Weddingbee PRO
I am so excited to be joining the Weddingbee family! I honestly never thought when I applied I would be chosen as one of the PRO bloggers, but I am thrilled to be here and to be sharing my thoughts about photography and weddings with everyone. Thanks! I look forward to sharing some of the amazing weddings I am fortunate enough to photograph, including our own Miss Hot Cocoa.
So…what should I tell everyone about me? I am a photographer based out of southern California specializing in documentary wedding photography. I live in Coronado with my wonderful two boys, my sweet husband, a short fat yellow lab named Mrs. Jones and two too loud birds that I’m always looking for an excuse to get rid of (Anyone need a bird or two!?! They came with the husband but I’m going to keep him).
My journey to becoming a wedding photographer was not the typical path. I have almost no formal education in photography at all. In fact, just a little over 3 years ago I was a therapist working with emotionally disabled children and their families. Prior to that I worked in community mental health, foster care and adoption and domestic violence. I think my therapy background was the perfect prelude to becoming a wedding photographer. All that crisis management comes in handy on wedding days!
Exactly how did this all happen you might wonder? In the summer of 2004 my kids went to visit their dad out of state, and since I worked in a school I had a nice long summer break too. I decided to fill that break by taking a photography class, Photography 101 at San Diego City College. While studying my photography notes for a test at a chemical dependency training for my therapy license, I came across a psychologist with her great big wedding planning notebook sitting smack dab beside me. Was it fate? One thing led to another and I ended up shooting her wedding. I loved it!
So I started photographing anything and everything I could and started my own photography blog. 6 months later I shot my second wedding and within the next 6 months I was busy enough that I could no longer maintain two jobs. Everyday for about a month my husband would call me at work and say “Did you quit your job today?” It was a scary thought leaving a steady job doing something I loved, to start my own business doing something else I loved! Keeping my fingers crossed that I could convince the 13 couples or so I needed to hire me to replace my day job and be able to survive, one day I made that call and said “Honey, guess what I did today? I quit my job!” And here I am!
I would love to hear from the blog readers. What are you interested in? Is there anything you want to know more about? Have I totally bored you to death? I’ve got some blog posts cooking up already but am excited to hear what you’re excited about! This is going to be quite an adventure. Thank you for having me. Have a great day!
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Thanks for the inspiration! Hoping I’ll eventually get a call from my hubby similar to the one you got from yours. Can’t wait to see your work on here!
anne please! i dont want people to see how goofy i really am.
nicole thank you! you will. i had a lot of help along the way. find a photography mentor in your area. or even someone to chat with every few weeks. we all need that! love the life in your photos.
I can’t wait to see what you blog! And you know what’s funny- I was taking a business photography class at City College in 2004!!
welcome leigh! we’re so happy to have you as part of the hive!! 
I’m so excited about your blogging! I love photography and loved reading your story!!
Leigh, you are our favorite phototherapist. I love this intro, though I refuse to believe that a) you’ve only been a photographer for 3 years, and b) you are old enough to have two sons. Don’t try to convince me. It’s just not possible.
I am wondering how you define “documentary” wedding photogrpaher. What can a client expect from your pictures? Thanks!
@Dana Grant: dana how did we miss each other! thanks so much for the bio pic.
@Mrs. Bee: thank you so much mrs bee, happy to be here.
@Vic004: thank you! i hope i have enough to talk about - haha!
@Miss Hot Cocoa: thats why i heart you miss hot cocoa!!! i took the most awesome pics of my boys yesterday. my favorite ever. i will share some soon. we had a blast. i was laughing so hard at one point i was literally rolling on the ground.
@Beth: thats a great question beth. i think i will do a post on that in future! what does it mean when someone defines their style in a certain way? it means different things to different photographers im sure. to give you the short version of what it means to me, im all about telling a story. the story of your wedding day. documenting things as they unfold without interfering (well except for the group pics and time with the couple). i of course want to take great portraits too. but not in a way that feels/looks artificial. in a way that captures the real you. its always a good idea to ask your photographer how they work or how they define their style and of course if you love their photography that doesnt hurt either 
ok that was the short version - haha.
I’m so glad you are a Weddingbee Pro! You are definitely one of my favorite photographers and I’m always excited to see you featured in the various wedding blogs I visit. I’m training to be an MFT now, so I love hearing about your psychology background. I also am a lab person and am from San Diego!
I’d love to hear your insight into what is important in the wedding from the photographers perspective and what really stands out in your mind from the many weddings you see. What in your opinion are the must-have shots?
Hi Leigh! I’m a huge fan of your work and am so excited to see you blogging over here at WBPro! I am so interested in photography, but definitely on a personal level… hopefully before I have my first kid! I’ve been threatening to buy myself a DSLR for a while, but only on the condition that I take a little photography class at a community college as well! I’d love to hear about your non-conventional path to becoming a photographer. You definitely have a magical eye! The pictures you take are so incredible, and I just drooled over Miss Hot Cocoa’s recent engagement session!
Welcome to the Pro Hive!
Hey! Just to mention that the link to Leigh’s profile is broken!
(this one I mean: December 8th, 2008 @ 5:06 pm by Leigh @ Leigh Miller Photographer)
@Michelle@My wedding report: thank you michelle! are you going to school i san diego? i went to KU - go jayhawks. i will think about your question and work it into a post. i would say without a doubt for me the most important thing at a wedding is that the couple be relaxed, have a great time and be themselves. that makes for the best photos.
@Mrs. Penguin: thank you mrs penguin. yes get that camera and get out there and use it. if you cant find a digital class at the community college check out your local camera stores. the class i took at SDCC was a film class.
@deltadawn: thanks for the heads up deltadawn!
@Mr. Bee: theres a “mr” bee?
@Jeana: appreciate it jeana. cant wait to share!
have a great day everyone. i really appreciate the warm welcome.
I’ve been browsing your photography blog for months now and am excited to see you here too!
Your story is so inspirational to me as someone who loves to take photos but has never been formally trained. Until recently I had never thought that I could ever do it professionally and the fact that you switched careers and take such amazing wedding photography encourages me so much. Three friends have asked me to shoot weddings over the next year and I am both nervous and excited to see how it will go and if it’s a path I can take too.
Can’t wait to read and see more from you!
I can’t believe you have only been shooting for about 3 years! Gives me hope for what I should be able to achieve within the next year or so (just went out for a night with Mr. Avo and shot some images on manual, it was a big step for me!)
Leigh, you know how much I admire your work. You get it!!
I am so happy to see that you are a problogger on this blog. You totally deserve it!!
Congratulations my friend.
Sergio
@AliCherri1: thank you so much for the warm welcome!
@Val: congrats val! follow your dream. photograph anything and everything you can between now and that wedding. i dont think i slept the night before weddings for the entire first year! preparation and knowing how to use your gear is key. good luck!
@John Edgar: hi john. thank you. so glad to see you here too! im loving your work.
@Mrs. Avocado: way to go mrs avocado! once you start being in charge of the settings on your camera it opens up a whole world of fun! lets see some!
@sergio: oh sergio! im so thankful to have such a friend as you. i appreciate all your support, encouragement and inspiration. you amaze me all the time with your heart, soul and out of this world photography. thank you.
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Leigh Miller, Coronado, CA
Vendor: Photographer
Website: Leigh Miller Photography
About Me: People often ask me how I got my start in wedding photography. The truth is i fell into it. Almost by accident. But after my first wedding I was sold. I moved full force ahead. And within a year I went full-time leaving behind my life as a therapist and social worker. And the rest, as they say, is history. In November I celebrated my 3rd year of being a full-time photographer! Today, I feel so blessed to get to do something I love and to work with amazing couples all over the country and world! I have traveled to the Bahamas, Jamaica, all over Mexico and all the way to England to shoot weddings. I live in southern California with my husband, two sons, two really loud birds and a short, fat yellow lab named Mrs. Jones. All, at various times, make an appearance on my blog.
Hi Leigh!!! Welcome to the Bee!! I’m sooooooo tempted to post that hilarious video of you… but your secret is safe with me.
HUGS!!!