Photo Set Inspired by Marilyn Monroe

Everyone knows of that iconic Marilyn Monroe photoshoot where she’s posing on the beach in that iconic sweater, right? You know, the Starsky-and-Hutch looking sweater? If not, then you’re really missing out. It’s classy and timeless.

See here below Jay Ablah Photography and my photoshoot inspired by this famous final photoshoot of Marilyn Monroe. This was shot very early in the morning as the sun came up at Leo Carrillo Beach. It’s something I’ve been wanting to shoot forever, and I knew that Jay was the perfect photographer for the task.

To be quite honest, I have been struggling with my body image for some time now. It comes with the territory when you hit a certain age and decide to stop modeling as frequently. But, nonetheless, it’s been an interesting journey for me the last few years. But, I have to say, this photoshoot made me feel beautiful again. Something about channeling Marilyn made me feel like a woman. And Jay did such an incredible job matching the feel of the original photos while still making it his own.

This photoshoot was conducted at the time when I was the heaviest in my weight journey. For those who don’t know, I got rather sick in 2018.  At the time of my sickness, I gained some 20 pounds after accidentally starving myself while traveling to Finnish Lapland. So, at 140 pounds, it was hard for me to feel like the perfect version of myself. But, these photos really helped me celebrate myself at that time. After all, Marilyn Monroe heavily fluctuated between various weights throughout her career.  She went from being smaller to curvier on and off, so there’s no real reason to hit a strict weight when re-creating a Marilyn shoot. So, it was the perfect time to conduct this photoshoot.

And here’s a more modern take on the shoot with bright light peaking in from the sun.

I have since lost the 20 pounds that I gained when I shot these photos. I have regained control of my health completely, and in turn, I have lost the weight and began a light journey into wellness. I want to be lightly fit while still being soft and feminine. While I think I look better at my ideal weight of 118 pounds, I still look back at these photos with a smile on my face.

And I’m curious to know which of the photos is your favorite. Do you prefer the older, more vintage looking photos that closely mirror the Marilyn shots, or do you prefer the more colorful, modern variants near the bottom of the page?