Having studied photography in Aberystwyth in the late 1970s he began his career in London with freelance contributions to the music press and band and theatre promotion work before getting a job as an assistant with a commercial studio in Camden town. Here Leo honed his skills with catalogue work, pack shots and location work shooting mainly medium and large format film. However he had already started his own list of clients mainly in the music and fashion business. After a few years assisting Leo set up on his own working out of a small basement studio in Bloomsbury.