Meet Kaleigh Gibb | Photographer & Magic Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaleigh Gibb and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kaleigh, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
Success is the place where my happiness meets my client’s happiness. If we are both thrilled with the final product then I can go to bed feeling fulfilled. I consider what I do to be very important- babies don’t keep, all we get to hold on to are our memories of them- so when a client tells me I captured their child’s essence in a portrait I can’t imagine feeling more successful than in that moment.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Portrait sessions were something we all dreaded as kids- the uptight outfits, stressed out parents, and boring session made it a kid’s nightmare. I love that photography industry has evolved into something where we have the ability to turn that experience into something completely different for the next generation. For instance- I offer an extensive client wardrobe so that parents don’t have to worry about what their child will wear for their session, and don’t have to spend a fortune on a beautiful outfit that their kiddo will likely wear once or twice. I have also done away with time limits for my sessions- we spend as much time playing as posing when I shoot; I want my tiny humans to be relaxed and happy for their portraits, I want them to look and *feel* like themselves…nothing ruins a portrait faster than an unhappy subject. Getting to bring out a child’s natural playfulness and imagination is so much fun for me, and inspires my final edits.

After my daughter was born and I decided to fully dedicate myself to photography I spent the first 2 years of her life using every spare moment I had to learn about my craft. I still dedicate about a quarter of my time learning new techniques and finding new inspiration. I consider myself fortunate to have the time to spend on that education, so while it was certainly not easy getting to the point I’m at in my career, it has been extremely rewarding to watch my business grow as a direct result of my investment into it.

I would want the world to know that I LOVE my work. I get to work at my dream job every day and most of the time it feels nothing like work. When you bring your child to me they are not just another face in a line of clients. I love to take the time to get to know who they are and what they love- making beautiful portraits of “my” kids is something I take to heart and I honestly consider it an honor to be the one chosen from many incredible photographers in Colorado to create these memories of your babies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m the mother of a 7 year old- so my view of Denver fun very much reflects that. I would absolutely take them to the Denver Botanic Gardens, it’s my favorite place in the whole city. You can spend hours in there and see so much beauty and there’s always critters running around and often new art on display. I love the RiNo district as well- the work these street artists put on display at Crush each year is incredible and always so much fun…my kiddo loves to wander around that area and just take in the all the colors and creativity. Being just south of Denver in Parker I also love to spend time in Castle Rock. Their downtown area is such a perfect place to just wander around for a day and there’s a ton to do over at Philip S. Miller park- you can even go ziplining! And of course- I’d have to do at least one mountain view sunset, because Colorado can offer views that few other states can…my favorite local place is Daniel’s Park in Sedalia, there are plenty of viewing spaces to watch the sunset, and some perfectly placed park benches to set up a picnic for the family.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband Matthew- his support and personal ambition have made it possible for me to live my dream

Website: www.wonderstruckphoto.com

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