BIO
Leigh Keily is a Los Angeles-based portrait photographer with roots in Australia and training at Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion. His images are bold, cinematic, and intimate - portraits that don’t just show a face but a presence.
His work first drew international attention with a celebrated portrait of Prince William for Attitude magazine, and since then he’s built a practice defined by visual storytelling, collaboration, and a deep curiosity about the people he photographs. Leigh’s portraits balance elegance with edge, intimacy with impact and are pictures that linger.
Beyond photography, he co-founded JON, the cult quarterly men’s magazine now in its second decade, and his recent exhibition Kings of Benidorm showed in both Los Angeles and London alongside a limited-edition book.
A MOMENT WITH LEIGH
Your mood in one word?
Yellow.
What’s your creative superstition?
I never tell anyone about a job until it’s fully booked and I’m basically on the way to set. Before my big Prince William shoot at his house, Kensington palace. I didn't even tell my assistants until the day before. Rule of thumb: do not tell a single person until it’s in the bag.
If your art had a cocktail, what would it be?
Because I’m a Gemini I’m going to give you a double answer: A cocktail and a chaser. The cocktail would be something mental like sea breeze or piña colada with an extravagant yellow garnish representing the bright and energetic side of my work. The chaser would be straight vodka (like my black & white photography) clean and elegant. It’s all about duality.
Martini order?
Belvedere with a glance of vermouth, dirty, olives, served in a large proper triangle shaped martini glass - no coups. Generally I want to be gulping a gorgeous drink.