Let me introduce myself…

Hi! I’m Leslie, and I am thrilled that you have taken the time to poke around my website.

I am a full time photographer who is lucky enough to call Minneapolis home. I have lived in Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, Southern California and Miami, but Minnesota fills my heart, and I don’t ever want to leave.

Back in 2009, I started my photo blog (remember when blogs were a thing?) and named it Shuttersmack. At the time, I was a full time journalist/art director at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. I have loved journalism since I was a kid — starting my first newspaper job at the sports department of my city newspaper when I was in high school, and eventually working in all sorts of newsrooms across the country.

I think it was the story telling that drew me to journalism, and that still drives my photography today. As my blog grew, more and more people reached out wanting photos, and by 2013 I had enough work to start my own photography studio. Leaving newspapers was hard, but owning a business and setting my own hours was pretty darn appealing. And it was such a fantastic gamble.

Besides photography, I am extremely passionate about outstanding typography, good coffee, the north shore of Minnesota, live music (the louder the better) and enormous canines.

I am happiest when exploring the woods, reading a good novel, documenting families and playing with dogs. I tend to prefer salty over sweet when it comes to both food and people. If you would like to contact me about a shoot, please reach out.

[Official biography]

Leslie Plesser is a Minneapolis-based photographer with a background in graphic design and art direction.

Her photography has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, the Star Tribune, the Chicago Tribune, Women’s Wear Daily, Mpls/St. Paul magazine, City Pages, Cosmopolitan.com and Vita.mn. Various blogs have written features on her as well as a segment on WCCO.

In 2018, the Star Tribune and Kare 11 did features on Leslie regarding her rescue dog project, Adopt a Stray in May. That same month, she won second place and honorable mention in The Kennel Club’s Dog Photographer of the Year competition. City Pages has named her one of the city’s best concert photographers.

In her previous life (before running Shuttersmack full time), she was the art director for vita.mn and a designer for a variety of newspapers including the Star Tribune and the Miami Herald.

She is continually inspired by Lake Superior, black and white punk photography and everything on her pinterest boards.

She is so lucky to have her amazing and supportive family which includes her bad-ass husband, her hilarious kid, and her adorably (and nutso) dogs, Magda and Hazel.

Client List

Let me introduce myself…﻿

[Official biography]

Client List

Let me introduce myself…