Leah O'Connell PhotographyCharlottesville, VA
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After years of packing my professional cameras and lenses on every family trip only to leave them in the bag the whole time, I chose to document our beach vacation entirely with a point and shoot camera. As a professional lifestyle family photographer, I’m used to complete control over my settings and multiple lenses for
My 36 pound 4 year old climbs up on a small but not-a-toy four wheeler and pulls the throttle, kicking it into gear across an open field. He is in heaven. I am in a panic. My stomach drops and I’m certain I turn the color of an unroasted marshmallow. It takes everything in me
*this essay was originally shared in my weekly newsletter. For more essays on family, creativity, and simple joys to your inbox every Wednesday night, sign up here.* I hear his bouncy, 3-year-old voice calling from the top of the stairs – “mamaaaaa I’m awaaaake!” I smile and sigh at the same time and close my laptop
*this essay was originally shared in my weekly newsletter. For more essays on family, creativity, and simple joys to your inbox every Wednesday night, sign up here.* It’s after dinner and the big kids have been granted a cookie while we finish the dishes. I look over my shoulder to see my oldest alternating techniques
Full disclosure, I first got the idea for this from one of my favorite podcasts – The Lazy Genius. I weirdly enjoy these types of episodes and proceeded to come up with a list of my own so easily, I couldn’t not share it. My top 10 discoveries of 2023 include the art, products, practices,
Now that I’ve shared what actually got read in 2023, I’m diving into what’s on my 2024 book list. One of my major goals is to read more fiction. Doesn’t seem hard, but man do I get pulled in by a good biography or teachable, highly recommended non-fiction book. They call me! But also, they
Oooh how even the best laid, most conservative and graceful plans can go awry. This was the year I’d be having a baby, and given that this was the third time I’d be doing this, 2022 Leah knew – hey, don’t set any lofty reading goals. BE REASONABLE. To her credit, I did only give
As I poked around online to get some gift ideas for my own family for the holidays, I couldn’t wait to share what I found! This Charlottesville, VA gift guide is full of some of my favorite items on shelves in our area to help narrow your hunt and shop local for the holidays. *Most
Last week, my privacy was violated. I got a disturbing text to my personal phone from an unidentified number saying they got it from Instagram (and other creepy things). That text coupled with a few unwelcome phone calls AND a hacking scare really shook me about the open online world. It got me thinking –
Planning maternity leave as a family photographer – even as an entrepreneur or small business owner in general – can feel overwhelming and exciting at the same time. You are in complete control and… oh, shoot, you’re in complete control. There’s no paid time off. There are no set-in-stone dates for your leave or return.
Another year, another list of amazing reads I got my hands on and the ones I can’t wait to grab! Here, I’ll share the books that shaped me last year, and the 2023 book list I have on tap ahead. Even if it’s just a page a day, somehow picking up a good book is
Creating a book list is key to actually reading books I’m interested in throughout the year. I actually majored in English at university and got my Masters degree in Secondary Education so I could study books and help others love to read for a living. But despite how much I love to read, the hurdle