ALTON - Becky Croxton has taken pictures all over the world, but she loves St. Louis most of all.
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Croxton is the October Milton Schoolhouse Artist of the Month. Her photographs are on display at Milton Schoolhouse, including many pictures of St. Louis landmarks and hidden pockets around the city. Her photography started as a way for her to show off the city she loves, and now, her work has gained traction across the Riverbend region.
“I think that’s one of the things that really started me. I wanted people to see St. Louis like I see it, because I love it,” she said. “It’s my favorite place in the entire world, and I know it gets a lot of crap and hate, but I love it. I think there's so much beauty in the city, even in the parts that people think are bad or ugly. There’s just something beautiful about it to me, and I want people to see that.”
Croxton’s photography focuses on nature and city scenes. She especially loves “dramatic, moody clouds” and interesting angles. She takes a lot of photos on her DSLR camera, but just as many on her phone.
Croxton started taking pictures when she was a child. She remembers going on a trip to Disney when she was 10, armed with a disposable camera. Though these first photos were “terrible” and a lot of “just goofing off,” Croxton laughed, there was promise in her work already.
This is also when Croxton’s love of travel began. When she’s not taking pictures of her hometown, she’s planning trips away.
She loves snowy destinations, and Alaska has a soft spot in her heart. She’s currently planning a trip to Toronto to see Niagara Falls and watch a few hockey games, as she is a “huge hockey fan.” Most recently, she took her first solo trip to Europe, where she took over 2,000 photos and loved every minute.
“It gave me inspiration to actually do it when none of my friends could go, because I knew I’d sit at home and be pissed off watching people on Facebook travel,” she joked. “I love to travel. Besides photography, that’s probably my hobby, planning trips.”
The travel makes her return home all the sweeter. Though she has countless pictures from trips around the globe, she mostly enjoys taking pictures of the community in Alton and St. Louis. She grew up going into the city, and she has always loved the buildings and the atmosphere of St. Louis.
Croxton’s photography has gained a lot of attention in recent months, but she admitted it was still “scary” to display her work at Milton Schoolhouse. Her loved ones convinced her to give it a shot, and she has been pleasantly surprised by the reaction.
“It’s something I would never do,” she shared. “It’s totally outside my comfort zone, but my brother really encouraged me to do it, so I thought, okay. I mean, let’s try it…If people like them, yay.”
Though Croxton said photography is ultimately “just a hobby” for her, the community has had a powerful response to her work. She hopes to continue creating photos and sharing them with others through displays like the Artist of the Month showcase at Milton Schoolhouse. You can also see her photos on her official Instagram profile.
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