Meet Valeria Dalmas | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Valeria Dalmas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Valeria, what are you inspired by?
I feel lucky to be able to find inspiration everywhere (lol) but most of it usually comes from people living around me. First, when we moved to Texas in 2021, I was captivated by all these families from different cultural backgrounds, these beautiful joyful kids who were everywhere on their streets and the sidewalks early in the morning, walking, running, biking and skating to their school. There was something incredibly powerful so I felt like I must celebrate this multiculturalism and highlight the beauty of diversity through my lens. I also find inspiration in Nature, Seasons and Light that provide a rich tapestry of colors, textures, and moods. Thankfully, Houston and its surroundings have an abundance of nature and so many amazing places that are very easy for me to access.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve always loved photography and had been taking pictures with a film camera when I was student then, for years, with a digital one. I’d been learning photography; I’d been practicing a lot. Lifestyle portrait photography became my passion. I took millions of pictures of my kids, my friends and extended family members just for fun. Learning and practicing over the years have helped me to create my own touch.   A year or so before I became professional, people started asking me for quotes for family sessions, they were ready to pay me because they liked my style and how I approach my subjects. When we moved to Katy in 2021, I had an idea of evolving my passion into a business. It was like – it has to happen right now or never.  I had an outdated camera, a Macbook, only one or two clients and huge motivation to find my niche to build a sustainable career. Somehow, I knew I could do it.

My biggest lesson was about how important is to make connections with others.
Though there’s much we can create by working alone, I strongly believe the greatest success can come when we create and work with a network of friends and other photographers. Connecting with others provides a support system. We can seek advice and guidance from more experienced individuals who have faced similar challenges. We can exchange knowledge and insights, find potential partners with complementary skills and expertise. By working together, we can pool resources, share the workload, and maybe achieve better outcomes than we would on our own.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many thing to do and to see in Houston (also called H-town or Space City)! I would definitely take my friends for a walk along the Buffalo Bayou that offers some nice views of the downtown Houston skyline. Then we would explore the Museum District and spend few ours at the Museum of Fine Arts admiring the extensive art collections. Rothko Chapel is also an amazing place for contemporary art lovers. We would also catch a show at one of the theaters in the Theater district. Of course we would visit the Space Center of NASA which is a part of Houston community.
Houston offers a delightful culinary experience rooted in the traditions and influences of Tex-Mex cuisine so I would take my friends for a taco/margarita night to one of those restaurants like EL Tiempo Cantina, Lupe Tortilla or Ambriza.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout to my family and friends who have been incredibly supportive over the years. This path I am in has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people from all over the world: from artists whose work inspired me, to fellow photographers I have met that shared their knowledge and expertise allowing me to grow to each and every one of my clients whose heartfelt Thank you, Merci, Gracias or Spasibo  (Houston is so multicultural) fuels my motivation like nothing else.

Website: https://valeriadalmas.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/valeria.dalmas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valeriadalmasphoto/