Menagerie Photography Studio Celebrating Local Women In Business Featuring Marilyn Riel
Welcome to our Celebrating Local Women in Business blog! We are focusing on local Connecticut businesses owned and run by women. The blogs will give you a chance to learn about the women who own these businesses, why they chose the work they do, what drove them to transform that passion into their own business and how their business has a positive impact on others. In this blog we’re Celebrating Local Women in Business featuring Marilyn Riel.
I’ve been publishing articles about women in business over the last few months and was reminded the other day that as a woman who owns my business, I should be including an article about myself as well. So here it is; my story and the answers to a few of the questions I’ve been asked about why I do what I do!
Name: Marilyn Riel
Business Name and Address: Menagerie Photography, Lisbon, CT
“I believe empowering women to see their
individual beauty is key to their self-confidence.”
Let me start by introducing myself to those of you who don’t know me yet. I’m 50+ years old and owner and lead photographer at Menagerie Photography Studio in Lisbon, CT. I love the work I do now but it wasn’t always that way. I was married young, had three children, got divorced, remarried six years ago and have two beautiful granddaughters.
It took a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up but I finally got here!
When I tell people that my studio is exclusively women’s portraiture, often they don’t understand why weddings, engagements and babies aren’t 
part of the services I provide. Simply put, I have done various types of photography but this is what I love to do. Having come from a past that had me feeling less than confident or empowered, focusing the business at my studio on women’s portraiture is important to me.
I believe empowering women to see their individual beauty is key to their self-confidence. Many of the women who wanted to come in to the studio had a list of excuses that they would tell me. “I’m shy… but I don’t know if this is the right gift for my significant other… well, I need to lose weight or get in shape first…”
What it all came down to was a fear they would not be seen as beautiful.
The thing they were missing was that they were already beautiful – no matter what shape or size, they just needed to see themselves as I saw them through my lens. I wanted them to know that it’s not just about having beautiful pictures at the end of your session; it’s also about how you feel during and after the shoot. Most women leave with an overall good feeling about themselves, not just that they have great pictures but that they have a great time and 
they’re more confident than ever.
This is why I shoot exclusively women’s portraiture.
I am kept busy with photo sessions for all types of images including fashion/editorial, pinup/fantasy, boudoir/glamour, maternity and business headshots as well as writing the blogs for my business. While talking about the Women in Business blogs at an event I was asked how much I charge to do the articles – taking photos, posting to our web page with links to their businesses and social media as well as digital copies of the images used in the blogs. I told them I do it for free. Their response was “well for now, you could make good money doing that…”
Why would you give away something when you can sell it?
There are many businesses and individuals who share of themselves, their time, their skills or their money to make things better for others. Giving back to their communities is something they do for themselves, not for monetary gain but to feel they may make a small difference by their actions. Many of the women I have recently featured in my blogs donate their time and services to improve their communities and help others at no cost. I share their stories to spread the word about their businesses, providing my services and time at no cost to them.
I believe in the philosophy “pass it on and it comes back to 
you”.
Recently I was asked why we have photography campaigns twice a year with no session fee and a free image. It’s pretty simple really. There are women out there who would love to experience a professional photo shoot but can’t afford it. Women who want to see themselves as confident and beautiful. This gives a chance to have that experience without the cost. They get to choose one of their pictures to remember the fun they had! After their session, there is no obligation to purchase any other images. (They can if they want to but it is not required)
The stories I have received in women’s campaign entries have made me realize how important it is to make time in my business to give more women a session that can empower them and help build their confidence.
I can’t give all my sessions away or I would go out of business. I can offer to wave the session fee for a few women during these campaigns. When I have the services of a hair and makeup artist donated this is include in a campaign as well. The expressions on women’s faces when they see images of themselves that show their individual beauty is wonderful. Feedback from the women who have participated in our events lets me know this is something I will continue to do in the future. An email I received two months after our first campaign last fall sums up the reason I continue to do this.
“Hi Marilyn!
I just wanted to email you and see how you have been doing? …. I don’t remember if I told you… I like how the photos came out and I am so very proud of them. Also I wanted to let you know that since I have seen you, my confidence has risen. I absolutely love that we had a chance to meet. You are definitely an inspiration. “
I have had such wonderful feedback from the women who have participated. I hope, at least in some small way, that I have been able to give them a little more confidence. That their photo shoot has left them feeling more empowered and just overall happier as the amazing women they are.
Our studio guide cover girls normally come from the women who participate in these campaigns. All the women sign model releases authorizing us to use their images. This allows us to share their experience so you can see what fun they had and their beautiful pictures. I have had the privilege of meeting over a dozen amazing women through the various campaigns so far.
We just closed entries for our third campaign and I look forward to sharing images and stories from their sessions next month.
I hope this has helped you to get to know me a little better and that when you are ready to talk about getting your photo taken, you’ll give me a call. You’ll come in for some coffee or tea and we can talk about creating an experience that you’ll love with beautiful pictures you can take home and share.
Would you like to be featured in our Celebrating Local Women in Business blog? Please go to our Contact Us page at MarilynRiel.com and tell me more about you and your business!
Do you have any questions about this article or ideas for other topics you would like me to write about? Please comment below or Contact Us from our web page.
If you have dreamed of having a photo-shoot that is all about you, call me to set up a complimentary consultation. You can see the studio and we can talk over coffee about how you want to be photographed. To make that happen, just click to book below! Is it a long trip to visit the studio? We’ve photographed women from all over the eastern part of the country including New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Feel free to contact us and set up a special phone consultation! And remember, Gift Certificates are always available.
- Menagerie Photography Studio Celebrating Local Women In Business Featuring Sarah Doyle - September 14, 2019
- Menagerie Photography Studio Celebrating Local Women In Business Featuring Lauren Nadwairski - June 6, 2019
- What Should I Wear for My Photo Shoot? - October 3, 2017
