About

NOW FULLY OPEN FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SESSIONS!!

My name is Leslie and I'm a photographer based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I had a super professional, slightly sales-pitchy, 'About Me' done up for you to read... but then I scrapped it in favour of showing you who I really am. I've tried not to ramble on too long, but I do get carried away sometimes.
For as long as I can remember, I've been drawn towards the arts & other creative endeavours. 
I quickly learned a few things about myself.

• My singing voice sounds great with the radio... not so much on its own

• Even my stick figures beg silently for the eraser to put them out of their misery

• I'm not completely devoid of rhythm, but my dancing is nothing to write home about

• Writing, that one I'm pretty good at, but we live in an age where if something doesn't grab a persons attention immediately, it often gets looked over...

Photography is the one art form where what I can create exactly what is in my head and put it out there for everyone to see. You can see that my portfolio is broken up into multiple sections, I'm going to tell you a little about my approach to each category.

Weddings and Engagements: I. Love. Weddings. I'm one of those hopeless romantic types - I still tear up at every wedding ceremony that I photograph. Don't worry, it doesn't mess me up when I'm working - I just kinda roll with it. When it comes to engagement sessions, it's not just a pose and pretend to laugh situation... it's going to be an interactive experience, we might even get a little silly, designed to get authentic expressions from you.
And even though I'm sad that we still live in a world where this has to be said, yes, I am LGBTQ friendly.

Boudoir and Glamour: Blah blah blah the media, unrealistic standards of beauty, etc, etc. You know the spiel. The bottom line? I love making people feel good about themselves. There is so much beauty in everyone, and being the one to make a person realize "Holy crap, I am gorgeous/handsome/other descriptive word that descibes how badass you are." is the best feeling.
In a similar vein as my wedding footnote, I don't just photograph women. Cisgender or nonbinary, you are all welcome at my studio! Everyone deserves to feel good about themselves. (I also post Boudoir model calls in my VIP Facebook group! Click here to request to join!)

Portraiture - previously known as Fitness & Fantasy: For me, those two categories are one and the same... fitness is a fantasy to me.... I love junk food. (Kidding, mostly.) Bodybuilders & athletes are unique to photograph. I love the grit, the raw style of shooting them. It's such a contrast from the other things I shoot and I have so much fun doing it.
Fantasy - well if you've made it this far, it probably won't shock you that I love to read. I believe magic exists everywhere, and creating it for you with lighting tricks or photoshop is a challenge I will rise to.
Need a pro headshot? Look, it doesn't have to be boring, I promise. Lets work together and make sure your headshot says exactly what you want the world to hear.

Families & Children: Phew, last category. Families & Children is an interesting category for me. Like so many, I started out photographing my own kids. There are many amazing & talented family photographers out there. My particular approach to families and children is more of a fine art meets lifestyle. I want to create something that stops you in your tracks and makes you smile every time you look at it. Again, that means authentic expressions and perfect lighting. Fair warning, I'm also going to strongly encourage you to get prints of your family because way too many of us (I've been guilty of this, too) share everything online and our walls are bare or almost bare. 

So, in conclusion, I'm a slightly awkward, rambling creative type who wants to make you feel great about yourself and/or capture your memories in a beautiful, authentic, wall worthy way. I love what I do and I'm skilled at it, I've worked very hard to be. I have a diploma in Creative Photography & Videography from Mohawk College. I attend workshops and webinars and meetings with others in the industry to continuously learn.

TL;DR: I'm a college-educated photographer who would love the honour of photographing you in your life through special events or just to make you feel amazing.