Leon Steele

Wednesday 27 November 2013

Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue

We spent a few long days at Akindale farm in Pawling upstate New York, working with a charming and characterful bunch of retired racehorses.

Anyone seen the model?

Akindale's manager Erin Pfister with Three Times Bea.
This serene sunrise vista belies the fact that Bea was by far the most energetic of our models!

Stacey Roca with TV Hunter

Robert Redford has nothing on me!

This little fella tailed me throughout the whole 4 dayshoot

Evening Attire. This older statesman is used to all the attention.

Taken With a view to having an exhibition to raise awareness for a great cause. These retired racehorses were lucky to find a home at Akindale farm thoroughbred rescue.

My aim was to present them with dignity, in the style of the classic horse portrait painters.

This is part of an ongoing project for me, one that I am finding immense pleasure partaking in.

Evening Attire. Earned winnings of $2,977,130. He last raced in 2008. A true legend.

Cadillac

Megalithic. He found a home the day after this was taken. Last raced in 2012

TV Hunter.

Three Times Bea. Three year old filly recently retired.

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Creative Review Photography Annual

Splendid! A couple of shots selected for the CR Photo Annual.

Thursday 26 September 2013

New York Rain

I was asked by the very talented songwriter and musician Andy Fitzpatrick, to create an image for his new album. Nice simple open brief; listen to the songs and create an image.

So out onto the balcony I go ( it is raining, so I'm sticking close to home)

under a slate grey sky armed with a mirror,

and the challenge of creating an album cover that afternoon.

So here it is.

If you know Andy and listen to the songs on the album, it's a perfect fit!

Check out this excellent on Band Camp

Here are some of the images we considered for the cover.

Andy can also be heard in residency every Thursday at

The Tree Bistro in the East Village.

Monday 22 July 2013

I've started to collect and photograph these rather archaic pieces of office equipment and give them some back some life. Junk shops are littered with them, discarded, forgotten stalwarts of a bygone era.

Their original names make give a sense of their importance in the workflow back in the days before the silent keyboards of today.

Galaxian II

Olympia

Monday 8 July 2013

One Direction?

I've been out and about recently, shooting some new images for an ongoing exploration away from the studio. I see these as giant still life studies, trying to align the human form into various environments.

There are other ideas to shoot but getting permission can be tricky and time consuming here in New York.

Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. They were not to keen on my idea so we went ahead and shot it anyway when no one was looking!

Watch this space as there are more to come........

Friday 7 June 2013

Faces & Figures

Just published on Issu, a portfolio dedicated entirely to on-figure, people and portrait work.

Leon is predominantly known for his still life work especially in the U.S.

This portfolio to showcase some of the many commissioned projects he has worked

on outside of the still life arena.

"Speaking to art buyers here in New York, I get the distinct impression that unless you are shooting cosmetics, still life commissions are dwindling! That is of course not great for for someone has spent a career souley

Click here to view Leon's latest online publication

Wednesday 27 March 2013

'Nature and Découvertes'

Seriously Hazardous Art Gallery in Paris affectionately known as S.H.A.G, will be showing my new Wire Frame series and the Boxhill series from 28th March to 15th April. So should you find yourself in Paris in the Spring........