Leigh Ann Shaw is the owner of L.A. Photogra-phy in Mt. Olive. Her work includes weddings and portraiture. “I’m a photographer of life,” she said.

L.A. Photography, LLC is owned and operated by Leigh Ann Shaw. The business can be reached by e-mail at info@LeighAnnPhotography.com.

Her business can be found online at www.LeighAnnPhotography.com.

Shaw hails from Mt. Olive originally, and became interested in photography as a teen. She had just received a new puppy and practiced taking pictures of the dog using her mom’s old camera.

“I guess you could say the puppy was my muse,” she said.

She graduated from the University of Alabama and later worked as a photographer in New York before returning to her Mt. Olive roots.

Once back home, she opened her photography business in November 2007. Her husband, Adam Hall, made the move four months later.

Luckily for Shaw, owning a business is not uncommon in her family. Her parents own and operate Shaw Building Supply in Mt. Olive.

Shaw shared the following about her business:



• What services / products do you provide? “I do pretty much everything from commercial and editorial to lifestyle portraiture and weddings. I’m a photographer of life, so I’m not limited to anything in particular. If you can photograph everything, it helps your style. If you can pose and capture something on a consistent level, it’s a big accomplishment.”



• What’s been your greatest success as a business? “Just being able to support myself full-time on referrals. Also, I love being part of those special moments in someone’s life, whether in be a wedding or a newborn.”



• What’s the greatest joy of being the owner of a business? “The freedom of coming and going; my business is with me always. I enjoy travel, so it’s nice to not feel held down.”



• Why should someone use your services over a competitor? “I cater to a very specific audience; to people that want something different. I try to take the road less traveled, so if I see a photographer whose work has become similar to mine, I’ll change it. It’s all about reinventing yourself and I continue to challenge myself as an artist.”



• Is your line of work something you would recommend to someone else? “It takes a lot of discipline. You also have to have the right motives for wanting to be in it (photography). It can also be very challenging and isolating sometimes. You just have to stay focused and stay on top of the game.”