shoot are landscapes and senior photos.

“There are days I know my soul needs to get out of town and lose myself in the mountains and light and color,” she said. “In the realm of ‘people’ photography I have to say senior pictures are my absolute favorites. I love meeting these ambitious, energetic, young people and learning their personalities, hearing their dreams, and then framing the perfect platform to showcase their personalities. I love their enthusiasm for life. Seniors are so versatile.”

Valentine now works on location and has a home office. She offers commercial work for professional headshots and marketing campaigns, wedding photography, seniors, family portraits, landscapes, couple sessions, newborns, sports and real estate.

For new photographers, Valentine has some advice.

“My advice to new and upcoming photographers is to get experience,” she said. “There are some things that simply cannot be taught. Take pictures constantly, of everything and everywhere. Think outside the box, be persistent and never stop learning.”

To book a session with Valentine, you can contact her on Facebook, Instagram or call her at 423-542-0008.