About LeeAnn

Thank you so much for visiting LeeAnn Donnelly Photography. 

If it's not clear, I'm slightly obsessed with flowers and plants. Their powers delight and surprise me, and as I've worked with flowers in my studio, I've developed a love for each stage of their short lives. Each has personality, opinions (really), complex architectures and stunning beauty, and I'm not someone who throws the word "stunning" around very often. 

My Process

Each of my Botanical Portraits begins with the flowers I handpick from local flower farms, tailgate markets, floral shops, and my yard. 

After gathering them, I return to my studio, crank up the music, and set up my camera (Canon EOS R5) to capture their the curves, colors, and textures. 

Before I begin the editing the photos, I place the flowers in vases throughout my home to enjoy them for a few more days.

My Paper Choice

I print my portraits on Hahnemühle Fine Art Paper. Its luxurious texture enhances the nuance of my floral subjects. The result is a timeless piece that captures the essence of each flower.

Mesmerized by Cameras

I am a native of Asheville, NC, and my passion for photography has been with me for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I was mesmerized by cameras and their ability to capture a moment in time that reveals the world in all of its intricate and complicated beauty.

From Journalist to Flower Portraitist

I have been photographing people and scenes in Asheville for more than three decades. I started out as a print journalist and often photographed the people and places I wrote stories about. My fascination with plant life started when I was little and tagged along with my mother and grandmothers helping them tend to the plants around the house, on the porch, and out in the yard. At one point, my mother inherited a four-generation begonia, and worried she'd fail to nurture it as well as her mother and grandmother had. Not surprisingly, it thrived on the deck of her home for many years. 

It was during my career at Biltmore Estate that solidified my passion for botanicals. Home to a landscape envisioned by Frederick Law Olmsted, its enchanting and inspiring gardens undoubtedly informed my passion for capturing the natural wold. 

If you have any questions, or would like to chat about decor for your space, please fill out my Contact Form.

Thanks again!

PS: Photograph of me is by the talented Rachael McIntosh. Styling by wonderful Kristen of Pure Beauty Asheville.