Millerton native captures life in the village through her own lens

MILLERTON — For nearly a decade, Libby Valentine’s vibrant and distinctive photographs have graced the cover of Main Street Magazine, but her ties to Millerton go way back. Back to 1875, to be exact, when her great grandfather Richard L. Valentine moved to the region and started a business that has endured for 150 years and counting.

Valentine’s brother, Bruce, now carries on the family legacy as the owner of Valentine Monument Works and Sandblast — one of Millerton’s most historic businesses — but it was his early fascination with photography that first sparked Libby’s own creative journey.

She smiled as she recalled a memory from age seven. “Growing up, my brother converted a closet in our house into a dark room and I would sit on a stool and watch him develop his photographs.”

As the years went by, Valentine continued snapping photos but didn’t begin to take the art form seriously until she had children and started an annual tradition of creating elaborate holiday cards.

“I kind of went all out,” she said. “Some years they were goofy, others were serious, but they were always a big production.” Her friends soon began to notice the quality of her images and asked her to photograph their families. “And then I just started picking up my camera more and more,” Valentine said.

Today, Valentine is constantly capturing the beauty of Millerton from all angles and hours, but mostly during “golden hour,” her favorite time of day.

“I bring my camera with me wherever I go,” she said, pointing to her Nikon DSLR. Inspiration can strike when you least expect it, like last week while she was delivering copies of the magazine just after sunrise. Valentine captured a serene moment at Rudd Pond when fog enveloped two fishermen who were waiting in pursuit of an early morning catch.

While anyone might look at Valentine’s photographs in awe, she is unwaveringly humble and views herself as more of a student of the craft than an expert. “I learn something new from each photograph I take,” she said. “It’s all about lighting. There’s obviously a lot more to it than that, but if you can find good lighting, you’re golden.”

Libby Valentine’s first introduction to photography was her brother’s makeshift darkroom in a closet. Her photographs are regularly featured in Main Street Magazine.Aly Morrissey

In addition to staging Main Street Magazine’s iconic cover photos, Valentine also creates the publication’s “Recipe of the Month,” which she called a “big-time passion.” With a love for sweet and savory recipes, she spends countless hours in the kitchen and considers cooking a mood booster. “That’s my sanctuary — my space,” she says. “My go-to when I’m feeling blue.”

While she said it hasn’t always come naturally, her father — who will turn 91 this year — is also a great cook. “He still does all the cooking,” she said.

That love of food and creativity will likely find its way into Valentine’s November cover. Her process, she says, is a mix of structure and spontaneity. Some months have defined themes, while others are left open to inspiration. “It’s a time when everyone starts to gather,” she said of November.

Clarity often comes late at night when her mind is racing, and that’s exactly how her latest idea was born. “I want to decorate a holiday table — but outdoors, surrounded by the colors of fall,” she said. “I’m going to decorate the heck out of it — a big, beautiful fall table for the November issue.”

As people eagerly await the next issue, locals will know exactly when it’s out. “Delivering the magazine is like Christmas every month,” Valentine said. “People recognize me, they recognize my car, and as I’m getting the magazines out of my hatch they’ll come over to me and chat and ask for a copy.”

With that recognition and appreciation, it’s hard for Valentine to remember her early days at the magazine, when she first began sending editor and publisher Thorunn Kristjansdottir photographs that were accepted for Instagram and, occasionally, inside of the magazine. “And now, it seems like I’m the cover girl,” she laughed.

Despite having a coveted job as a magazine photographer, Valentine doesn’t consider photography work. “Photography has always been a passion, it’s never been a job,” she says.