Hi there, I'm Lucy! I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, and moved back in 2013 to start my photography business. I studied Marketing and Design at Furman University, and also spent a semester in Florence, Italy, studying Art and Fashion. After school, I moved straight to Charleston, South Carolina, where I was mentored by Juliet Jones, a crazy talented wedding photographer. I was the studio assistant for her studio, Riverland Studios, where I spent my time learning about editing, marketing, and customer relations, and second shooting for over fifty weddings. To say I learned a lot would be quite the understatement! I developed my love for specifically portrait photography during my time in Charleston, which is why I decided to make photography my full-time passion. After eight years in Orlando running my business full-time, I decided to to move out to Waco, Texas to join the photography team at Magnolia. It has been such a gift!

I'm SO passionate about photography because I get to freeze moments in time and create a tangible memory of a particular stage in life. I also get to show people how incredibly beautiful they are, both on the inside and out. But the best part is creating friendships with my clients; I love making people feel seen and heard. I also love working with businesses to help create the visual story of their dreams. I am SO grateful to work in this creative industry that I feel so very passionate about. I hope to work with you and meet you soon.

I am a natural light portrait photographer. I shoot outdoors 90% of the time, but if I do shoot indoors, I use lots of window light to get soft and bright shots. I love dynamic, fresh, and bright photos. I think of my work as "lifestyle portraiture." I like to tell a story about who you are through your portrait session. I do this by getting to know you, first through email or phone, and also chatting with you throughout the whole shoot! I love to hear about your life and this really helps me capture more true and genuine shots. I want my clients to always feel like they are my friend, not just my client. My goal is to create genuine and natural portraits that bring you joy, and show you just how beautiful you truly are! 

things I love >

my style

< My style

Light, the ocean, eyes, flowy fabrics, interesting color and texture patterns, overgrown nature, and so many other beautiful things in God’s creation inspire me! I believe that life is all about bringing Glory to God, and I try to do this in my work by making people feel beautiful on the inside and outside, and by just loving on people! Besides my faith, the most important thing to me in life is my relationships. My friends and family mean everything to me and bring so much happiness to my life. I am an extreme extrovert and love meeting new people and having new adventures! I love to be in awe of the beauty around me.

inspiration

fashion

travel

my people

my faith

my loves

My senior portrait sessions are about absolute FUN! We style your sessions as a whole before your shoot, pick out what to wear (up to 3 outfits), and also find the perfect location to match your style!

seniors portrait session

Seniors, if you want to experience a senior portrait session with your best friend, this option is for you! You will both get tons of pictures of just yourself, but also lots of pictures of you and your bestie together.

best friends senior session

Expecting and new moms, let's take some pictures! This is a season of life you want captured. Maternity sessions last an hour. Newborn sessions are in the home and take about two hours. They are incredibly sweet and intimate.

maternity and/or newborn

My family shoots are not your average portraits! I love to capture pictures of you and your family having fun and being yourselves. We can do an in-home lifestyle session, or meet somewhere outdoors.

family portrait session

faqs >

 details

albums >

Once I've chosen a session with you, what's the next step? 

We'll get a date on the calendar, and I'll send you my contract to look over. From there, we'll discuss your vision for the shoot and decide on a location. If you're a high school senior, I'll send you a questionnaire to fill out. 

Do I need to put down a deposit after booking a portrait session with you? 

No, but please keep in mind that when you get a date on my calendar, I'm reserving that whole day for you (since I only do one shoot a day!). So please be courteous of my time. Please cancel far in advance if completely necessary. It takes a lot of time to email back and forth and get the shoot set up, so please remember this when booking a shoot with me. There is a $50 fee if a shoot is canceled or rescheduled less than two weeks in advance (unless the reason is bad weather or illness).

What about payment? 

Please bring a check or cash for the full amount on the day of the shoot. I do not require a deposit, but there will be a fee for shoots that are canceled or rescheduled less than two weeks in advance. 

When do you shoot? 

Most of my shoots happen on weekdays, about an hour or two before sunset (if the shoot is outdoors). Early morning can also be a great option to get beautiful, soft light. Time of day is not as important for indoor shoots, like newborn portraits in the home. 

What happens if there is bad weather on the day of my shoot? 

The only weather I cannot shoot in is actual rain. I don't mind getting wet, but my camera equipment does! Beautiful pictures can come from all sorts of light, including overcast, cloudy, or bright skies. I am trained to make it work in almost any lighting situation. Florida weather can change at the drop of a hat, so I don't make the call of canceling a shoot until about two hours before our scheduled time. Sometimes, I end up moving the shoot just an hour earlier to avoid a storm. I advise you to keep your afternoon free if you have a shoot planned with me (even if your shoot isn't until 7:00 PM).

What do I wear on my shoot? 

I have a lot to say about this! And once you book a session with me, I'm happy to go more into detail about your wardrobe specifically; you can even send me pictures! I'm also happy to meet up with you to help you choose an outfit. I always say that your clothes need to match your surroundings, so for example, if we are shooting in a field or woods, don't wear a preppy dress and heels; instead wear something flowy and more casual. If we are shooting downtown or in a more urban area, wear something a little edgier, maybe a black dress or something with a modern pattern. If you are a couple or family, make sure to coordinate, not match, your outfits and colors. It looks great to have a mixture of texture and patterns, as well as some people in pants, others in dresses, others in shorts or a skirt. It will make the image much more dynamic and natural. Don't wear anything that isn't your style. Be yourself! If you are uncomfortable in your clothes, it will show in the pictures.

How many outfits can I wear during the shoot? 

Seniors, you can wear up to three outfits - it's totally up to you! For maternity shoots, I recommend one or two outfits. Be prepared to change in the car if we are in a field or woods, or somewhere where there isn't a close bathroom! Families generally just wear one outfit for the shoot; it's just too much trouble to have everyone change, and we want to use our time wisely.

How many images will I receive from my shoot?

I can't give an exact number because every shoot is different, but trust me, you will receive plenty! Usually for portrait sessions, it's about a hundred images.

I just booked a senior session for my daughter/son; who should come with them on the shoot?

This is so important! And it totally depends on the senior. Some seniors are more comfortable when no one else is watching, so shooting one-on-one with them is best. Others will be much more natural when a best friend or two is present; the friends can help them laugh naturally, touch up their makeup, and make the shoot extra fun! This is my preferred method of shooting. Lastly, some seniors might prefer for their mom to come with them on the shoot. Moms, if your senior would like to have you with them for the shoot, great! But please let them choose. It's a really vulnerable feeling to get your picture taken, so we need people around them that are encouraging, helpful, and loving; only positive vibes on the shoot! Please make sure that if you do come along for the shoot, you aren't snapping pictures on your own camera the whole time. I am easily distracted!

How long does it take to receive my final images, once the shoot is over? 

On my contract, I state that I have 4-6 weeks to deliver the images, but most of the time, it takes about three weeks. Please know that I spend this time making sure your images are beautifully edited; it's worth the wait.

Do you suggest getting hair and makeup done professionally? 

It's not necessary, but definitely makes you feel even more special for your shoot! For seniors, I don't think it's necessary because I want you to look as youthful and natural as possible, and in my experience, you seniors are so great at doing your own hair and makeup. But for maternity, bridal, or headshots, I would think about getting hair and makeup done. I am happy to suggest some of my favorite artists and salons in the area!

What about ordering more prints after my shoot? 

Ordering prints from your shoot is a very easy process. Once your images are finished, I will send you a link to an online gallery of the high-resolution images. From there, you'll be able to select the images you'd like to print and they will ship directly to you. I print through Bay Photo; all of their products are of the highest quality and absolutely beautiful. They have all sorts of products, like prints and canvases in all different sizes.

you asked

The first job I had when working for a photography studio out of college was to design ALBUMS. I love transforming digital files into a tangible memory in the form of a modern, high-quality photo book. I design the entire book for you, allow a round of revisions, and ship it right to your front door. It’s an easy process with the prettiest result! :)

albums

Lay Flat Linen Album
10 spreads, 20 pages
Ultra thick paper
Choose foil/linen color

eva

“When you hire Lucy as your photographer, she becomes ten times more than that: she becomes your best friend, hype squad, and go-to gal for all fashion and styling inquiries. Photo shoots can be so uncomfortable and vulnerable, but with Lucy, it just feels like one big dance party! HIRE HER!” 

KELLY

"Lucy, not only did you make this one of my kids favorite evenings ever, you also gave us photos that we will treasure for a lifetime. Nothing about your style was rushed or stuffy. You simply hung out with us and captured the moments. Some of my favorite photos are the interactions between my kids that I didn’t even realize were happening. You took what could have been an exhausting, stressful experience, and magically put all 7 of us at ease, engaged our kids, and allowed everyone to just be! Thanks for meshing with us so naturally and for highlighting the beauty of our chaos!"

anna kate

"Working with Lucy was the highlight of the start to my senior year! I was a little nervous about the shoot because I'm not a photogenic person, but Lucy was so fun and laid back that it was impossible not to have a good time! Not to mention her pictures are amazing!!" 

katie

"I had not even considered taking family portraits prior to working with Lucy—the typically posed, formal style just didn't feel right for my family. But Lucy has a totally different eye than any other photographer I've ever worked with. She puts everyone at ease, and she captures very real, true moments—not just posed images. We couldn't be happier with our family photos!"

alexandra

"Lucy makes the planning easy, the experience exciting, and the client feel beautiful. I absolutely loved the way my pictures turned out and think it’s so cool that I’ll have these memories forever!"

lea

"We LOVED every minute of our shoot with Lucy. She knew just how to keep my 4 young children engaged and managed to capture so many beautiful moments in the midst of the chaos. It was hot, and there were child tears (from toddler meltdowns) and Lucy handled it all like the pro that she is! I love all of our photos so much, she easily captured the personalities of all of my little people and they consider her a friend."

tricia

"Lucy was such a pleasure to work with! Her personality and professionalism really helped me with feeling totally myself during our session because she is so easy and natural and fun to be around. My photos came back so vibrant and gorgeous! It was a wonderful experience and I look forward to working with her again."

lexis

"Lucy was a dream to work with. She made me feel confident, beautiful, and comfortable. As someone not as familiar with portrait photos, she helped me through the process with poise. I highly recommend Lucy. I can’t imagine a better experience! I will always turn to her for my future portraits."

Do you have a dream to run a successful photography business? Do you have big goals about attracting amazing clients, having a job that you truly enjoy, but you’re just not sure how to get there? Well, I’d love to mentor you!

Hey Photographer/Dreamer!

get more info >

Mentoring

say hello

SEND IT >

lucyMACLEISH@GMAIL.COM

I AM NOW LOCATED IN WACO, TEXAS, AND AM NOT TAKING ON ORLANDO PORTRAITS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INQUIRY! I WILL RESPOND WITHIN THE NEXT TWO BUSINESS DAYS. TALK SOON!

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