Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Gilbert.
Leslie, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I have always been a shutterbug. I remember asking for a camera when I was about 8 or 9 years old. My parents got me one of those little pink Le Clic cameras, I loved that thing. When I was in High School, I really found my love for photography. Once I was in college, I was leaning toward an Advertising degree to continue cultivating that artistic bug. However, a Business degree was a more practical choice. After college, I went straight into the Corporate world, but I would always have a camera on me anytime I could.
I particularly loved taking landscapes when traveling. Once I became a mom and took some time off from the working world, I would take photos of family and friends. When my two children were toddlers, I started getting sick. I went to doctor after doctor to find out what was wrong. I can’t even count the number of tests that were run on me. I continued to decline in multiple ways. After five years of this, I was finally diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. After a couple of years, I started feeling better and eventually went back to the Corporate world. I immediately started declining again. Stress is a big trigger for Lupus and it was taking a toll. My husband and I decided it was just not worth it. I wanted to be present in my kids’ lives and have a long life with my family. He suggested that I make the jump and create a photography business. I had always loved it and was always told I produced wonderful photos. He pushed and pushed, so I finally did it. I am able to do what I love and be not only present in my families lives but I am able to be healthy and energetic with them. I owe all of that to my husband and my children for supporting me.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I specialize in High School Seniors and Teens. When I took my first Senior Photoshoot and fell in love. I still love doing landscapes and have done work for corporate offices but shooting Seniors has become my passion and focus. The most amazing thing is making a young girl feel beautiful. Girls, in particular, are so hard on themselves at this age. If I can make them see how beautiful they are, not only on the outside but on the inside, then I have made a difference. Teens are judged pretty harshly in today’s society and get a bad rap, they are extraordinary human beings with so much to offer!! I love learning about their hopes and dreams. Getting to know these kids and their families have brought me so much joy. It keeps me young.
I want my clients to have a fun, relaxed and memorable experience. Traditional portraits are keepsakes for a lifetime. We have a ton of phone pictures of our kids but the traditional portrait is so important to have as well and I think we forget that. I offer, phone apps for the kids and family to have but the keepsakes are something they can hold forever. Image boxes, albums, metals, and canvas’ are some of the popular products I have available.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
My advice for other artists would be to take that Leap of Faith and be confident in your art. Do what makes you happy and proud. Don’t conform to others in order to get clients, your perfect clients are there and you will find them. One thing I wished I would have learned earlier and still struggle with is being confident in your work. You can always be better and we should continue to work hard to get there but be confident in what you do now.
Contact Info:
- Address: Austin, Tx
- Website: www.lesliegilbertphoto.com
- Phone: 512-363-7199
- Email: leslieatx@icloud.com
- Instagram: lesliegilbertphotographytx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeslieGilbertPhotographytx/
Image Credit:
Leslie Gilbert Photography
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