29 Jul Floral Guitar Portraits with Maria Steller
When spring arrives in Ottawa, it always feels fleeting. One minute the world is grey and sleeping, and the next there are blossoms everywhere demanding to be noticed before they disappear again. This year, I wanted to fully lean into that season by exploring flowers in portraiture and incorporating them into a variety of different photographic styles before spring slipped away.
Having previously worked with local musician and model Maria Steller, I immediately knew she would be perfect for this concept. Maria brings an incredible presence to the camera, balancing softness and strength effortlessly, and as both a musician and performer, the idea of intertwining flowers with her guitar felt like a natural extension of who she is as an artist.
Thankfully, both Maria and her agency loved the concept and the shoot quickly came to life.
Maria arrived wearing beautiful floral clothing in soft, feminine colours that perfectly captured the mood I had imagined for the session. To complement the spring aesthetic, I added a white lace robe layered over her outfit, bringing together delicate textures of lace, flowers, and soft window light. She styled her own hair in loose curls and kept her makeup natural and understated, allowing the portraits to feel authentic and timeless.
Every image from the session was created using natural light from the bay window in my living room studio space. Preparing for the shoot meant completely rearranging the room, pushing furniture aside and simplifying the space down to only what was needed: a couch moved to the far side of the room and an ottoman draped with a white blanket positioned beside the window.
The effort was worth it.
The bay window allowed the light to wrap beautifully around Maria, creating soft transitions between highlights and shadow that worked especially well for close-up portraits. Flowers were woven through the strings of her guitar and arranged around her, transforming the instrument into part of the visual story rather than simply a prop.
As the session evolved, we shifted into a series of black and white portraits and silhouettes. Stripping away colour allowed shape, gesture, and emotion to become the focus. Maria sitting quietly with her guitar surrounded by flowers created images that felt cinematic and reflective, almost like still frames pulled from a film.
This project is a reminder of why I value creative intuition so deeply. Sometimes an idea arrives quietly and refuses to leave until it exists in the real world. This was one of those ideas, and I am incredibly grateful I listened to that instinct and brought these photographs to life.
Of course, no blog about this session would feel complete without mentioning Maria’s mother, Shirley.
Shirley was so much more than an assistant on set. She brought warmth, encouragement, laughter, and energy to the entire experience. She also captured behind-the-scenes videos throughout the session, which was such a gift. As photographers, we are rarely documented while we create, and having those moments preserved means far more than I can properly express.
Working with both Maria and Shirley is always an absolute joy. Their kindness, enthusiasm, and support transformed an already meaningful creative session into something that felt genuinely special.
A huge thank you to both Maria and Shirley for trusting my vision and helping bring this spring story to life.
To see more of Maria’s work, click the link below:
Maria Steller – Musician + Model – https://www.instagram.com/maria_steller/
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