Valerie Smart was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and is currently based in Bradenton, Florida. 

She has been interested in photography since she was very young and spent her childhood taking pictures with her toy Hannah Montana camera. Growing up, she moved around a lot and was drawn to the medium as a way of stopping time and bringing old memories with her to each new home. She has a special interest in portraiture as she likes to capture people at different points throughout their lives. Motion picture has become a major influence in her work; she has been particularly inspired by science fiction shows like “Russian Doll” and “Black Mirror”. She also became fascinated  by the work that goes on behind the scenes in filmmaking and continues to learn all she can about it. Her most recent projects have focused on bringing her passions photography and videography together.