Every photographer hits a point where client work starts to feel like the same session on repeat. For Marie Tilkens of Marie Elizabeth Photography, the answer wasn’t to wait for inspiration to show up on its own. It was to build a styled session for photographers, an intentional, planned shoot with its own wardrobe, location, and mood board, designed purely to reignite the creative spark. What started as something she did for herself each year eventually became Becoming, an event where she opened that process up to other photographers.
On this episode, TMA Community Manager Ali Payne sat down with Marie to learn exactly how Becoming came together, from the first spark of an idea to leading a room full of photographers through their own creative reset.
Starting With One Small Detail
Marie’s process for building a styled session for photographers never starts with a full plan. It starts with one small, specific detail, a scarf, a color, a single location, and grows outward from there. From that first spark, she starts thinking about wardrobe (she’s drawn to anything ultra feminine), then whether the scene calls for a family, motherhood, or maternity setup, and finally how everything, colors, props, styling, will come together. A mood board pulls it all into one place so she can see the full picture before a single frame is shot.
She compares it to how an interior designer might start a room with a single fabric or texture and build everything else around it. “Many interior designers will often start a project with a pattern or fabric or texture and build the entire room or project around that,” she said. “And a style session is the same.” That same approach, she pointed out, is available to any photographer, whether they’re hosting an event for others or just building their own personal shoot. All it takes is one idea and a friend or model willing to bring it to life.
From Concept to a Full Day on Location
For Becoming, that single detail was a sailboat. Marie built an entire coastal, romantic concept around it, nautical stripes, pops of color, a scarf for mom, and a sweater for dad with an American flag lining, all while staying true to the soft, romantic style her clients already know her for. A second scene in a historic farmhouse kitchen took its cue from a set of blue Portuguese tiles, which shaped the wardrobe and color palette for that portion of the day.
The results extended well beyond the day itself. Marie shared that a styled session she shot years earlier still brings her client inquiries today, including a recent newborn client who booked her specifically because of a look she’d seen in that older styled work. It’s a reminder that a styled session for photographers isn’t just a creative outlet. It can quietly keep working as a portfolio piece long after the shoot wraps.
Leading a Room Without Losing the Vision
Opening a styled session up to other photographers adds a layer most people don’t think about, holding the creative direction while still giving everyone room to make the work their own. Marie handles this by doing the heavy lifting up front. Location, wardrobe, hair, makeup, and color palette are all locked in before anyone arrives, which sets the tone for the whole day. From there, she steps back, letting small groups move through the scene at their own pace so each photographer can get the compositions and details that fit their own brand, while she stays available for questions and gentle guidance.
That balance, structure without control, is part of why a styled session for photographers can be such a low-pressure way to start hosting something bigger. As Marie put it, “It’s basically all the fun and creative aspects of our jobs. It’s the design, the dreaming, all the fun stuff,” which makes it a natural first step for anyone who has an idea but isn’t ready to plan a full workshop or retreat. It’s this same spirit, photographers showing up to learn from and be inspired by one another, that TMA aims to create through its community and mentor-led education.
Listen and Learn More
Marie’s approach is proof that creativity doesn’t need a huge production to thrive. It just needs one clear idea and the willingness to build outward from there. This episode is worth a listen for anyone who feels stuck in the same session over and over and is looking for a low-pressure way back into the work they love.
Find Marie at marie-elizabethphotography.com or on Instagram at @marie.elizabeth.photo.
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The Motherhood Anthology is a community and educational resource for photographers who want a profitable and sustainable business they love. With 15+ expert mentors and 7+ years of proven content, TMA helps portrait photographers build confident, thriving businesses through monthly education, mentorship, and a supportive community of 700+ members.
