Read the room.

This morning, I went to my first in-person yoga class in Charlottesville since prenatal yoga with Kira. 10 years ago. It was great.

And wouldn't you know it, one of my long-time clients was right there in the back (hi Erica!) and we got to smile at each other and small-talk for a bit while wrapping up, bare-face to bare-face. Human to human.

We started and ended the class in one echoing sound that made it so ever-loving clear why there is magic in being in the room.

I have practiced yoga from home for 10 years, but not one of those sessions was an hour long and not once did I push myself like I did in that class.

I met my first photography mentor because I decided to leave the house and go hiking.

I met my husband because I went to a dive bar with my roommates one Friday night when I wasn't old enough to drink, but I was old enough to be their DD.

I met my closest group of mom friends to this day because I was a lonely with a 6 month old and decided to show up to a random meetup on a random day in the basement of random building.
I got to photograph so many new families just this last year because instead of marketing online, I decided to photograph their kids for free at their schools.

This is the year of being in the room.

It's not as sexy or concise as a word of the year, but it's still the vibe.

For all this ranting about leaving the house, is it almost ironic, then, how I stake my specialty on photographing families at home?

I really do believe that so much goodness starts at home.

I love my home. I love being at home.

But if we never leave home, where does the goodness get to go?

Where do we get new fuel to bring back into our homes?

When I got back from class this morning as the sun was just peeking over the tips of the trees and the house smelled like butter hot-dog bun french toast (a dad specialty). My boys were dressed and fed and ran up to meet me in the doorway with giant hugs and squeals of “MOMMYYYY!!!”

I am always the morning person. Matt is usually working before the kids wake up and through when they go to school. Unless I am out of town without him - which has only happened a handful of times in the last 5 years - I am the morning person.

But it was really nice to come home to that.

I wouldn't have received the gift of being missed if I had never left.

And maybe I even gave a gift by being gone for a little bit, too.

The kids really like that french toast and I simply won't make it.

If you want some reasons to leave the house and hang out IRL this year, here's a few opportunities coming up:

January Gathering | Jan 14th | Mudhouse Crozet

Theme: Favorite Things Book Edition - bring a list or copies of your favorite book recs for all the fellow book nerds to build our lists. Maybe even pick a buddy to pair read a book with. And if you're not a big reader, you're still invited and I'm sure we'll talk about other stuff too. Pastries are on me. Just reply to RSVP and make sure you're on the local gatherings list for future event notice and reminders.


The Studio Brand Marketing Glowup | Jan 27th | Book a 30 minute slot for brand photos and bts video clips to use in marketing your small business or creative pursuits.

AUGUST Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind | For the photographers in the house, I'm gathering interest for an August round of the Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind.

Add yourself to this list for details to come!

// new + noteworthy //

A PODCAST // This latest Photo Fuel episode with Dave Herring is an interview rich in storytelling. Dave is a go-er and a do-er. You'll love his take on business, creative freedom, and working from a place of values-first.

ANOTHER PODCAST // I felt wiser after listening to this episode on Wiser Than Me with photography legend Annie Leibovitz.

A POST // This one is about my human-first client experience for newborn sessions and it's getting some love over on Instagram.

A POEM // Whenever somebody say's “oh, they're just boys, they'll be like that” I want to say - sure, but also read this poem.

CREATIVITY | FAMILY | SIMPLE JOYS

On instagram @leahoconnell.photo