Monique Marie Photography, Portland

This quote by Elsie De Wolfe sums up the mission of self-taught photographer Monique Marie, "I am going to make everything around me beautiful. That will be my life." To this end, Marie puts extra effort into making her subjects feel beautiful, particularly during boudoir sessions in which she stresses comfort, safety, and privacy. She employs a duo of makeup artists who enhance each boudoir client's features, and she boasts a voluminous knowledge of poses that help each client feel their best. She also revels in the beauty of weddings, engagements, and babies learning how to smile or say "Gruyère" for the first time.