Meet Leigh Roberts | Photographer & Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leigh Roberts and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leigh, what role has risk played in your life or career?
When I think back to the moments of risk sprinkled throughout my life and career, I’m glad I took them. Especially the ones that did not turn out the way I had hoped. For a few reasons. The first being: I could now turn a negative result into a positive one by rethinking and trying again. And secondly: I’ve just gotten an education. Granted, it was not the preferred option of learning from other people’s mistakes. My mother always said, “Education is expensive.. and honey that was definitely an education” It brings a little humor to the failure. But you get back up, and you revisit how you’ll approach your next risk. I have owned 2 studios. The first opened in 2016 and functioned as a photography studio. The contents inside the studio were destroyed when Hurricane Florence came through in 2018. I then made the decision to walk away from it and focus on my 3 other income streams at the time.
My second studio opportunity arose in 2022. I opened an art studio/gallery. I told myself to give it a year and if by the end of that year I have not hit a certain goal, I will pivot again. I had immediate success. Every month I would worry about the next but I was making it happen! Small goals and accomplishments turned into bigger ones. The end of 2022 rolled around and to everyone’s surprise, I actually decided to leave the gallery behind me. One cannot worry about the opinions of others upon your life and career choices. Only you know where you’re going and the stepping stones you have in front of you.
There is no secret to battling risk. We all fear it and we all must jump in with courage and excitement to reach the other side of that risk. But maybe the greatest reason we fear risk is because we fail to calculate and prepare for either result. What’s the saying? ..”Opportunity comes to those who are prepared?”
Or maybe the greatest reason we fear it is because we choose not to have enough faith in our own abilities to make it through. Everything is a choice.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have 2 passions: photography and creating artwork. I will give you some context and background to both. My brand of photography is very art-driven. I strive to bring out and capture the beautiful individuality from every person who loves another. And the best part of every session is, we always have fun!
I have spent 10 years in total photographing love. During that time, I have developed my own editing process, like a thumbprint. No run of the mill stuff. Always bespoke, always beautiful, and artfully done.
Candid moments, mixed within the traditional ones, are my all time favorite. The equipment I use is Sony. But I would like to add some film cameras to the mix soon. Until then, I toss in some film style edits here and there for fun. My current project I am excited about is the release of my own Lightroom presets I spent the last decade developing!

The art I create certainly has a thumbprint but I’m constantly experimenting and using unconventional methods since I am not trained as an artist like many others. My most recent art I am creating is extremely exciting because I just started a new direction with my art creating sculptures made to be as a canvas on a wall, instead of free standing. The lack of training is actually very freeing! I am not confined to habit.

I think creative professions are usually a talent that is either tapped into or lays dormant. I chose to get away from the 9-5 in order to tap into mine. Worth it! It was an easy choice once I made the decision to say, ” I’m ready to bet on myself even though there might be long stretches of hardship.”
An important lesson I learned is not to hide my work even if I don’t love it; and especially if I’m afraid it isn’t “my best”. Some of the best compliments and reactions I have received from viewers were about the photographs I almost never shared or the pieces I’d hidden away in the back room of my gallery. The door would be cracked and a guest would peek in. Next thing I know, they’re writing a check.
People have unique perspective, and if we as artists hold too tightly to the art we make in fear of the feedback and response from others, we would never give them a chance to love it or connect to us. Our fear leaves a weak spot in our businesses. I’ll quote my mother again. She always says, “The answer is always no, if we do not ask.”

2022 was a rebuilding phase. I did not have the ability to believe enough in myself to sell my own art as a professional until I took a leap of faith into opening another studio. I knew I had to take the risk after wrestling with the idea. There is a lot of self-awareness and development I had to go through between 2021 to now. I had just gotten a divorce, lost the photo/video company I co-founded and spent 7 years building, and was at the tail end of post-partum depression after the birth of my son. I was recovering from so much loss with almost nothing left to my name. It is strange knowing what the top of the mountain looks like, only to find yourself tumbling into the valley. I found myself in a position of desperation. For a brief time I had to go back to the 9-5 as an insurance agent just to put food on the table. I knew there something wrong and I knew I needed to make a move. Once the opportunity presented itself, I jumped. So in February of 2022, I opened Leigh Roberts Studio. I sold artwork like my life and my toddler’s life depended on it. I tapped into the part of me I always needed to. This time, it was do or die. So I dove in. Determination can overcome a lot more than I realized. Mindset is everything.

An even greater aspect of the whirlwhind of this backstory is that in the middle of that same year, I decided I was ready to start my photography career over and open another photography business, Leigh Roberts Photo. The investment was daunting. Every ounce of camera and lighting equipment had to be bought all over again. Every dollar was a bet on myself. And trust me when I say, I was down to the my last. By using any profit left over from art sales, I had the bare minimum. That’s all I needed: a chance
**p.s.: You don’t need fancy equipment to be a great photographer.**
Small jobs would come to me and I put 110% into them as if they were 4 and 5 figure gigs. I knew if people could just see for themselves what I could do for them, I’d be on my way back up the mountain.

Months went by and I wasn’t sure why but not a single soul had booked me for bigger jobs, weddings, brand campaigns, etc. Sitting in my gallery, I call my parents, who had stuck by me thick and thin. They ask me how things are going and through the tears welling up in my eyes, I tried to be encouraging. My broken voice gave the truth away. I was shattered. I was afraid. My low self worth was telling me, “I’m not going to make it.”
Just then, in the middle of m conversation with them, I get a call. I answered of course. It was Cody Milewski with Cassian Films.
“Is this Leigh? I have an emergency! I need a photographer for a wedding this weekend. Would you happen to be available?” My heart could not have been more elated. God had answered my prayer. This was the beginning of something truly wonderful.
I answered back, “Yes, this is she. Let me check my calendar..” ironically knowing full well I did not have a single item on my calendar.
I get booked and paid my lowest rate at the time of $2000 for that weekend’s wedding. It felt like a million bucks.
Cody became an incredible mentor and colleague since then. We tag teamed many weddings and other commercial projects. Prior to our friendship, I did not know how much room there was for improvement within me. It was because of him and a few other colleagues I learned from, like Kevin Titus, I was then able to elevate my gift.
Now I run a successful photography business and sell my artwork to collectors across the US.

Another major lesson: Live gift-driven, open yourself up to learn, and your impact on others will expand.

This is a big part of my story. Enough for a book if I could add all the details! But, I had to humble myself first before I could experience blessings. I had to wipe the slate clean. And most of all, I had to change and reflect on who I was meant to become. Our professions are not “who” we are; but who we are determines how we are and the impact we have on others through the life we choose.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Wilmington, NC, and have yet to visit Miami. But if I were to plan out a fun time in my town I would start the morning at Sunday’s surf cafe’ at Wrightsville Beach where we can see the ocean, grab a coffee, and make our way down to take a walk on the beach or walk “the loop”. Lunch would be a gorgeous little local spot called Origins where somehow gold gilded accents are appropriate at any hour. In the afternoon, we could take a boat ride down the intercoastal with some friends, maybe pop by our favorite dive bar, Jimmy’s, clean up for dinner, and end up at a new spot in town! Right now, G Prime is the steak house hot off the press. Wilmington is just a laid back surf town. Good people, simple lifestyle, nothing flashy, just easy.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have a two-fold spotlight to give. First, to my dad. The many moments over my course of my life, he has been the one to always show up and help me, no matter the task. And the one to speak into my life when I was too stubborn to hear anyone else. Second, to my friend, Cody Milewski. He was a God-send for my career as a photographer when I was lost.

Website: leighrobertsphoto.com

Instagram: instagram.com/leighrobertsphoto, instagram.com/leighrobertsart, Instagram.com/leighroberts_

Other: *3 instagram profiles*