Sharlie - Painter and Owner, Sharlie Designs

Sharlie, an expressive and nostalgic painter, describes her artistic style as "fun, feminine, with a touch of grunge, retro influence, and raw authenticity." Her work is a tribute to the beauty, strength, and resilience of women, aiming to evoke deep emotions that make it impossible to look away. Through her art, she hopes to inspire women to recognize their own power.

Creative Direction & Mood

The session needed to feel feminine, creative, and captivating—mirroring the freedom and playfulness found in her paintings. When asked to describe her ideal aesthetic, Sharlie’s response was beautifully specific:

"Definitely retro (70s–90s) feminine vibe—an earthy palette with pinks, browns, and golds. I’m not into patterns. I’m more of an introverted creative than a social butterfly—more Fiona Apple/Alanis than Taylor Swift—but I don’t want it to look like I take myself too seriously."

This guided the entire approach, ensuring the images reflected her artistic essence without feeling overly polished or conventional. Knowing Sharlie was nervous, I kept the direction light and natural, guiding her into relaxed poses where she could focus on her art instead of the camera. This helped create images that feel intimate, playful, and true to her artistic style.

Location

Sharlie had booked a mini session which means she was coming to me, not shooting this in her studio, so we talked about how we could personalise this mini-shoot for her in depth. Rather than a traditional headshot session, the goal was to visually tell her story—one that stayed true to her retro aesthetic while capturing the essence of who she is as an artist

Aesthetic & Styling

To seamlessly integrate her vintage-inspired artistry into the shoot, we incorporated a vintage phone—a recurring element in her paintings—as a prop. Her wardrobe, accessories, and color palette were carefully curated to complement her artwork, reinforcing a consistent brand identity. She also brought along her paintings, tools, and easel, allowing us to capture dynamic, storytelling elements beyond traditional portraiture.

The Final Collection

Despite her initial nerves, Sharlie quickly settled into the session, and the resulting images are a perfect fusion of nostalgia, authenticity, and femininity. I guided her on relaxed, confident posing and the images have loads of genuine smiles to go with these beautifully confident images. We captured a mix of portrait and detail shots, ensuring she had imagery that told her story without always placing her at the centre. The final collection is vibrant, engaging, and deeply personal—exactly what we envisioned.

Mini sessions move quickly, but this shoot proved just how much storytelling can be achieved in a short amount of time. The results? A beautifully curated collection of images that genuinely connect with her audience.