One celeb under Rocha’s career belt is Stranger Things and Riverdale star Shannon Purser.
What do Taylor Swift and Atlanta-based photographer Valheria Rocha have in common? Well, a lot, now. Like the cover for Swift’s seventh studio album, Lover, which was photographed by the A’s own visual artist, then went on to rack up over 2 million likes on Instagram when the country star-turned-pop queen posted the album cover with its release date (Aug. 23)—and dubbed Rocha an “artistic genius.” NBD.
“It’s been a very emotional time for me because I feel very blessed to have had this opportunity and to have been chosen for this,” says the Colombia-born, Smyrna-raised photographer. “I always thought that celebrities like Taylor only worked with the top of the top, so it’s been beyond my wildest dreams.” And it’s no coincidence that Rocha’s own Insta shows off the same dreamy, muted pastel color palette the latest teasers for Lover have touted—one more thing in common. “My work is me in art form,” says Rocha. “It is exactly a representation of everything that I love, everything that I’m passionate about and everything that’s in my little world; it’s all glitter, shiny things and stars—a lot of happiness.”
From top: the album cover of Swift’s Lover, photographed by Rocha; a portrait of Taylor Swift by Valheria Rocha for the release of her single “ME!”
By the way, she’s 24 years old. Go ahead and take a beat to process that. Just two years out from graduating with a degree in photography (makes sense) from SCAD Atlanta (makes even more sense), the brunette beauty has already blazed quite the trail. “I have had the best time reeling in all of this love and positivity that people are sending my way,” she says. “People like Taylor are used to it all the time, but I’ve never been exposed to that in the amounts that I have been recently.” And if you think she’s peaked, think again. “It would be a huge dream to do something with Gucci,” she dishes. Alessandro Michele, if you’re reading this… @valheria123
From top: An outtake from Rocha’s photo shoot in Malibu for Converse Style; Rocha has also photographed actress Sophia Lillis, known for her role as Beverly Marsh in It; Rocha—who also has a knack for graphic design and collaging—pictured with her pup, Clementine.
Photography by: valheria rocha
