Meet Photographer Leslie Restivo
By Julie Matthews / Photo above courtesy of Leslie Restivo
We are beyond grateful to professional photographer Leslie Restivo for allowing us to feature her images once again as the cover photography of the High Country Visitors Guide. As a seventh generation resident of the Boone area, Restivo takes local expert to a whole other level. While landscape photography has become her mainstay, her work reaches deep into all corners of the High Country community.
From capturing wildlife and landscape shots at Grandfather Mountain to photography projects for Visit NC and the North Carolina State Fair, plus numerous sporting events and wedding photos, Restivo has handled just about every type of photography assignment in the region. A major milestone of her career thus far, Restivo has made the cover of Southern Living twice. This is particularly impressive when considering she only picked up a camera about six years ago, motivated by wanting to take photos of her young daughter. “I always loved photos and taking photos with my phone, but one day I said, ‘I’m going to buy a camera and teach myself.’ So I just learned and learned and hustled to get here.”
Restivo admits that nature photography, while very fun definitely has its challenges. However, it has pushed her limits as a photographer and made her tough. She credits these experiences as why now she is pretty much is able to “shoot anything!” “I cannot imagine home being anywhere else,” she says. “This is the most beautiful place in the world. Once I picked up a camera, it gave me a different perspective. There’s no place like it.”
Visit leslierestivo.com or @leslie_restivo on Instagram.
