Jeff Leland
		Jeff Leland’s photographic career stems from an unquenchable passion to tell a story. Jeff began his quest in the heart of the music industry in Los Angeles, California, after graduating valedictorian from his home town High School. At only nineteen, Jeff landed work as a professional musician, and traveled to exotic locations all over the world, taking a year off before finally graduating from California State University at Northridge with a BA in music. It was during these travels that Jeff began to tell his story through the lens, instead of just through his music. When an opportunity to study at the Julliard School of Music was offered, a decision about how to tell the story had to be made. Jeff chose to make Los Angeles his base and to use photography as the medium for the tale. Jeff honed his photographic skills through self assignment and study, using the opportunity that traveling provided to capture the feel and essence of the many locations he visited. Particularly interesting to him were the works of Ansel Adams and Richard Avedon. Adams, through the use of advanced techniques, was able to change the values of a scene to express his own vision, which allowed Jeff to understand the concept of previsualization and inspired him to perfect his black and white technique. Avedon, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of timing in photography to express a broader concept of beauty. Through the study of their work and through his own discoveries, Jeff has been able to embrace the medium of photography as a means to relate his story. In the bustling atmosphere of Los Angeles, Jeff has been shooting a wide variety of commercial work since 1987. Jeff’s images have been used in point of purchase display ads, product packaging, sales sheets, national magazine ads, newspaper ads, album and video covers, fashion catalogs, brochures and on the web. Although based in LA, location photography has taken Jeff to major cities throughout the US and Canada. Outside of his commercial work, Jeff sells limited edition prints of his black and white fine art images, which define emotion through tonal richness and texture. The latest chapter of the story includes a move to Portland, Oregon and a new vision for the future. In the wild and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Jeff is concentrating on location assignments and now travels frequently, maintaining clients in both Portland and Los Angeles. Adding to the plot is the creation of Knightspirit Press, a publishing company solely engaged in the publishing and distribution of Jeff’s work. To meet Jeff Leland is to experience his vibrant personality and positive influence. To see his work is to experience the passion he has for the tale and the dedication required to give it a great delivery. His vision of life - his story for you - is simple, natural and beautiful.
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