Photographer Spotlight: Liz Leggett

When did you know the photography/video industry was for you?

I started working with my Dad taking pictures when I was very young, probably 8 years old. He was working as a motorsports journalist/photographer and took me along to all the races… karting, NASCAR, ChampCar, F1 and historic events. He just handed me one of his cameras and said “go shoot this or that”. As I got older and persisted in all kinds of weather, some of the other photographers became friends and would teach me techniques and even lend me lenses to try.

How did you get your current position?

I work as a freelance photographer so I fill all positions for my business.
I worked since the age of 11 to build a portfolio of work that could represent me without anyone knowing I was a young girl.

After building a working portfolio, people began seeking me out for the work they had seen in print and online.

How did your training or schooling prepare you for your job?I attended photography classes at Dawson College in Montreal Canada. my courses taught me a great deal about post production. I had been using minimal Photoshop at that time and when the course thought us Lightroom, everything changed for me. I only completed the first year of the 3 year program because I had professional gigs already. I had to choose between school and work.

What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your career?

I think my age was tough at the beginning, having people believe that the images I was producing were actually made by this young girl. My dad started taking behind the scenes shots of every photoshoot to prove that it was actually me taking them.
Now it’s the toughest industry to work in since the magazines and newspapers that used to publish are now dying out. Print is becoming prehistoric in a digital age of blogs and phone cameras. Photojournalism was what I was raised doing and now that I am an adult, the industry’s completely changed.

Who would you name as the most influential person in shaping your career?By far it has been my parents. My dad taught me how to take pictures, how to pan when shooting cars, to open my eyes and appreciate things. Both of them instilled a sense of adventure and curiosity in the world. I explore the world through taking pictures and I think they gave me that drive to look down alleys, take the less worn pathway, peek behind the garden gate.

Why?
Photography is the art of observation, the craft of telling a story in a single image. You need to observe the scene, to watch what is happening and then anticipate what will happen next. I become slightly separated from the world but more closely connected to it at the same time. I like to record those moments in time before it changes or goes away forever. As a kid I never liked for things to end or people to go away. With my camera I can capture them and keep them forever.

If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?I guess I would want all my food, shelter, taxes, money for travel, photography gear, computer gear, supplies and all my other life expenses to be covered. Photography is a profession, not a hobby for me. I have been working now for over 15 years and I have encountered so many misconceptions about any job.
Some people do woodworking as a hobby, but would you assume a cabinet maker will come to your home, build you a new kitchen and then pay them in “exposure” on your Instagram?
This industry is now imploding and paid photojournalism jobs are getting harder to find. If you give your work away for free, it devalues yourself and is also taking a potential job from a fellow photographer.