Today we’d like to introduce you to Leigh Castelli.
Hi Leigh, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Quite a bit has changed since the last time we spoke in 2019. Owning and operating Leigh Castelli Photography over the last 12 years has given me so much purpose and has kept my passion of creativity alive. As the sole owner and operator of my business – I have been given the freedom to balance the pursuit of my dreams of becoming a successful photographer with being the active mother I knew I always wanted to be. I am very fortunate that I have been able to steadily grow my client base while keeping up with a very full shooting calendar all year round. I have had the great pleasure of photographing thousands of precious moments for couples , growing families, special events, weddings, business professionals and I have expanded my client services to collaborate with many amazing brands & local companies as well. My priority has always been to provide a memorable experience for all my clients and I feel so lucky that this lifelong passion of mine has turned into a very fulfilling career. 2024 also brought big changes to LCP. In addition to my already busy shooting schedule, I recently expanded my business offerings to serve as a small business consultant & podcast producer. Helping other local creatives and entrepreneurs launch their ideas into successfull businesses has been a very rewarding experience for me and I am thrilled to continue on this exciting journey.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has definitely NOT been a smooth road ; )) When I first moved to California in 2011- I was a young mother with a toddler and a newborn and zero safety net. We moved here without a support system in place and we literally had to build our village and our new lives from the ground up. My husband and I were both starting over with new careers and it was definitely a scary time but we jumped right in pursued our family goals together. There have been many obstacles and bumps in the road throughout the course of my entire career but I was never willing to give up on myself and the dream I had for my business growth. I always remained true to my passion & my plan even during the hard years. Some years were definitely better than others and there were many times when I thought it would just be easier to call it quits but I never gave up and I just kept working hard to reach my goals.
I truly believe that dedication is the recipe for success in any business venture you decide to pursue whether you’re part time, full time or simply a hobbyist. Meet yourself where you are at and do the best you can do to puruse your dreams every day. Don’t ever let anything or ANYONE get in your way!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My tagline has always been “happily capturing life & love in Southern California” and that is truly what I strive to accomplish every day. I feel so lucky that I get to capture the happiest of moments and the very best of times for families, friends and clients from all over the world. Creating & curating a lifetime of beautiful memories for so many of my families and clients is an absolute dream come true. I specialize in light filled natural, organic imagery photographed on location in San Diego & Orange County. Our scenic background here always provide inspiration but it’s my incredible clients that give me the motivation to keep going every day.
I take great pride in my work and I truly value the relationships that I build with each and every one of my clients. It’s important for me to establish a relationship prior to working together so that everyone feels comfortable from the very start and we can just create & capture natural, organic moments together. The one piece of consistent feedback I have received over the years is how enjoyable I make the experience for everyone and that truly makes me so happy. When my clients take the time to share a review online about the experience, it makes me so happy and it’s honestly the greatest gift I could receive. My client feedback is so important to me and I want all of my clients to be excited when they see me and just enjoy the time we share together. I never want my sessions to feel like a stressful experience so I always do my best to help prepare my clients prior to the session and I am there to guide them every step of the way.
What matters most to you? Why?
At the end of the day, I care most about how I made people feel and about the memories we created together. Photography is an art and being able to share that art with others is such an incredible honor for me. Capturing authentic emotions & memories is what I strive for and I truly cherish the trust my clients place in me. As a busy mother of two, I know how fleeting the moments are and I am so thankful that I have been able to freeze time and document those memories for all of my amazing clients over the last 12 years. The growth of my photography business has been my greatest gift and I’m thankful to still be on this very rewarding journey with all of you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leighcastelliphotography.com & https://leighcastelli.com
- Instagram: @leighcastelliphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lcastelliphotography
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigh-castelli-photography-a2955816
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/leigh-castelli-photography-san-marcos-2
Image Credits
My headshot was taken by the amazing – Laura Bravo Mertz {Solifoto}
