Photography has been a passion of mine ever since I was eight years old and I witnessed the magic of my father’s 35mm film Minolta SLR, as he captured the memories of our family’s first trip to the UK. Being able to hold the photos afterwards and recall the stories… there was no going back.

I have owned a camera ever since.

I spent my teenage years learning Photoshop under the mentorship of a graphic designer who taught me to love the enormity and power of the program. I even spent my free time “editing” my friend’s school photos for them – bye-bye acne!

Following high school I wandered the globe a bit and settled on a teaching degree as the “grown up thing to do” from the University of Alberta. Upon graduating I worked as a high school English teacher in Stettler for a time, but left full-time teaching when we started our family. I loved teaching and I loved my students, and one day, I hope to return to the classroom. But, for now, I am home with my kids and my photography allows me to be flexible with my time and to be a mom first.

It has been over the last 10 years, as I have taken a variety of photography and art classes that I have discovered that art for me exists creatively through a lens rather than a paintbrush. I love to envision sessions for clients and make them a reality.

Family is incredibly important to me and that has led me to falling in love with family photography. I am thankful to my parents who have recorded our lives through film. These enhance the memories I have of my childhood and I hope to do the same for my own children, and for others.

As your photographer it is my goal to help you capture life’s fleeting moments and to create a beautiful legacy for your family to look back on and “remember when”.

-Hayley Leschert, Lead Photographer