Meet Lea Leggitt

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

Hi Lea, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I used to photograph and video my friends who rodeoed for fun and for them to review their runs. As time went on I had more and more people asking me and said they would pay me. I had met a lot of photographers along the way and decided that I could start my business and specialize in telling the story behind the rodeo not just capturing the action in the arena.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Photography by itself is such a huge industry that brings so many new and creative ideas and aspects every day. When you get into a tighter niche it seems to be even harder to stand out in a sea of other skilled photographers. I have worked hard to make my work something that is inspiring and tells the story of a rodeo not just capturing the action. I want viewers to feel the emotion of rodeo not just see the skill it takes to compete. There are highs and lows just like any other sport but it is a way of life many people don’t get to understand or be involved in. I want those people to see it and feel exactly what the cowboy or cowgirl is feeling. I want to inspire viewers to feel they can reach for the stars or can complete that difficult task because this person just did it. This can be hard. As a journalist I find the stories, I ask questions and I pay attention to the little things. It isn’t easy to catch these moments. It’s hard. It’s really hard. You can only do so much before you’re repeating your work or you miss a shot that may never come again. The hardest part about it is the mental game. There may be someone who did the shot better than you, who caught the picture from the night you were trying to get but not to let it get you down. I try to build friendships with contestants and other photographers. I want to learn from moments, and from others and remember why I am there. I am a self-taught rodeo photographer. I think that is how I have learned all the lessons I have because I go through it and I am stronger and a better photographer on the other side. I named my business as a play on my last name but also to show that when someone sees my work they say, “That’s legit!”.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would love to show them my ranch and visit the cattle and calves we have. We would visit the grandparents for a home-cooked meal but know later that week we are going into town for a treat of East By Southwest or Seven Rivers.
If you’re in Durango you can’t miss a train ride and taking photos of the beautiful mountains. I would take them to the Wild Horse Saloon to dance and people-watch.
While in town you can’t miss a rodeo! The True Western Roundup is the place to be on a summer Wednesday evening.
If its hot we may spend a day at Navajo Lake or Lake Nighthorse paddle boarding and soaking up the sun.
For casual dining we may slide into Fired Up or Switchback for some tacos.
We would stop by Durango Joes for a coffee or treat in the morning and maybe go for a little hike
And to end the trip we would have to stop at Durango Hot Springs.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shout out to a few people who have really motivated and assisted me to where I am today. The first being David Hollenback. He was the first photographer that invited me into the arena and let me learn. He helped me gain knowledge and connections that have lead me to where I am. I also want to thank Mary Peters for inspiring me at a young age. She took me under her wing and really showed me what I could do behind the camera. She had faith in me and let me learn and succeed. Finally I want to give a huge shout-out and thank you to Kristen Schurr for all of her kind words, support and friendship through the tough times of becoming a professional, taking the next step in my career, and helping me grow and inspire me to keep going.

Website: legitoutdoors.com

Instagram: legitoutdoorsphotog

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Image Credits
Legit Outdoors Photography