About Leah Haydock

Hi there! I'm Leah Haydock and I'm a multiple international award winning wedding photographer. That sounds so fancy doesn't it? I'm almost embarrassed to write it. There's also a good chance you've seen some of my published work - editorial and real wedding features in print magazines like The Knot Magazine and Seacoast Weddings or on popular wedding photography blogs like Style Me Pretty. Here I am in action:


I photograph weddings all over New England. Most weekends you'll find me at weddings from Boston, MA all the way up to Bangor, ME and everywhere in between. Once in a while I'll venture as far as RI or VT but you need to have a pretty fabulous wedding to get me to drive that far.

Kidding! Not really. I also have a somewhat dubious sense of humor. Oh and I'm British, I've been in the US for 11 years but I guess I'm stuck with the accent. I only mention it as it seems to surprise people the first time we talk or meet!

Enough about me. Let's talk about you. I'm guessing you're recently engaged and you're looking ALL OVER the internet trying to find wedding pictures that somehow speak to you and tell you a story. This is probably the 37th photography blog you've visited today. So you'll know that this is the part where I'm supposed to write about how I got my first camera at the age of 2 and was hooked, and how much I lurve LOVE, and how I want to tell your story in pictures and blah blah blah...

Let's cut to the chase. Because you're a busy person. I take really good pictures. Of people in love. Looking amazing. Usually at weddings. I want to give you the best pictures you've ever had taken of you and know that 5 years, 10, 20, 50 years from now they'll be on your wall and people will say "OMG, you guys looked amazing at your wedding!" and when you look at them you'll see how happy you were and remember how you felt. You can see galleries of weddings I've photographed on my website. I also want to make the whole photography process as fun and easy as possible. In fact, here's a 2 minute video of some of my previous couples to tell you what it's like to have me as your wedding photographer - click on the little arrow on the bottom left to view:

I take modern, elegant pictures with a certain timelessness. Each picture should make you feel something or tell you a story. I get a lot of comments that my pictures are happy, colorful and really beautiful. It's not fun feeling sea-sick when you look through your wedding album so I don't crazy-tilt the camera - horizons are meant to be horizontal! You won't find me trying to disguise average pictures with the current fad of vintagey-yellowly processing. In your wedding pictures the sky will be blue, the grass will be green, the dress will be white or ivory or blush - just not yellow.

But let's be honest - this isn't about me. This is about both of you. And your wedding day. And what I can do for you on your wedding day. I'll shoot the beautiful details when you're getting read, you may choose to do an intimate first look, I'll capture the vows, the rings, the kiss! And equally as importantly the little glances between you, the way the two of you hold hands, the look on your faces the first time you see one another, your Mom's tears. Family portraits are relaxed, quick and painless - yet totally worth of a frame on your Grandmother's wall. I'm there for all the good stuff at the reception and the best part is that you'll hardly notice that I'm there. When you hire a wedding photographer you're essentially hiring someone to be your eyes on your wedding day - that's a responsibility I take very seriously!

I hear it can be very confusing talking to wedding photographers who want to know if the most important day of your life so far will happen in 4 or 6 or 8 hours. So I say phooey to hourly rates and travel fees and hidden charges. If I'm shooting your wedding, that all I'm doing - all day! And I'll have an assistant photograper with me for additional angles and coverage. And you get the high-resolution images on disc with a full print release. Not to mention a bunch of other surprises along the way. As I head into my 9th wedding season I can honestly say I have the best job in the world and I love what I do. Here are some more comments from previous wedding clients - totally worth watching for a minute and a half!



You're still here???? Excellent!  I live in Boston, ME and also spend a lot of time at the lake house in Casco, ME. When I'm not behind a camera, you can usually find me cooking up a storm in the kitchen, curled up in the hammock with a good book or walking my aging miniature dachshunds -Coco Chanel and Tiger Woods.

I have a diet coke addiction that I try to kick every fall but then it starts back up in wedding season.
I love a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc, preferably from the Marlborough, NZ region but rest assured I won't drink at your wedding! I love to cook but can't bake to save my life. I can happily spend 2 hours wandering around Whole Foods figuring out what to make for dinner. I obsess over shoes and usually plan my whole outfit around my shoe choice. I'm usually wearing at least one item of clothing from J.Crew and often more. I also have a Tory Burch and Kate Spade problem.

Before I became a full time photographer I worked in the corporate world and I've spoken at a number of photography events about running a successful photography business. I'm also cofounder of a website on the art and business of wedding photography with my photography BFF Kate.

Some practical info:
- I photograph a maximum of 25 weddings each year. 2014 has been completely booked up since November. I'm starting to book 2018 so don't listen to the wedding magazines that tell you to wait until you're 6 months out before booking your photographer.
- Wedding collections start at $8500 and include comprehensive coverage, an assistant photographer, an engagement session, a disc of the edited high-resolution images with full print release, careful yet subtle retouching of key images AND a beautiful heirloom wedding album. Yes, that's a lot of money but you get everything you need and it's going to be a lot of fun. I can also provide information on payment plans and wedding album registries.  If you're planning a small elopement in Maine (or anywhere else), or a mid-week wedding, do get in touch to ask me about my petite wedding collections. If you're looking for a wedding photographer at Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake you MUST let me know as it's literally 2 minutes from our Maine home and I love working there!
- My advice when you're looking for a wedding photographer is to spend some time on websites and blogs and narrow your choice down to 2-4 photographers. Check on their availability and ask to see complete coverage of a full and recent wedding (it's all too easy to just show 20 great pictures in a blog post - you want to see exactly what you'll be getting). Chat/skype/facetime/meet up and then choose the photographer whose pictures make you feel something and who you can imagine being in the room with you when you're getting dressed and deal with your extended family for the formals.

Anyhoo, we should totally talk about your wedding plans! You can use the contact form here or on my website. You can email me directly at leah@leahhaydock.com. Call me at 603 571 LEAH (603 571 5324). You can check out all sorts of fun stuff on my facebook page for Leah Haydock Photography and on Instagram.

1 comment

  1. Bravo Leah!!! Your pics are fantastic! Fresh perpective...great colors and use of lighting, etc...which secretary shall I call to set up a photo shoot, Tiger or Coco?

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