Valerie Steinkoenig: Award-Winning Austin Newborn & Maternity Photographer
Master Level Artistry and Safety from Belly to Baby
The Master Photographer Distinction
Competing at the highest levels of professional photography is about more than accolades—it is a commitment to refinement and technical precision. Valerie Steinkoenig earned her PPA Master of Photography degree in 2021 and is a three-time Austin Professional Photographer's Association (APPA) Photographer of the Year. Her work consistently earns top honors at the local, state (TPPA), and international levels (PPA and Portrait Masters).
National and International Recognition
Valerie has been recognized as a Top 10 Portrait Artist in PPA’s International Photographic Competition (IPC) and was a Grand Imaging Award nominee. She is currently ranked in the Top 16 Maternity and Newborn Portrait Artists with Professional Photographers of America and the Top 20 with Portrait Masters.
Excellence Rooted in Client Work
In 2023, Valerie was again named APPA Professional Photographer of the Year, earning Best of Show, Highest Print Case, and First Place honors for both Portrait and Album categories. While many competition entries are created with professional models, 100% of these award-winning images were created for the clients of Valerie Kay Photography. This ensures every family who walks into our Austin studio receives timeless portraiture that meets the highest professional standards in the industry.
Master Level Safety and Continued Training
Artistry is only half of the requirement for a professional newborn photographer. Because I handle infants as young as five days old, I prioritize formal, continued training in newborn physiology and posing safety.
I am an Accredited Maternity Photographer and a Qualified Newborn Photographer (QNP) through Accredited Professional Newborn Photographers International (APNPI). Having successfully passed the rigorous peer-review for my Maternity Accreditation, I am currently preparing my Newborn portfolio for the upcoming submission cycle.
This commitment to international safety and artistic standards, combined with my PPA Master of Photography degree, ensures that your family is in the hands of one of the most highly-vetted professionals in the Austin and Round Rock area.
International Photographic Competition (IPC)
2026 IPC Silver Medalist - Top 16 Maternity and Newborn Portrait Artist - Valerie Steinkoenig - "Divine Expectations"
Portrait Master's
Beyond the Portrait: Award-Winning Still Life
To maintain the technical precision required for Master-level portraiture, I constantly challenge my creativity in other genres. My recent still-life study, [Title of Fig Image], was awarded First Place in the 2023 APPA Image Competition. Whether I am meticulously lighting a delicate still life or safely posing a five-day-old newborn, the goal remains the same: creating an exquisite, award-winning piece of art for the walls of your home.
Awards, Exhibitions, and Publication
Valerie Kay Photography | Austin Portrait studio
CPP – Certified Professional Photographer
APNPI – Qualified Newborn Photographer & Newborn Safety Training- January 2018-2026
2017 Annual Photographic Competition – Second place, Portrait
Excellence Award Photography Magazine (October 2017) – Excellence Award in Maternity Photography
Fall 2016 Precision Photographic Excellence Awards – Second Place “Cheerio”
ACC Photo Students Receive Top Honors (2015) – Best Master Artist by a Student: Valerie Steinkoenig “My Sweet Angel”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (September 2016) – 1st Place “Cheerio”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (October 2016) – 2nd Place “Special Delivery”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (January 2017) – 3rd Place “Mournful”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (April 2017) – 2nd Place “Jacqueline Con Leche”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (August 2017) – 3rd Place “Glowing”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (September 2017) – 2nd Place “Mitch and Troy”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (October 2017) – 3rd Place “Asher Snug as a Bug”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (February 2018) – 1st Place “Bear Hug”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (April 2018) – 1st Place “All Snug in His Den”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – 2nd Place Portrait “All Snug in His Den”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – 3rd Place Portrait “Bear Hug”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – 2nd Place Album “Lucas”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – Judges Choice “All Snug in His Den”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – Judges Choice “Embracing the Future”
APPA 2018 Annual Print Competition (May 2018) – Highest Scoring Print Case Trophy
APPA Monthly Print Competition (June 2018) – 3rd Place “Knox the Fox”
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2018) – Distinguished Print Award “Cheerio”
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2018) – Judges Choice Portrait “Anticipation”
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2018) – Platinum Pin (7 images scoring 80 or higher)
“Cheerio” “Edison’s Window” “Anticipation” “Embracing the Future”
“Bear Hug” “Beary Sweet” “Southern Beauty”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (July 2018) – 1st Place & Speaker’s Choice “Snuggle Bunny”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (Sept 2018) – 1st Place “Little Bear Asleep in His Lair”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (Oct 2018) – 1st Place “Comfort in the Familiar”
Austin PPA 2018 Photographer of the Year
March 2020 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association | 2nd Place | "Nature's Gift"
April 2020 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association |3rd Place | "Bundle of Joy"
June 2020 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association | 2nd Place | "To the Moon and Back"
July 2020 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association | 2nd Place | "Rosie Posie"
2020 Texas Professional Photographer's Association Annual Competition
Gold Medalist | 6 Images Selected as Deserving of Merit
Best Portrait of a Child | "Nature's Gift"
Professional Photographer's of America - International Photographic Competition (IPC)
Bronze Medalist | Four Images Accepted into General Collection | "Nature's Gift", "Peaceful Slumber", "Snow Bears Sleeping Softly", "Peachful Slumber"
2019 Photographer of the Year | Austin Professional Photographer's Association
Jan 2019 | 1st Place & Speaker's Choice | "For Fox Sake, Don't Wake the Baby"
February 2019 | 1st Place & Speaker's Choice | "She's a Deer"
April 2019 | 3rd Place | "Baby Blue"
June 2019 | 1st Place | "Peachful Slumber"
July 2019 | 1st & Speaker's Choice | "Beary Best Friends"
August 2019 | 1st | "Little Rainbow Bear"
September 2019 | 2nd & Speaker's Choice | "Sweet Anticipation"
2019 APPA ANNUAL COMPETITION
Highest Scoring Print Case Trophy
1st Place Portrait - "She's a Deer"
2nd Place Portrait - "Little Bear Asleep in His Lair"
1st Place Album - "Baby Zane"
2020Texas Professional Photographer's Association Annual Competition
Gold Medalist | 6 Images Selected as Deserving of Merit
Best Portrait of a Child | "Nature's Gift"
2020 Professional Photographer's of America - International Photographic Competition (IPC)
Bronze Medalist | Four Images Accepted into General Collection | "Nature's Gift", "Peaceful Slumber", "Snow Bears Sleeping Softly", "Peachful Slumber"
February 2021 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association | 2nd Place | "Bear Hug"
March 2021 | Austin Professional Photographer's Association | 2nd Place | "Blue Boy"
Texas Professional Photographer's Association Annual Competition
Bronze Medalist | 5 Images Selected as Deserving of Merit
"To the Moon and Back"
"Rosie Posie"
"Bundle of Joy"
"Blue Boy"
"Bear Hug"
Recipient of 2018 Austin PPA’s Glen Eller Scholarship
APPA Monthly Print Competition (Jan 2019) -1st Place and Speaker’s Choice
“For Fox Sake, Don’t Wake the Baby”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (February 2019) -1st Place and Speaker’s Choice
“She’s a Deer”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (April 2019) -3rd Place
“Baby Blue”
APPA Monthly Print Competition (June 2019) 1st Place
“Peachful Slumber”
APPA 2019 Annual Print Competition (June 2019) – Highest Scoring Print Case Trophy
APPA 2019 Annual Print Competition (June 2019) – 1st Place Portrait – “She’s a Deer”
APPA 2019 Annual Print Competition (June 2019) – 2nd Place Portrait – “Little Bear Asleep in His Lair”
APPA 2019 Annual Print Competition (June 2019) – 1st Place Album – “Baby Zane”
SWPPA 2019 District Print Competition – Gold
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2019) – Distinguished Print Award “Comfort in the Familiar”
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2019) – Judges Choice Portrait “For Fox Sake Don’t Wake the Baby”
TPPA Summerfest Print Competition (June 2019) – SILVER Pin (5 images scoring 80 or higher)
“For Fox Sake Don’t Wake the Baby” “Peachful Slumber” “She’s a Deer” “Comfort in the Familiar” “Little Bear Asleep in his Lair”
"Bear Hug – February 2018 First Place winner Austin Professional Photographer’s Association Print Competition.
2024 Photographer of the Year | Austin Professional Photographer's Association
Exhibitions and Publications:
Summer 2013 – Fabio Light and Shadow
Truth and Photography Exhibition Austin, TX
February 2014 – Bird in Tree I
Krappy Kamera 2014 Soho Gallery NYC
Juror Jean Miele
October 2014 – Fabio in Silhouette
Fauna Group Exhibition – Smith Anderson North Gallery -
Juror William Wegman
January 2015 – Birdscapes: Voting Day 2014
Chronograph Group Exhibition Darkroom Gallery
Juror Johan Hallberg-Campbell
October 2016 – On a Wire in February
6th Annual Holga Out of the Box Exhibition TCC Photo Gallery
Dallas, TX
January 2022 - Austin Woman Magazine Feature : See Her Work - Valerie Steinkoenig: The Magic of Motherhood