Influenced by her parents’ love of the outdoors and her mother’s creative background, Valerie Fecher picked up a camera and began taking photographs at an early age.

"Sunrise in Big Pine" showcases both Valerie Fecher's talent and passion for the natural world. (Photos provided by Valerie Fecher)

Her inspiration to become a shutterbug came from her mother, a painter, who also passed her artistic drive down to Valerie’s sisters. One became a sculptor and the other a craftsperson.

The natural world also has exerted an ongoing influence on Valerie, dating from a 1967 family camping trip in Alaska. These days, she goes regularly to the Everglades with her lobsterman father, where they ride around on their airboat capturing images that she uses in her shows. On one of their treks, she was lucky enough to spot and photograph a rarely seen Florida panther.

Valerie grew up in Miami but, by the time she turned 14, her parents had chosen to move farther south.

Valerie is influenced by her family's creative heritage and love of the outdoors.

“In 1971, my parents decided to leave the rat race behind and move me and my two sisters down to the Keys,” said Valerie, who lived on Big Pine Key and attended Marathon High School. “Big Pine was a small rural area back then and they liked that.”

After graduating from high school, she attended Florida Keys Community College, where she honed her darkroom skills in the medium of black-and-white photography. She later received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Miami’s Florida International University.

Valerie eventually built a darkroom in her home that she used to develop her photos until it seemed the right time to embrace digital photography.

Nature and the water play a large role in her work, so she often takes off in a kayak right from her property on Big Pine to seek compelling images.

Valerie's "Clouds Out Back" contrasts the stillness of the water with the light-drenched energy of the billowy clouds.

While photographing outdoor subjects is her primary passion, portrait photography is Valerie’s second love. She even enjoys shooting portraits of local kids dressed up for Halloween.

Today, she’s a member of Big Pine’s Artists in Paradise Gallery, where her mother is a founding member, and happily displays her work in the gallery’s shows.

“I’ve been with them about a decade, and the photography I show is mostly images from the Everglades and the Keys,” Valerie said. “The gallery has grown tremendously over the years from its original 13 members.”

Her husband, a fishing guide, shares her love of the outdoors. Most of their vacations are very active, generally including kayaking or snorkeling.

It’s hardly surprising that Valerie’s life and photos are inextricably entwined. Each reflects her passion for the beauty of the natural world she finds in the Florida Keys — the island chain that is both her home and her inspiration.