Convinced that beautiful editorial photos always require phenomenal sets, elaborate lighting, and a full crew of people? Let Geo Leon prove you wrong. The talented LA-based photographer has amassed an audience of more than 300K followers on Instagram by posting his glamorous final-result shots together with the behind-the-scenes ones. The latter show how creativity is way more important than fancy props.

In the images below, you’ll find the latest work by Geo. Also, don’t forget to check out the previous Bored Panda post about the photographer.

More info: Instagram | geoleon.gumroad.com

#1

Image credits: Geo Leon

Geo has been linked with photography for over 10 years: “It all started back in 2011 when I was on a competitive martial arts team. One of my teammates' mom happened to be a photojournalist working for the Kansas City Newspaper! She used to photograph all of the teams in competitions and I was very intrigued by it. She recommended that I pick up and try it out. My wife gifted me a camera and the rest was history.”

#2

Image credits: Geo Leon

#3

Image credits: Geo Leon

When asked about his creative process, the photographer told us that he always starts with a mood board: “I make sure to find inspiration to spark a concept in my head. Then once I find the concept, I reach out to models that fit the vision. From there we plan the location/time and wardrobe/props to bring everything to life!

Depending on the concepts and the execution, my photoshoots typically last 1-2 hours. Most of the time assisting me is my friend Chris or my wife Michelle. Editing and retouching can take me anywhere from 1.5 hours to 3 hours on a photo.”

#4

Image credits: Geo Leon

#5

Image credits: Geo Leon

Geo says that nowadays there are many creators that are trying to replicate one another’s style: “You have to develop such a unique style to stand out from others. It is very difficult to do so just because there is so much talent out there!”

His advice for young creators would be to “shoot, shoot, and shoot! Do research, find a photographer that inspires you! Ask questions, lots of them! In today's day and age, there is plenty of information that I wish I had when I first started! If you’re starting out, photograph a friend or a family member and come up with ideas to improve after every shoot.”

#6

Image credits: Geo Leon

#7

Image credits: Geo Leon

When talking about facing creative block, the photographer told us: “Sometimes I over-create to the point that I burn myself out. Just like any other artist, I always find different ways to get reinspired; that can be from watching movies, playing video games, or looking at digital art on the internet. It’s always great to have friends in the same profession that will inspire and motivate you.”

As for future endeavors, Geo says: “I have yet to scratch the surface with what I want to accomplish. As an artist, we all have goals that we want to achieve. Since my photography style is so different, I’d like to push the boundaries of today's media and be able to have photography like mine in big-time magazines/websites.”