A picture is worth a thousand words, and it’s also a way to preserve memories — whether it’s a person, a thing, a place or an event. Preserving those memories is the work of Riverside resident and photographer Kathryn Marchetti, owner of Leni Luxe Photography.
Marchetti, a graduate of Columbia College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in photography, says her first camera was a Polaroid. Following her graduation she worked for the University of Illinois at Chicago and freelanced before going out on her own as Leni Luxe Photography. The unusual name is a tribute to her late father, who was named Leni.
With no actual studio, she prefers to work on location of her client’s selection or her suggestion. Favoring weddings or children and family pictures, she lets the environment help create the picture.
Mentioning that children can be a problem at times, she said that taking children’s pictures in places they are more familiar with, such as their own home, can make children more comfortable. As the mother of two young girls, Mia and Matea, she knows what she is talking about.
Marchetti likes being able to set her own schedule, which she does by appointment, and admits that her style is environmental. I mentioned that Riverside gives her many opportunities to take advantage of nature and she mentioned how recently she had spotted an area on Miller Road resplendent with wild flowers, she returned the next day with her girls in tow to capture a memory.
Marchetti and her husband, John, moved to Riverside from the city four years ago. They did not know about Riverside, and found it accidently when they were looking in Berwyn and happened across Harlem Avenue. They are becoming active in the community, and Kate recently joined her husband as a member of the Riverside Township Lions Club.
When not behind the camera, Marchetti can be found working with Ronald McDonald Charities in Oak Brook, assisting with their many fundraising activities.
To learn more about Leni Luxe Photography, go to www.leniluxe.com to preserve those memories which will be worth a thousand words.
A bit of Riverside trivia: Did you know that over 40 years ago a photography studio was located in the Arcade Building, which is now the site of Fleur bakery? Don’t remember the name, but had my son Michael’s baby pictures taken there — long before cellphones became the camera of choice.
