Romanticizing life as Marilyn Monroe - Old Hollywood Inspired Portraits

There portraits were inspired by a photoshoot Alfred Eisenstaedt did with Marilyn in her home, and were featured in a LIFE article - Click here to read it!

One of the most iconic things about this shoot was how relaxed and happy Marilyn Monroe was, and the fact that she looked like a normal, beautiful woman rather than the bombshell pinup girl that she was known as in the public eye. A woman doesn’t need to be wearing as little as possible to capture her beauty or her sexy side - that’s what Marilyn’s photoshoot conveyed, and what my goal with this one was.

Black and white film portrait of Mary Pat.

All images were shot on black and white Kodak TriX 400 pushed to 800, and were developed at Boutique Film Lab in Nashville, TN.

As a Nashville portrait photographer, one thing that I’ve loved about using film in my photoshoots is how in-the-moment each photo feels.

I did shoot some digital colored photos that I will eventually share, but this black and white 35mm film truly pulls you into the moment in a unique way. It also adds that vintage feel that I wanted for an Old Hollywood inspired shoot like this one.

Mary Pat smiling and tossing her hair. Nashville portrait session.

The image above was one of the last ones I took, and I wasn’t quite sure if I had clicked the shutter at the most ideal moment. When I got the film scans back, I realized that I had indeed taken my shot at exactly the right time, and am very proud of this image.

Nashville photographer, capturing portraits on 35mm film.

Mary Pat did an absolutely wonderful job of channeling Marilyn Monroe, while also remaining true to herself while in front of the camera. I could not be happier with the results we got! They are a perfect nod to the past, and display of Mary Pat’s loveliness.