I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone cuter than Leney, and that’s not an exaggeration! I met this girl when I was desperately trying to find a second shooter for a wedding this summer. Thankfully she was free and willing to help me out! We bonded over queso and late night Wal-Mart trips, and have been friends ever since. Leney is an avid knitter, crafter, and thrift-a-holic, so naturally we got along instantly! I LOVE her style, it’s amazing what she can pull off, and it helps that she just has a natural model face! All of the knits you see in her photos are made by her! If you absolutely love them, make sure you go to her Etsy shop and pick some up! (Hello, Christmas gifts??) Plus, I’ll have one of her bows headbands included in the End-of-October giveaway, so stay tuned for that!! I did part of her session on film, but I’m going to post those separately on Friday, along with a few other favorites! (I’ll include one of here just as a teaser, hehe). Now enjoy learning a little more about Leney through her own words!
-M
Check out her:
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So, how did you get into knitting/crafting/photography in the first place?
I was always an artsy child. All growing up I loved painting and coloring and helping my dad make cardboard houses and furniture for my dolls, among other things.
My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was eight and I’ve been doing it ever since. When I was around 12 I would carry my knitting with me everywhere. Much as I do now. I would even knit in the grocery store as I followed my Mom up and down the isles, yarn trailing from my pocket! I know… embarrassing. I don’t do that anymore, though I do still knit in movie theaters!
I learned to sew around the same time I learned how to knit and I started out with making little mini animals and dolls and clothes for my barbies. It evolved into making my own clothes eventually and though I don’t sew as much as I used to, it’s something I want to get back into again. Being “crafty” has always been a part of me though. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I didn’t have it! It’s been such a constant hobby throughout my life.
As for photography, I had also grown up with that as well. I was always snapping photos with disposable and little battery powered film cameras, but it really became more of an interest when I was 14 and I got my first digital camera for Christmas. That tiny little postage stamp sized screen was such a novelty! From then on I took my camera with me everywhere and my love for it just grew from there.
Is there anyone in particular who inspires you, (professionally or personally)?
That’s a hard one! I am inspired by so many people in my life honestly (and ones I stalk virtually of course. I mean hello, the Sartorialist). However I have been really inspired by a lot of famous photographer’s work lately. For instance I recently went to see a gallery of Dorothea Lange’s photographs and was really inspired by the way she captured people and their emotions in such a moving way. I’ve always been a documenter, and I’ve kept journals and lists for as long as I can remember, and I’m the same way with my photography. I love documenting events and people and documentary photography is something that I want to get better at. As well as capturing people in general. Bill Cunningham is another one of my favorite’s and I only hope I can one day be half as bold as he is with his street style photography!
How would you describe your style?
Haha oh gosh, I never know what to say when people ask me this! I definitely have a vintage influence to my style, especially because I grew up thrifting with my Mom. I have such a hard time spending a lot of money on one article of clothing when for the same price I could get ten! Dresses are definitely my favorite and I would rather wear a dress than anything else, if given the choice. I really only wear jeans in the colder months, and only out of necessity. I love mixing it up though. I have a lot of vintage jewelry from my Mom, Aunt and grandmother’s and they definitely inspire a lot of my outfits. My style is constantly changing though. You can find me in anything from a pair of overalls to a 1950′s skirt and jacket set to a dress I made out of upholstery fabric at one in the morning!
What do you think is your biggest quirk?
I pour the milk, THEN the cereal.
Got any guilty pleasures?
I honestly don’t really feel guilty about most of my pleasures! Except maybe that I might indulge my love for thrifting too much at times… I’m definitely a thriftaholic.
Any secrets you’ve discovered while pursuing photography?
I don’t know if this is much of a secret, and it might be a bit of a cliche answer, but photography has really taught me to look at things in a different way. To notice details or things that would otherwise be missed if I didn’t look for them, as well as to step outside my comfort zone and try different things.
What is one thing you hope to accomplish in the future?
I love traveling and I really want to go to Ireland! I think this has been a dream ever since I was little and I would sleep over at my grandparents house and fall asleep while looking at this one photo of a misty cliff in Ireland. It just seems to hold so much mystery and beauty to me, and I want to see it in person one day!
Of course this dream was only intensified as a teenager when watching movies like P.s. I Love You and Leap Year…
A little film sneak peek
