SZL Photo

02/20/2026

Hi everyone 🫶🏻

Wanted to post a couple of updates as our time in Tuscaloosa is coming to a close, and we start our journey to moving to West Point, New York!

-I am currently booking now until early April, mainly in Tuscaloosa

-I will be in Madison, MS for the weekend of Easter (April 3-5) and have some availability for Friday afternoon, and all day Saturday

-If I have ever captured you before, I would GREATLY appreciate it if you could leave a review on Google of your experience. As we are about to move and start over again, this makes a HUGE difference in google recommending me to people in new places as I try to rank for a new location. I’ll post the links in the comments for those interested!

As always, thank you to everyone for your continued support. We are always grateful for the connections we make on the way, but sad to say goodbye 🫶🏻

01/13/2026

I’ve known the Waldner family going on about ten years now. Weirdly enough, I met them first in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, when both of our families were stationed there, and through this coincidental thing called life we ended up both being in Alabama together.

Naturally, we had to do another family session.

This isn’t just a family that I have observed as an outsider. This is a family that embraces you as their own. Whose kids run up to you and give you a huge hug and tell you about their dress, quote Star Wars, and immediately make you feel like you are long lost besties.

Life is crazy.

Kids are crazy.

But…

There is so much love. And it’s so wonderful.

Read the full blog post at https://sarazlehleitner.com/2026/01/13/tuscaloosa-family-session/

01/01/2026

Well, another year down and to say 2025 went by fast would be an understatement.

I have learned so many things this year, had the most wonderful clients (new and old), and was blessed to be able to spend more time with family than we have had in years before we move to New York this May!

I’ve been spending today like a “Sunday reset” and have been organizing files, memory cards, subscriptions, reflecting on things that worked this year and things that didn’t, and going into this next year with a clear mind (and desk lol)

Thank you to every single one of you who have supported me in this journey. I can’t wait to see what 2026 will bring! 🫶🏻

10/29/2025

Lots of editing to do in the queue, but this maternity/ family session with Owen and Kailey just couldn’t wait 🫶🏻

So excited for these friends to welcome their baby girl in just a couple of months!

10/13/2025

Yesterday’s wedding for Irasema and Ervin was filled with (literally) so much brightness and love!

These two are probably the most fun, kind, genuine people I have ever met. Their vows included such intimate and silly references that even had the officiant sobbing. Their love for each other is so clear, and I’m so honored I was able to document this day for them. 🫶🏻

Vendors-
Venue:
Photographer:
Cake:
Gown:
Makeup: .bella2020
Florals: .art & her mom 🫶🏻
Caterer:
Stationary & Signs: .art

10/01/2025

The Davis family is up on the blog!

A family session along the historic Natchez Trace Parkway in Madison, Mississippi with the sweetest people ever - The Davis Family!

09/23/2025

Hi 👋🏼 I know, it’s been a while…

And honestly, it’s pretty embarrassing.

Barron and I have talked about the business, the kids, us being in Alabama, and everything in between and the truth of the matter is that this is a very strange (probably once in our working lifetimes) season where we get to spend all but two class periods twice a week together as a family. That definitely has NEVER happened before in our lives, and never will again.

I think of how guilty I have felt that I haven’t been posting/ grinding during this time, but then I see how FAST my babies are growing right before my eyes, even with all this time together, and I can’t help but just feel grateful and blessed that we are in this situation right now. Where Barron is home everyday, where we have had the space and time to grieve for our son that we lost, to learn how to be husband and wife again even after so much stress and trauma, where we have learned what it truly means to become parents and the responsibility that it entails.

When I switched my perspective to looking at things through that lens, silly little social media posts just don’t really matter that much.

For those that read this far, we are still in Tuscaloosa, Alabama until around May, then we will be moving to West Point, NY for the next 2-3 years. I’m still shooting behind the scenes (even if I’m not active on socials), so keep me in mind for any future photos you may need 🙂

I’m currently booking for both Tuscaloosa and Madison, MS areas for our remaining time here! Fill out my contact form at sarazlehleitner.com/contact and let’s do this 🫶🏻

08/01/2025

The McIntosh Family is up on the blog!

A joyful extended family session on a private farm in Madison, MS - capturing laughter, legacy, and love in the Mississippi sun.

07/15/2025

After 3 kids, a move, restarting my business, and countless changes personally and professionally, I've finally been able to get back into blogging!

My goal is for this to be a resource for session inspiration, tips and tricks for planning said sessions, and a personal journal for life and all the chaos that goes with it.

First up is this pretty bridal luncheon at Downtown Social Tuscaloosa!

Beautiful, floral, and feminine bridal luncheon at Downtown Social in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is what all the girly bridal dreams are made of!

05/11/2025

Happy Mothers Day to all the moms out there💕

Who are in the background making sure their children shine.

Who have carried their children, and those who stepped in when they didn’t have to.

Who have their children on this earth, and those who don’t.

I see you, moms. I rejoice with you, I weep with you, and I encourage all of you whatever phase of motherhood you may be in right now. All the love today 💛

03/27/2025

I’ve known Brittany since we were both photo students at Belhaven University back in the day. Crazily enough, she is now the professor in charge of the photography program there! It was so wonderful being able to catch up, talk shop, and meet her husband and daughter at their session.

Afterwards Brittany was telling me about how becoming a mother has changed how she’s a photographer, and it’s so true. I catch myself wanting to document the way I would want my family photographed, how fleeting time is, and that babies don’t keep. You become so much more patient and understanding that yes photos are important, but not as important as how those little ones feel and how short this time is. 💛

“The days are long, but the years are short”