About Me

Hi. :)

My name is Leven.

I was born and raised in France in a traveler's family, and already at a very young age, I had the opportunity to explore distant destinations. From the Egyptian desert, passing by the beautiful wildlife and landscapes of Kenya, to the exotic beaches and islands of Thailand. I was not only responsible for capturing our family's moments but also had a constant urge for the perfect composition.

From these experiences were born two passions: Aeronautics and photography. Aeronautics took over when I became a flight attendant in Switzerland in 2011. But photography has always remained by my side, and my camera was my best companion during my layovers.

I started to diversify when a very close friend introduced me to urban exploration in 2012. We traveled thousands of miles across France and Europe to shoot the most uncommon and abandoned places. We shot sites full of history, places where nature has taken over; abandoned chateaus, chapels, jails, hospitals, schools, factories, and completely abandoned cities. These places couldn't hide from us, making this experience an exciting combination of exploring while also giving each place a second life, creating for it an everlasting mark in history—a last chance to tell its story to the world.

In 2016 I left France for New York City, and I decided to put aside my flight attendant life. I started a Photography Business and offered my services for various occasions such as weddings and events. But even though I enjoyed what I was doing, I found out that despite everything, a sedentary lifestyle was becoming more and more difficult. 

Therefore, in 2018, I've decided to return to the air as a flight attendant again and had to move driving a U-Haul all the way up to Chicago on Christmas eve as I have been assigned to be based there. 

I now live in the suburbs, and after finding my marks, I'm offering my photography services, but this time as a Freelance photographer. 

My full-time job allows me to have a lot of free time and high flexibility in my work schedules. Combining my two passions gives me the perfect balance, and I am happy to be able to do the two things I love the most. Taking pictures and flying around the globe.

My Equipment

I use highly reliable, professional equipment to be able to cover all client demands. My primary camera bodies are the Canon 5D Mark III and 5D Mark IV, and I also have a Canon 7D Mark II as a backup camera. A Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens, a Canon 24-70mm f/2.8, a Canon 17-55 f/2.8 and a 70-200 f/2.8 lens accompanies my 5Ds & 7D at all times. Those Cameras also have dual slots for memory cards, which means all pictures taken are being saved on two separate cards and your pictures are safe at all time.

I also have a Fujifilm X-T1 combined with a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 lens (85mm on full frame equivalent) and a Samyang 12mm f/2.0 (18mm on full frame equivalent).

I carry 2 high-speed sync speedlights, as needed. Of course spare batteries, high speed SD and compact flash memory cards and various accessories are always on hand.

Ready to meet with me or having any questions you need an answer for?