Today we’d like to introduce you to LesLeigh Leopard.
Hi LesLeigh, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been taking pictures for almost as long as I can remember, and I come by it honestly. Growing up, my mom was our family’s dutiful documentarian. She wasn’t a professional, but everywhere we went, there she was with her camera in hand. And it wasn’t just for big events either. She was there, ready to push the shutter in the little things. There are some posed photos, of course, but out of all the pictures meticulously housed and preserved in the chronological photo albums on my parent’s bookshelf, the candid images are my most favorite. They’re simple and they’re authentic, and when you look at them, you’re transported back to that exact moment in time. The times of wrestling with dad after dinner. The times of having tea parties in the backyard with friends. The times of sticky faces and fingers from “helping” mom can the homemade jam.
My husband is often surprised by the things that I can remember from my childhood, but part of me wonders… do I have memories of the moments themselves, or am I remembering the moments through photographs—moments that would have otherwise been forgotten? That whole thought inspires me. It’s the whole reason why I do what I do. It’s nice to have a posed portrait of your family, but I would argue that the photos of the mundane and ordinary days will be the most treasured. It really does go by fast, and there’s usually no visual record of it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but that doesn’t mean it’s been a bad road. Getting everything going was a struggle in and of itself… I must have “started” LesLeigh Leopard Creative about 5 times before it actually stuck for a decent amount of time. I would go to start and then it was “Oh! Time to get married! Oh! Time to move across the state! Oh! Time to have a baby (or 3)!” I hesitate to even call those things setbacks because I am so thankful and I wouldn’t change them for the world, it just caused me to pump the breaks on business things for a while. The timing worked out for the best though, because having a family of my own before jumping into family photography has given me a better understanding of how fleeting these little years are, which makes me all the more passionate about documenting this time for other families.
Another struggle that I think a lot of creatives relate to is dealing with impostor syndrome. It’s so easy to compare yourselves to other people in your field (or other entrepreneurs in general) and feel like you don’t belong or you can’t compete. I still struggle with this sometimes (there are so many amazing photographers out there), but I just have to remember that I don’t have to be THE BEST in order to be valuable. My clients book me, not just for my artistry, but also for the experience that I am able to give them… and that’s an experience that no one else can offer because no one else is me. It sounds cliche, but it’s true.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I aim to create images that are true to life, full of feeling and will be treasured for years to come. I am more than happy to work with families at whatever location they choose, but in-home photography is where my heart is. There is something about being in your own space that allows everyone to let their guard down, breathe a sigh of relief, and just be. Those are the moments that just can’t be replicated while frolicking in a field at sunset, as lovely as frolicking in a field at sunset may be.
Sessions with me are very natural and largely child-led. The goal is to authentically capture your daily life as it unfolds. I am a mom of 3 myself, so I am largely unphased by messy houses and childhood antics. If I arrive and your toddler is half naked, running through the house with a toaster waffle clutched in one fist and an action figure in the other, we will document that. If baby is sleeping peacefully in her nursery, we will sneak in for a few detail shots, and then move on to portraits of mom and dad while she finishes her snooze. By the end of it all, we will have created a visual story of your day, complete with candid shenanigans, and gently posed portraits. If you’re the sentimental type—the kind who feels the time slipping away all too fast. The kind that would give anything to visually document the story of your life as it is unfolding right now even though it’s messy and sometimes chaotic—I think we’d work great together.
What’s next?
No big changes, but a bit of a personal goal! I am working on a personal project that I’m calling “The {un}Still Life of Motherhood” where I’m collecting photographic evidence of the little kids that are running around my house. Motherhood with 3 under 5 is busy and messy and overwhelming at times, but it’s not something I want to forget. My house won’t always be sticky, covered in crumbs, and overflowing with laundry baskets and big feelings. Someday my daughter will have more refined taste when “decorating” her room, and my son will lose interest in picking me weed bouquets from our backyard. They’ll be able to feed themselves. Bathe themselves. Drive themselves to and from. It will be nice to not be needed SO MUCH… but I’ll be happy to have the visual reminders from when I was. So, I’m documenting the crumbs on the table, the toys scattered about, and the half-eaten apples that somehow wind up all over the place… little still lifes. Maybe someday I’ll compile them all into a coffee table book… even if it’s just for myself to look back on when I’m old and gray.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.lesleighleopardcreative.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lesleighleopardcreative
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lesleighleopardcreative
