Maria’s portrait session and why she still adores the images.

Maria came for Marilyn Monroe-inspired portraits and found a relaxed session with more variety than she expected. By the end, she was enjoying the different looks—and she still adores the photographs.

Maria McCarthy had a particular inspiration for her portrait session: Marilyn Monroe. She expected to focus on that style, but the session offered a much wider range of outfits, poses and backdrops than she had pictured.

“I wasn’t expecting to have so many costume changes or clothing changes,” Maria said. “Different posings and different backdrop.”

She had been asked to bring a few clothing options, but hadn’t realised how many different looks could be created. As the session unfolded, she got to see those possibilities take shape. By the end, she was enjoying the variety and says she had fun.

More variety than she expected

For Maria, the different looks grew naturally from the portrait idea she brought with her. The Marilyn-inspired portraits remained at the heart of the session, while changes of clothing, posing and backdrop gave her a broader collection than she had anticipated.

That variety also meant the session could unfold as a collaboration. Maria remembers the photographer suggesting possibilities and giving her options to consider. She could see what each look might become, rather than needing to arrive with every detail planned in advance.

Her story is not about replacing one idea with another. The Marilyn-inspired portraits she came for remained central; the additional looks simply gave her more to choose from. Looking back, the special part was having a clear point of inspiration and then discovering more possibilities as the session went on.

Maria still adores the Marilyn Monroe portraits. “They’re very beautiful,” she said. The other looks added to the collection, giving her more portraits to enjoy and share with people close to her.

Easygoing, with a professional finish

Maria thought the session might be “go, go, go” from start to finish. Instead, she found it laid back and calm. She said it felt comfortable and wasn’t regimented, even though the professionalism was clear in the final photographs.

“There was a freedom. There was a flow,” she said. The photographer could suggest possibilities, and the session could move from one idea to another without feeling rushed. That balance let Maria enjoy the process while the team took care of the details.

She remembers Erin, the photographer, as lovely. Maria says Erin “got the best out of me,” and praises the makeup artist as very good too. The team’s work is visible in the finished portraits, but Maria’s recollection of the session itself is just as warm: relaxed, comfortable and enjoyable.

Portraits she enjoys seeing every day

One of Maria’s portraits now has a place on her dressing table, where she sees it each morning. She likes the photograph and finds it reassuring. “It’s such a pretty photo,” she said. “It’s really reassuring. It’s nice.”

The response from people close to her has been lovely as well. Maria was prepared for the attention, but says it was lovely to hear their reaction. When she showed them the portraits, they told her she looked stunning. Her children, in-laws and grandson enjoyed looking at the photographs too.

The portraits she came for are still favourites, and the variety gave Maria even more to enjoy. Her session brought together the Marilyn-inspired images she loved, a relaxed experience with room for different looks, and photographs she is happy to see each day.