It’s no coincidence that my client base is made up of so many burlesque and cabaret artists. In fact, long before opening my studio, I myself spent (and continue to spend) an awful lot of time on stage, and traveling the world as a burlesque artist.

The hours my clients spend on their costumes, the years of perfecting their hair, makeup and choreography, the days spent dragging suitcases around, the nights spent in dressing rooms, the sheer ammount of financial investment in their dazzling and ever evolving carreers….. I’ve done it all too. It’s a unique lived experience which feeds directly into my work behind the camera.

Why So Many Burlesque Artists End Up in Front of My Camera

When you book a shoot with Studio DeLite, you're not stepping into a stranger's studio and hoping they "get it." You're working with someone who has stood in the wings with a racing heart, peeled off a sweat-soaked costume at 1am, and counted the cost — in money, hours and nerve — of every single thing an audience sees in those few minutes on stage. Being a burlesque artist myself means I already know how much work, blood, sweat, tears and £££ you've invested long before you step in front of my lens. Here's how that actually changes your experience.

1. I understand the cost of your craft — and the pressure to keep promoting it

Costumes, rhinestones, music edits, choreography, travel, rehearsal space: the bill for being a performer adds up fast, and most of it happens out of sight. On top of that, you're expected to constantly feed the machine — fresh promo, fresh images, a fresh reason for bookers and audiences to look your way. I've lived that pressure, so I treat your shoot as the investment it is. The goal is always images that genuinely earn their place: shots you can build a brand, a poster and a year of social content around, not just a nice afternoon.

2. Shoot prep is show prep — and I'll be your dresser when you need one

The hair, the makeup, the layers, the rituals — getting ready for a shoot is its own performance, and it takes exactly as long as you think it does (longer, usually). I'm not going to tap my watch while you transform. And when you're already laced into your corset and suddenly need a third hand, I'm there for it — zipping, extra cinching, fastening that one impossible shoe buckle. I've been on your side of the dressing table, so I know when to help and when to leave you to your process.

3. I understand light — on the stage and in the studio

Lighting is everything in burlesque, and it works the same magic in front of a camera. The right light doesn't just make your costume pop and your rhinestones dazzle — it sets a mood, tells a story, and helps cement the identity you've built as a performer. Because I've watched lighting transform an act from the stage side, I light you with that same intent: not generic "pretty," but lighting that serves your character and your brand.

4. The lines that elevate you on stage translate straight to camera — and I'll guide you there

The angles, extensions and lines that make your stage work sing are the same ones that pack a punch in a photograph. The difference is that on stage you're moving, and in a studio you have to hold it — which is a completely different skill. If you ever freeze up or run out of ideas, that's my job, not your problem. I'll direct you through poses, tweak a hand here and a chin there, and show you images as we go so you can feel the shoot building in real time.

“You can tell Eliza is a pro with lots of experience. She cares about the detail and has the eye and knowledge for it. Before the shoot, communication and conversation were fantastic and it made me feel really safe and secure. On the day, it was so much fun. We were relaxed, having fun with it, I could really feel the bespoke care of how she was shooting to match my style, and she was really helpful at directing and guiding me.” - Dolly Trolley

5. Your body is central to your art — and I won't change it

Your body is your instrument and your canvas. I will never alter your size, your shape or your skin beyond who you truly are. My edits refine light and colour and polish the image — they don't reinvent you. You are unique and striking exactly as you are, and that singularity is precisely what makes you shine on stage and on screen.

Let's make images worthy of the work you've already put in

You've done the hard part for years. Let's create photographs that finally show it. If you'd like to talk through ideas — no pressure, no commitment — book a free consultation and let's plan a shoot that's unmistakably you.

Why Burlesque artists choose a Burlesque photographer.

Why So Many Burlesque Artists End Up in Front of My Camera