ISRAEL VALENCIA

Bio

In his early teens, Israel Valencia and his family moved to Napa, CA from Guadalajara, Mexico. Lucky to find several encouraging and creative teachers, he soon discovered photography and from then on spent all his spare time in his school’s photo lab.

As he honed his skills in the darkroom and found inspiration in the techniques of masters like Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Israel got his first paid gig when his photo teacher hired him as his assistant. As digital technology overtook film, Israel was able to transition seamlessly by relying on the traditional methods he’d studied.

Israel’s career took a curve when he was diagnosed with Leukemia at age 20. His subsequent years of treatment and recovery made a lasting impact on his life and work. Invigorated by his second chance at life, he became increasingly drawn to the beauty and power of the natural world.

With his health restored, he continued to pursue film and photography and founded his company, Infinity Visuals. Today, he balances his love of event photography with more personal work. He exhibits his work often and one photo series, “Primavera Rota” remains on display at Bistro Sabor, in downtown Napa.

The recent growth and support of Napa’s creative community and downtown infrastructure have increased Israel’s desire to have a positive impact on the city through his art. He is currently studying Digital Design Graphics Technology at Napa Valley College with the goal of combining his photography with sculpture and architectural designs.