A Little Bit About Me
“My photos are my memories, not just immortalized for myself, but to be shared with others as I experience the ever-changing story of life.”
I am Kenzie Perkins Valladolid, owner and founder of 91 Perks Photography. I have always enjoyed taking photos or recording videos as long as I can remember. My true passion for photography as an art began in 2006.
It started with a simple Sony point and shoot I took to a concert with hopes for a few good pictures to capture the memory. As I was taking photos, I realized some of them came out better than I planned, better than just the memory I was hoping to capture. While they were nothing spectacular, they were enough to ignite the passionate flame for capturing my memories in a new and beautiful way. Once I arrived home, I uploaded the photos, ordered prints of my favorites and when they arrived I fell more in love. That is when I decided I wanted to step foot in to the world of photography.
After saving up for my first DSLR I began taking photos of everything. My pets, sunsets from the backyard, plants, friends, really just about anything you can think of. I started my business 91 Perks Photography to take photos of local bands so they could have promo material for posters, CD booklets and websites. I initially was into local concert photography based in San Antonio, Texas while I finished high school. During this time, I also became interested in sports photography when I started taking photos of friends skateboarding. While in high school, photography was a big step on a large support ladder that helped me climb out of a dark hole. The doors that opened when I started taking photos allowed me to be a part of many things that have brought much light in to my life.
When I graduated high school, I moved to Gunnison, Colorado to attend Western Colorado University (Western State College when I arrived in 2010). My sports photography grew as I began to take photos of the WSCU football team as well as friends skiing and snowboarding. After moving to the Gunnison Valley, I became very interested in landscape photography, given the beauty that surrounded me. I had played around shooting some landscapes but nothing captivated me more than my first time experiencing the fall foliage during my first September in the valley. It captured me, set my passion a blaze and suddenly nearly my entire focus became landscape photography.
I graduated from Western with a double major; psychology and sociology. The education I received from Western has helped me unexpectedly with my photography in regards to perception on various subjects. Since graduating, I have completed some graduate courses to further my psychology degree as well as started a job I really enjoy at a local bank. In 2017, I married the love of my life and college sweetheart, David, who has been supportive and a big part of my photography adventures. Our free time is often filled by playing with our two dogs, Bender and Chui. They are our first children and often the center of attention. Bender loves the tennis ball and Chui loves meeting new people. When not playing with the pups, David and I are often found outside skiing/snowboarding, hiking, paddle boarding, riding our dirt bikes, exploring new areas and ghost towns - enjoying life under the sun and night stars.
Photography is something that is not only a part of my life but has become a part of who I am. Being able to capture nature’s most precious moments is something I am truly thankful for. My photos are my memories, not just immortalized for myself, but to be shared with others as I experience the ever-changing story of life.
While landscape photography is a primary focus of mine, I still continue to find opportunities that allow new doors to open for me. I still partake in live music photography as much as I can as well as provide photographic support to local bands getting their start. I had once dipped my toes into portrait photography but due to a lack of confidence, I shut that door and never opened it again. In September 2018, a friend and coworker asked me about wedding photography. I was hesitant as I had turned them down in the past but ended up taking the challenge of photographing my first wedding. I had so much fun and enjoyed it quite a bit more than I expected. The best part? Being happy with the photos I took and regaining the confidence I had lost when I last attempted a similar type of photography. This was a huge turning point for me because it encouraged me to continue to open new doors for myself as well as continue on the new path I started when I successfully photographed my first wedding.
Now, I consider photographing families, weddings and other happy occasions as one of my favorites! I have a love for dramatic black and white photographs and have adopted the style in my portrait photography. Falling in love with every new door of photography that opens for me allows my brain to confirm what my heart already knows; I absolutely love the art of photography!
Thank you for joining my camera and I as we hike along the trail of life. Experiencing its ups and downs but most importantly; remembering to stop, enjoy the moment then photograph it! Or maybe photograph it first…then enjoy 😉.