The Breathtaking Nature Photography of Terri Leo

"Awake" © Terri Leo

Terri Leo’s gorgeous images evoke serenity and stillness with their elegant simplicity and insight into nature. Clean, soft lines and shapes form dreamy abstractions, portraying the essence of the natural forms that she captures with her camera. As you take each piece in, you cant help but feel overcome with a sense of enchantment and peaceful wonder.

Leo first became interested in photography through her career in modeling. At 14, she worked after school doing modeling for local stores and catalogues and was later discovered by famed illustrator Antonio Lopez. Soon she found herself in Europe working for French Vogue and Elle as well as doing shows for designers such as Chloe, YSL, and Thierry Mugler, among others. After spending a year in Paris, she moved to New York where she stayed for the next ten years.

"I Am" © Terri Leo

Throughout her modeling career, she spent a great deal of time traveling to exotic locations and working with some of the most iconic photographers of her time including Norman Parkinson, Horst, Avedon, and Demarchelier. Being surrounded by so many photographers and talented artists in the fashion industry, Terri found that it quickly became a passion for her as well. While she worked, she absorbed as much information and knowledge as she could from them, including lighting, technique, and composition. In fact, most of her knowledge of photography comes from her years in modeling. She took a lot of photographs at the time and worked on developing her own body of work.

Influenced greatly by the fashion industry, Terri started out photographing people, doing portraits, fashion, and headshots for mostly up-and-coming models and actors. But she was always experimenting and taking photos and searching for the perfect light. Over time, she began delving into new subjects and themes and discovered an interest in photographing more natural elements that eventually evolved into her own unique style.

"Sacred Bath" © Terri Leo

Leo is especially inspired by the sea – the sound of waves crashing, the light on the water, the salty air and the sand underneath her feet. It is one of her favorite things to photograph, but also a place for her to return to and continually draw inspiration from. It is the way that the ocean and nature in general makes her feel that she works to capture and imbue into her photographs – not just the way it looks, but also the way it feels to her. Her hope is that it will stir something inside of others on a deeper level end evoke the same feelings of passion within them.

“I always say, approach your art with as much preparation as you can— and then, just let it happen. You have to be willing to push the limits…and then let go. I seek in my art to internalize nature. My body of work is an extension of my heart... timeless, and simultaneously grounded in this moment.” – Terri Leo

"Diva" © Terri Leo