Leighton O'Connor

04/14/2026

Another biz card to squeeze into my wallet…

04/04/2026

Today’s adventure in Cozumel!

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

Not in Key West! That’s in a few weeks. 🌴 🏝️ 🛥️

04/01/2026

“Roll Me Away” came on in the Uber heading to the cruise port this morning… and just like that, I was reflecting on the road behind me.

God’s been good. Through the highs, the bumps, and everything in between, I’ve lived a full life, seen a lot, and been part of some incredible moments.

One of those… photographing Bob Seger back in ’83 at the Garden. Still kind of surreal. (A few of those shots even made their way into my Etsy shop.)

Grateful for the journey. And still rolling.

03/31/2026

A few of the images I have created for Turning Art the last few days in Tampa & St. Petersburg. Their client is based in Tampa.

03/30/2026

I made it!

03/12/2026

I’ll be creating some new images in the coming weeks for TurningArt and my Etsy stores, first in St. Petersburg and Mexico, and later in April when my brother and I camp in the Florida Keys.

I’ve been working with TurningArt for 14 years. They are an art services company based in the Boston that places artwork from photographers and artists in offices, hotels, healthcare facilities, and other commercial spaces across the United States. https://www.turningart.com/artist/leighton-oconnor

02/07/2026

Let’s Go! Outfitters 20% Off Code: SAVE20 https://letsgooutfitters.etsy.com?coupon=SAVE20

01/30/2026

I want to share an update: I’m bringing Mission for Hope to a close.

I’m deeply thankful for everyone who supported our mission over the last seven years. Your support, donations, volunteering, encouragement and prayers…were greatly appreciated. Because of you, we were able to care for the homeless, distribute thousands of blankets across North America, provide food, clothing, and hygiene kits to thousands of people.

Since 2018, we’ve served locally on a regular basis, and we also took Mission for Hope on the road, doing outreach multiple times in all the major cities across North America. None of that happens without the support, generosity, and prayers of so many people.

I truly couldn’t have done it without you.

I’m not walking away from helping people. I’m simply shifting to a more personal, one-to-one approach with individuals facing homelessness and addiction. My new position at the Lynn Police Department puts me in touch with this population on a regular basis.

Garden City Church in Beverly, MA will be continuing the mission. I have donated the trailer and its equipment to Garden City so they can provide hot meals for outreaches. Mission For Hope has also donated outreach items for the next couple out outreaches they will be doing. If you have clothing you’d like to donate, please reach out to Pastor Aaron at [email protected]

Thank you for being part of this mission with me. I love and appreciate all of you.

11/24/2025

Sports Illustrated Devotional

When I was 15, I was already fully committed to my career as a sports photographer. I ran my own business, shooting local games, selling photos to newspapers, and writing sports stories. I wasn’t just experimenting — I knew where I was going.

One of my photography heroes was Walter Iooss Jr. from Sports Illustrated. I studied his images and imagined myself shooting on that level someday. So I decided to reach out directly to Sports Illustrated’s photo editor, John Dominis, and ask if I could show him my portfolio.

I wasn’t nervous about sending the letter.
I wasn’t nervous making the call.

I was bold, confident, and driven — largely because of my mom’s support and the way she pushed me to believe that anything was possible if I worked hard for it.

John Dominis wrote me back and invited me either to send my portfolio or meet him in person. So at sixteen, I called him, scheduled an appointment for a Saturday morning, and flew from Boston to New York on my own with my portfolio under my arm.

He reviewed my work, told me he liked it, and put me on the Sports Illustrated stringer list. That gave me credentials to shoot Celtics and Patriots games — something most adults can’t even access, and there I was doing it at sixteen.

They never published my photos, but that wasn’t the point. The real impact was what God was building inside me: drive, confidence, and a hunger to pursue the gifts He put in me.

The Devotional Lesson
God honors bold steps.
He blesses confidence that is rooted in the abilities He’s already planted in you.

He breathes on the dreams He Himself placed in your heart.
Not every open door is about immediate results.
Sometimes it’s about shaping your future, strengthening your identity, and setting your direction.

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” — Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

When I flew to New York as a teenager to show my work to Sports Illustrated, I wasn’t hoping something might happen — I believed something would happen.

That confidence wasn’t arrogance.

It was calling.
It was God at work in me before I even realized it.

Encouragement for Today
If God has planted something in your heart, don’t wait for permission.

Don’t wait for a sign.
Don’t wait until you “feel ready.”

Move boldly. Step forward. Take the shot.
You may not see the full outcome right away — but God uses these defining moments to build you, prepare you, and push you into the purpose He designed for you.

If you step in confidence, He’ll meet you with opportunity.
If you knock boldly, He’ll open the door.

And if you keep walking through the doors He opens, you’ll eventually find yourself exactly where He always intended you to be.

09/29/2025

Last week I applied to become a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. Only got one wrong on my test! Taking the safe boating class at the Beverly Police Department on Sunday. If all goes well, I’ll be a member of the Beverly Flotilla pretty soon.