{thursday's low-down, throw-down}

i am SO super excited to share this with you all!!! starting today, we will be doing a weekly (thursday)
feature on one amazing photographer. there is so much talent out there, so many inspiring photographers, and so many rockin' site/blogs...that we wanted to share some with you!
so, each week i will be interviewing one photographer and you will get to read and learn a little bit more about them...
or maybe, hopefully, learn about a new photographer that will inspire you like they have inspired us. yay!! fun, huh?!

i'm super excited about our very first photographer to get the low down on!! i'm giddy like a little girl!
this is so fun for me, ha ha!

i would like to introduce you to Elizabeth Leighton. she is quite an amazing person (inside and out) and photographer. her style and photography draws me in...they are romantic, pure, beautiful and full of emotion.
it's my pleasure to introduce you to Elizabeth Leighton....

Name: Elizabeth Leighton

Business name: Elizabeth Leighton Photography

Location: Northern Virginia

Website/blog: elizabethleighton.com and elizabethleighton.com/blog

Tell us one sentence to describe your photography:

Wedding photography - classically romantic with a modern twist.

Portrait photography - clean and fresh

Can you tell us a little about you?

I have been married to my best friend, Bill for almost nine years and we have 4 gorgeous children (14, 7, 4, and 17 months). We just relocated to Northern Virginia. I love my Heavenly Father. I am a huge Steelers fan. I can make a mean Kung Pao chicken and a great potato salad. I am not afraid to share with others. My heart can be seen on my sleeves ;)

How long have you been doing photography and how did you get started:

I’ve been shooting for 5 years and in business for 3.

I’ve always had an appreciation for the arts...dancing and photography in particular. One day, about 6 years ago, I was going through some old photos of my daughter that a friend took with his film camera. I studied them and realized I loved so much more than the subject. I loved the composition, color, contrast, etc. I was mesmerized with the emotions I felt in looking at these photos, especially in comparison to looking at regular “portrait studio” type images. I wanted to learn to how to capture that moment in time, the emotions, to capture and compose like he did. So I called up my friend who surprisingly sent me his film camera to use for a while and I fell in love with the whole process. When friends and family started telling me I needed to do this as a business and to share my passion with others, I decided to listen to them and follow my heart. Here I am today....

What did you want to be or think you would be when you grew up?:

A fighter pilot

Lawyer

Doctor

Contemporary or Hip Hop dancer

If you were given $500 today, what would be the first thing you would do?:

Buy some more winter clothes! We just moved from Florida and need to get some cold weather gear! ;)

Where do you go to find inspiration?:

I can find inspiration nearly everywhere. Mainly my family, but also magazines, other photographers, nature, stores (like Anthropology), sound, smells, etc...

What type of sessions are your favorite (children, e-sessions, weddings, newborns....) and why?:

My favorite sessions are engagement sessions. Seeing a couple so in love and so into each other makes my heart happy. They are more relaxed on their wedding day and so eager to get great images that they are up for anything!

What equipment do you use and if you had only one lens to use...what would it be?:

I have a Canon 5D with a variety of lenses. I’m not brand loyal as I do truly believe a great image comes from a great artist.

If I were to have only one lens...boy that’s a tough question. I think it would be the 50mm 1.2. Fast, sharp, great all around lens.

What moment in your life makes you smile every single time you think about it?:

I would have 5 moments...sorry. The birth of each of my 4 children and the day I met my husband. Ask me about my love story sometime! I love to share it ;)

I am a family girl. I would rather be spending a Saturday afternoon with my family than traveling the earth any day. Being with them brings me the greatest joy that life has to give.

What is at the top of your wish list right now?:

Boda Bag!

If we surprised you at your house today, what would be the first thing we would notice?

How clean it is...I’m sort of obsessive compulsive about cleaning. True story...when I was 9 months pregnant with my 4th child, due any day, you could find me on my hands and knees scrubbing our tile floors. It’s a sickness.

And lastly.....when we started the maternal lens, all of us filled out this questionnaire and shared our answers....now it's your turn :)

What is your favorite word? LOVE...cheesy I know but true.

What is your least favorite word? Lies

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? My own emotions (negative or positive) and life experiences really. Photography is an outlet for me emotionally as it is creatively and spiritually. I release a lot of emotions when I shoot life for myself. I haven’t been shooting for “myself” lately but that is all about to change....

What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Spiritually and emotionally, I get turned off by the negativity and pessimism of others.

What sound or noise do you love? My children laughing or saying “I love you”. Also, the sound of the leaves as they fall to the ground in autumn.

What sound or noise do you hate? My children crying and the sound of ambulances.

What is your favorite curse word? Oh my dog.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Dancing. I’ve always loved dancing and sometimes I wonder if I had pursued it more, if I would be America’s Favorite Dancer ;)

What profession would you not like to do? Spider breeder - I have a bad case of arachnophobia.;)

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome home, dear daughter of mine. I love you yesterday, today and forever.

now, leave some blog love for liz and make sure you visit her website and become a follower of her blog....

a big thank you to elizabeth leighton!!!

{and don't forget to sign up for the giveaway. it ends tomorrow!}