Marilee Caruso Photography's December client of the month is the fabulous burlesque star and pinup Persephone Pon Farr! Persephone very kindly shared some of her wonderful experiences working with Marilee over the last several years...
How Persephone and Marilee started working together...
I first started working with Marilee 8-ish years ago - we’ve shot together 10 times with 15 different sets. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan. Marilee was the first professional photographer that I ever worked with - at the time, I had very limited experience in front of a camera or working with photographers. I had started recently performing burlesque and wanted to invest in a nice set of polished promo photos. By chance, I saw a promotion on social media for one of Marilee’s Halloween-themed photo events, and decided to take the plunge. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and truthfully was nervous about spending more than I ever had on a photoshoot before. Immediately after booking, my jitters were alleviated as I received an instructional email from Marilee with clear directions on how to prepare for the shoot.
On the experience of prepping and shooting great images with Marilee...
The shoot day finally came, and when I arrived at her studio I was warmly greeted by Marilee (and her dog Zuko), then whisked upstairs to Marilee’s styling lounge where she performed what can only be described as *pinup wizardry.* Y’all. I was not prepared for the level of game Marilee dished forth that day - she is a master hair stylist and her makeup application skills are sickening. I have worked with dozens of different photographers/stylists over the past decade, at varying price points and in a myriad of locations. I have yet to encounter a single photographer that can do it all (hair, makeup, wardrobe styling, set design, shooting and editing) at the level that she achieves. Anyone can point a camera and press the shutter button. It takes a true artist and years of practice to harness and manipulate light and color the way Marilee does, all in service of highlighting the subject of her lens: you! You are literally being transformed into a work of art, this is why Marilee is worth EVERY PENNY that she charges. And why I’ve continued working with her year after year.
Persephone explains why she is a regular client...
When you work with Marilee, it’s not just a photoshoot - it’s an experience. She is such a convivial and endearing person, who truly wants to make you shine and strives to provide her clients a relaxing and fun environment - and when you’re relaxed and having fun, that comes out in your photos! One of my favorite things about working with Marilee is that she is always prepared for any mishap that may happen on shoot day (and they WILL HAPPEN, trust me). From your chosen outfit not quite fitting right (or being forgotten at home!), a rip in your stockings, to broken clasps on jewelry and flyaway hairs, she’s got you covered. You never have to worry about not have an outfit for the shoot because she has an extensive wardrobe to choose from with a full array of shoes, jewelry, and hair accessories to compliment the theme of the shoot that day PLUS any and all hair products/pins/combs to correct any misbehaving locks. You’ll have immense peace of mind knowing that Marilee’s done the leg work to prepare for the unexpected. All you need to do is follow her shoot prep instructions, show up on time, and be ready to go with the flow - she’ll take care of the rest. Trust me, your photos are going to look bomb.
Thanks so much, Persephone!
