Kaela Leone: Curation Shapes Your Brand

In this episode of Artist Date, I’m joined by Kaela Leone — a Canada-based photographer whose work blends refined editorial storytelling with real emotional honesty. Kaela has been published internationally in outlets like Vogue, Anti-Bride, The Wed, and Wed Vibes, and in our conversation we dive into the magic of film, how she’s built a workflow she truly trusts, and why curation might be one of the most important (and overlooked) skills a photographer can develop. We also talk about the cameras she shoots with, how she balances film and digital on wedding days, what inspires her eye, and how her work is rooted in legacy, connection, and felt memory. Key Takeaways Film as a “felt memory” — Why Kaela is drawn to imagery that carries emotion, legacy, and real human connection. A workflow you can trust — How practice, repetition, and knowing your tools creates confidence (especially with film). Curation shapes your brand — What you choose to show (and what you leave out) directly impacts the clients and opportunities that come back to you. Medium format for magic — Why 120 film feels painterly, detailed, and hard to replicate — and what changed after she tried the Fuji GFX. Film + digital, strategically — How Kaela uses film for feeling and digital for high-stakes moments like the first kiss. Submitting work with intention — Why different publications want different things, and how to tailor your gallery to the editor’s eye. Your environment trains your eye — How travel, design, light, and even movies can shift the way you see and shoot. Creative practices that reset you — Photo walks without headphones, Qigong, and finding beauty in the mundane. Loved this conversation? If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you never miss a new Artist Date. It also means the world if you share this episode with a photographer friend, leave a review, or post it to your stories and tag us. Follow along here: @nicoleromanoffphoto and @artistdatepodcast And don’t forget — you can watch the full episode on YouTube. New episodes drop every other Tuesday.