Today we’d like to introduce you to Chase Leonard.
Chase, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began making music after college and that unleashed my creativity. At the same time, I volunteered to help with a photography project when I was working in food and wine marketing for my family’s business, Stew Leonard’s. One day when the shoot was about to wrap, the photographer handed me the camera and said, “take whatever photos you want”. I haven’t put the camera down since!
After that, I began working for Stephen Wilkes, an extremely well-respected, amazing, creative mind in the industry, who recognized my talent and encouraged my pursuit. I spent 2017-2018 receiving a Master’s in photography from New York City’s School of Visual Arts before packing my bags and driving cross country to LA.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s required a lot of self-motivation and perseverance to have reached this point in my photography career and it’s just the beginning! I’ve taken every opportunity that comes my way, whether that meant working for free or having the most menial job on a photoshoot…guarding the equipment, setting up the snack table, escorting talent from their car to the doorway, etc. Every time I was on set, I could imagine myself in the shoes of the photographer and that kept me motivated.
Please tell us about Photo by Chase.
I work as a freelance photographer, specializing in environmental portraits and fashion. My aesthetic sensibility drives my work. It’s intimate, authentic and edgy with special attention to light and color.
I’m most proud of the way that I make the person in front of my camera feel. A musician who I recently photographed wrote me after our photoshoot and said, “I thought I couldn’t relax or take a good picture in front of the camera but now I realize I was in front of the wrong person’s camera”. There’s really not much else I could hope for than to make someone feel comfortable and beautiful, especially when we live in a society that has created such a scrutinizing atmosphere and male-dominated perspective when it comes to the images we see.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
So many! But mainly an overarching nostalgia of just being a kid without a care in the world. I think of summertime, swinging on the swings, popsicles melting down my hand, catching fireflies in jars. Endless curiosity and pure joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.photobychase.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @photobychase
Image Credit:
Personal photo: photo credit to Sofie Stenmark, Additional photos: photo credit to Chase Leonard
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