Leigh Roth, owner of Leigh Roth Photography in Westlake, began her career as a photographer in 2009 by taking pictures of her children.
“I developed a passion for capturing smiles and expressions in print form,” Roth says.
From there, Roth opened her brick-and-mortar location in 2016, but her preferred style of shooting goes beyond the studio: natural light photography.
“Natural light is the most flattering light on skin tones, and it also presents the photo to be a more real image,” Roth says. “I shoot for natural smiles, natural expressions and nothing that looks forced.”
In addition to light, Roth plays with color to set the tone for the photos.
“If the focus is on emotion, I’ll use more neutral tones to bring more attention to the facial expressions,” Roth says. “If we are doing something fun with kids, we’ll bust out tons of color and make it super vibrant and fun. If we’re looking for something more dramatic, we’ll use darker color and more contrast.”
Be Camera Ready: 3 Tips to Take a Great Photo
Leave plenty of time to get ready. | Get ready in advance so you’re not rushing to the appointment. “Rushing is going to make you feel stressed in the shoot, which shows up in expressions,” Roth says.
Don’t be afraid to act silly. | One of Roth’s tried-and-true tricks: telling her customers to laugh. “Even if it’s a fake laugh, they laugh at their laugh and that calms them down,” Roth says. “It’s an instant trick that helps put people at ease and gets people smiling.”
Don’t overthink clothing. | Wear clothing that makes you feel comfortable. “People get stressed about wardrobe,” Roth says. “Clothing will shift how you feel about your session.”
26911 Detroit Road, Westlake, 440-915-2800, leighroth.com, find her on Instagram and Facebook
