Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Gabaldon.
Hi Leslie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story began long before I realized photography would become such an important language in my life.
I was first introduced to photography as a teenager, when my older sister, who was studying architecture at the time, decided to build a black-and-white darkroom in our bathroom!. MAGIC!!! That was my first encounter with the alchemy of the photographic process: the waiting, the chemistry, the image slowly appearing in the tray. I did not know it then, but that moment planted something in me that never left.
I became a mother very young, and after my first children were born, I moved to Boston with my husband and two daughters and attended The New England School of Art and Design. That period was very important for me because it gave structure to something that had always been part of me: the need to create. It was there that I began to develop myself seriously as an artist.
Later, I moved to New York and continued my education at The Art Students League. New York expanded my vision and my discipline. It exposed me to other artists, museums, galleries, and the rhythm of a city where creativity felt like part of daily life.
When I moved to Florida, our third child was born, and I picked up photography again. Photography became the medium that allowed me to connect my life with my observations. It was portable and practical as I returned to motherhood with a young child after many years. My questions about memory, nature, identity, and aging continue to be explored through photography.
Photography eventually led me to found Wynwood Editions, a fine art printing and large-format production studio in Miami. I founded that business out of my own needs as an artist, but I also saw a need for a place where artists, interior designers, developers, and hospitality clients could bring their visual ideas to life with care, precision, and project management. Today, Wynwood Editions supports projects from concept to installation, including printing, framing, delivery, and coordination.
Later, my work grew into portrait photography. What began as an extension of my artistic practice became a very meaningful part of my career. I realized that photographing people was not just about creating a beautiful image. It was about helping them understand how they are seen, how they want to be perceived, and how to communicate their presence with intention.
Today, my work focuses on Strategic Public Image through photography. I work with entrepreneurs, executives, artists, and professionals who understand that their image is part of their message. I also speak about this subject because I believe photography can be a powerful tool for building confidence, increasing visibility, and fostering professional growth.
Getting to where I am today has not been a straight line. It has been a path of development, pivots, motherhood, discipline, doubt, courage, and constant growth. But all the parts of my career — my art practice, Wynwood Editions, portrait photography, and speaking — come from the same place: a deep belief in the power of images to shape how we see ourselves, how others understand us, and how we step into the world.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road — but I also don’t think meaningful roads usually are.
My path has been full of development, pivots, doubts, and seasons where I had to keep moving even when I did not feel completely ready. Becoming a mother at a very young age shaped my life in beautiful ways, but it also meant my career developed alongside my responsibilities as a mother. I had to learn how to create, study, work, and grow while raising a family.
Another struggle was learning how to build businesses from the ground up. As an artist, you are trained to think creatively, but running a company requires a completely different set of skills: pricing, operations, sales, finances, leadership, client relationships, and learning how to make decisions even when you are unsure.
Both Wynwood Editions and Leslie Gabaldon Photography grew from real needs I had as an artist, but turning those needs into sustainable businesses took discipline, resilience, and a lot of trial and error. Above all, education has been crucial. Books, college classes, workshops, mentorships, and advisors have all played an essential role in helping me grow not only as an artist but also as a business owner.
There were also moments of self-doubt. Like many women, I have had to work through the internal questions of whether I was ready, whether I knew enough, whether I belonged in certain rooms, or whether I had the authority to speak about what I know. Over time, I learned that confidence does not appear before you take action. Confidence grows because you keep showing up.
Out of the rough patches of my life, I created one of my personal mantras: “Action is the bridge that takes you from fear to transformation.” That phrase has guided me many times. It reminds me that fear does not necessarily disappear before we move forward. Sometimes we have to act while the fear is still there, and the transformation happens because we dared to move.
One of the biggest lessons has been understanding that growth is rarely linear. Sometimes you are building your art practice. Sometimes you are building a business. Sometimes you are supporting your family. Sometimes you are recovering your own voice. For me, the challenge has been learning how to honor all those parts without seeing them as separate lives.
Looking back, the struggles became part of the foundation of my work. They gave me empathy, depth, and a very real understanding of transformation. Today, when I photograph someone or speak about Strategic Public Image, I am not talking only from theory. I am speaking from lived experience — from the process of learning to be seen, to take up space, and to build a life and career with intention.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a career as an artist and also run two closely connected businesses: Leslie Gabaldon Photography and Wynwood Editions. Even though they serve different needs, they both stem from the same place: a deep understanding of the power of images — how they are created, how they are presented, and how they shape our experience of people, spaces, brands, and stories.
Through Leslie Gabaldon Photography, I specialize in portrait, branding, and commercial photography. I work with entrepreneurs, executives, artists, creatives, and professionals who understand that their image is not just a photo — it is part of their message. My work focuses on Strategic Public Image through photography, helping people show up with intention, confidence, and clarity.
This is very up-close-and-personal work. I take the time to understand my clients, their goals, their personality, and the message they want to communicate. From there, I guide them through the process so the final images feel not only polished and professional but also honest, aligned, and powerful.
I am known not only for creating strong, polished, professional portraits, but also for guiding people through the process. Many people come to me saying they are not comfortable in front of the camera. One of the things that sets me apart is my ability to coach them, help them feel safe, and bring out expressions and presence that feel authentic, elevated, and aligned with who they are becoming.
With Wynwood Editions, I lead a fine-art printing, large-format production, framing, delivery, installation, and project-management company that serves interior designers, developers, hospitality clients, artists, and collectors. Today, the company is especially focused on managing large-scale, high-volume projects for developers and the hospitality industry, where the work requires not only beautiful production but also organization, coordination, deadlines, problem-solving, and a clear understanding of how artwork functions within a space.
What sets Wynwood Editions apart is that we do not approach production as a simple transaction. We support the process from concept to installation, ensuring every decision — from image selection, scale, material, framing, logistics, delivery, and placement — serves the project’s final visual impact.
At the same time, I still personally enjoy assisting individual artists with their printing and presentation needs. Artists were the original blood of Wynwood Editions, and they remain very close to my heart. Many of the artists I have worked with over the years have become friends, and supporting them remains one of the most meaningful parts of the business.
The two businesses are very connected. As an artist and photographer, I understand the emotional, technical, and conceptual value of an image. As the founder and director of a production company, I understand what it takes to transform that image into a physical object or a complete visual experience within a space. That combination gives my clients a level of care, strategy, and insight that is very personal and very rare.
Brand-wise, I am most proud that both businesses are built around service, craft, and transformation. Whether I am photographing a person, directing the production of artwork for a hotel, supporting an interior designer’s vision, or helping an artist prepare work for an exhibition, the goal is always the same: to create images and visual experiences that feel intentional, elevated, and meaningful.
What I want readers to know is that my work is not only about photography or production. It is about helping people, artists, businesses, and brands be seen with more clarity, beauty, and purpose. My brands exist to support visibility — whether that visibility is personal, professional, artistic, or spatial. That is the thread that connects everything I do.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can work with me in two main ways.
Through Leslie Gabaldon Photography, I work with people who want portraits, branding images, or commercial photography that communicates their identity with clarity and intention. I also collaborate through talks, workshops, and conversations around Strategic Public Image, confidence, and visibility.
Through Wynwood Editions, my company collaborates with interior designers, developers, hospitality clients, artists, and collectors who need artwork production, framing, delivery, installation, and project management. We are especially suited for large-scale projects, but we also continue to support individual artists.
I am also open to community-oriented activations when possible. If there is an opportunity to use photography, art, or visual storytelling to make a difference and give back to my community, I am always happy to be part of it.
The best way to support my work is through meaningful introductions, referrals, collaborations, collecting my art, attending my talks or exhibitions, and sharing my work with people who may benefit from what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lesliegabaldon.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliegabaldon/
- Facebook: https://www.wynwoodeditions.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliegabaldon/
- Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/wynwoodeditions/
