50 Fabulous Females
meet the women behind southern maryland small business
portraitS
I am photographing 50 female business owners and telling the stories that cannot fit inside a business bio: the boldness, the fears, the grit, the why, and the woman behind it all.
Note from Leslie
I have spent years photographing women and watching the moment they finally see what everyone else sees in them. Business owners are especially good at staying behind the scenes: serving the client, solving the problem, keeping the wheels turning by sheer determination.
I want to bring the woman herself back into the picture. Not a polished résumé. Not a generic “girl boss” story. Her real story.
The Experience
Apply: Tell me about you, your business, and the story underneath it.
Plan: We will choose wardrobe and details that feel like you—only a little more camera-ready.
Be photographed: I will guide you from expression to fingertips. No modeling experience required.
Be featured: Your portrait and story will become part of the 50 Fabulous Females collection for social media, blog and print.
Who Should Apply:
Apply if you are a woman who owns or co-owns a business in Southern Maryland and are willing to share more than the tidy version of your journey. Your business can be brand-new or decades old in 2026. You can work from a storefront, an office, a studio, your home, or the front seat of your car. What matters is that the work is yours—and there is a story behind why you keep showing up for it. Please consider whether you intend to be in business through 2027, when this is published in full.
*Sadly I will not be able to accept everyone. The response has been incredible, but I must limit it to 50 women for this project.
Start the application process here by selecting your preferred date. You will be guided through the process. You will receive an email whether you’ve been selected or not.