Leo is a phenomenal photographer (or, shall I say, phamomenal photographer?). Not only is he…read moretalented, but his dedication to his art and clients truly sets him apart. I came across his work on social media years ago. I shared Leo's portfolio with my fiancé (boyfriend at the time), who is also a photography enthusiast, and he was thoroughly impressed. We knew Leo was going to be our wedding photographer. The only thing in our way was that we weren't engaged yet.
When my fiancé finally proposed, the first wedding vendor we committed to was Leo. We had a video call with him and really enjoyed our conversation. We booked him for our wedding. We didn't even shop around or chat with other photographers. We knew Leo was the one.
Then we began brainstorming for our engagement shoot. We desired something unique and special. And we had the perfect photographer to help us fulfill our vision. My fiancé and I love the outdoors and wanted to take our engagement photos in one of our favorite places: Utah.
Our destination engagement shoot required a significant hike on an unmarked trail, deep in the Utah backcountry. Although Leo is not an avid hiker, he was on board. It was the best experience we could have asked for, despite Mother Nature not cooperating.
We flew Leo out for three days. He was a consummate professional throughout the entire trip. We got to know one another and developed a friendship. This bond is crucial for any photographer and his/her clients. We trusted him with our photos, our moments, and our story. We knew he would capture "us" in our truest selves. Posing in front of a camera is intimidating, and I felt extremely awkward at first. However, Leo made the experience fun and comfortable.
Furthermore, we were blown away by Leo's dedication and ability to take advantage of every situation. This man does not stop working. He was snapping photos from the moment we woke up, to the moment we headed to bed. He is not afraid to experiment with different techniques. After a long day of hiking 9.5 miles against 25-30 mph winds, Leo continued his photography wizardry in the evening. We took photos during golden hour and some amazing nighttime shots that involved rigorous physical exertion on Leo's part (running around).
Despite the wild weather conditions, Leo never complained or wavered. As an avid outdoorswoman, I was over our hike but Leo inspired me to keep trekking! He was a true trooper tackling the 30-mph-winds and long mileage. More impressively, his camera never stopped clicking. Leo didn't simply take photos at our destination, he was shooting during the whole hike. He found cool angles and sensational viewpoints. Due to the strong winds, my dress and hair were whipping in every direction. I could barely keep my eyes open with the wind and swirling sand. At times, I felt like I was on the verge of getting blown away. I was worried the photos wouldn't turn out well, but Leo went toe-to-toe with Mother Nature, and our pictures from that day were excellent.
On the third and final day, we embarked on a short hike to a slot canyon. While it was a less strenuous day, the temperatures were in the low 40s. I was struggling to keep warm in my formal attire. Leo was extremely patient as I took numerous breaks to put on my jacket or switch out of my heels. At the end, he got some awesome "fashion shots".
Leo had a quick turnaround and shared our engagement photos within a month. We are thrilled with the results. He captured many candid and fun behind-the-scenes moments. I was nervous that our photos would look staged or forced. (This is our top concern with wedding photography in general.) We don't want our pictures or ourselves to appear artificially constructed. However, Leo provided great guidance, even our posed pictures look natural (excluding the fashion shots as these are purposely posed). Furthermore, Leo's photo editing achieves a natural look.
Wedding planning is stressful and overwhelming. Working with Leo has been our favorite vendor experience so far. Incredibly smooth and delightful; it's like hanging out with an old friend. As a photographer, Leo's vision and talents are superb. You're not going to get run-of-the-mill pictures. Leo's shots are stunning, artistic, and a beautifully intimate glimpse into the couple's love story. We cannot wait to have Leo work his magic at our wedding, the most magical day of our lives.