Today we’d like to introduce you to Marian Diop.
Hi Marian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m originally from Hawaii, and that’s where my story really began. Growing up surrounded by so much natural beauty taught me to pay attention to emotion, light, and meaning in everything. I went on to earn my MBA from the University of Hawai‘i and spent years working in the corporate world in sales, leadership, and business strategy.
On paper, everything looked great. I was successful, moving up, doing all the things I thought I was supposed to do. But I started to feel disconnected from myself. I was helping other people build their dreams while quietly realizing I had lost sight of my own.
Photography entered my life at the perfect time. What started as a creative outlet became a calling. The first time I photographed a woman and watched her light up seeing herself through new eyes, I knew this was what I was meant to do. That feeling of helping someone see their strength and beauty again is powerful.
That’s how Butler & Badou Portraits came to life. It’s not just a photo studio, it’s a space for women to remember who they are and to see themselves in their fullness. Later, I created The Marian Method to help other creative women build businesses that align with who they are, not just what they do.
My work today is about confidence, clarity, and connection. It’s about guiding women back to themselves and showing them that they are already enough.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I think most people see the highlight reel, the polished photos, and the finished brand, but they don’t see the parts of the story that happened in the dark.
There was a season when I was completely burnt out. I had left the corporate world, and even though I was doing work I loved, I was running on empty. I had gained weight, I was angry, stressed, and constantly overwhelmed. I was trying to be everything for everyone and still felt like I was falling short.
One day I looked at myself and realized I didn’t even recognize the woman staring back. I wasn’t showing up as the mom I wanted to be or the woman I knew I could be. That was my wake-up call. I knew I had to start making changes for my kids and for myself.
So I started doing the work. I focused on my health, my mindset, and my boundaries. I learned to create from a place of peace instead of pressure. And slowly, things began to shift. My confidence returned, my purpose deepened, and my business started to grow in alignment with who I truly was.
The road has not been easy, but it has been worth it. The woman I am today was built in those honest moments when I finally stopped surviving and started living.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the owner of Butler & Badou Portraits, a luxury portrait and boudoir studio in Dallas. What I do on the surface is photography, but the heart of my work is transformation.
I specialize in helping women see themselves again — not through filters or perfection, but through truth and artistry. Every session is an experience designed to reconnect women with their confidence and remind them of their power. We focus on creating timeless fine art portraits that celebrate who they are, not just what they look like.
What sets my studio apart is the way we approach the entire process. From the first call to the final reveal, everything is personal, intentional, and deeply empowering. My background in business and psychology helps me understand how women think and feel when they’re in front of the camera. I know what it’s like to walk into a session nervous or unsure, and I’ve built an environment where that melts away.
The moment I’m most proud of is when a woman looks at her portraits and tears up because she finally sees herself — strong, beautiful, and whole. That’s when I know I’ve done my job.
I also run The Marian Method, where I teach creative women how to build sustainable, systemized businesses without losing themselves in the process. Both pieces of my work go hand in hand. It’s all about helping women reclaim their confidence, both in front of the camera and in the way they show up in their lives.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is helping women remember who they are and staying grounded in what truly matters: my faith, my family, and living with purpose.
My kids are a big part of my why. I want them to grow up seeing what strength, love, and self-respect look like in everyday life. I want them to understand that success is not about titles or money. It is about living in alignment with who you are and using your gifts to serve others.
That same belief is what drives my work. So many women spend years taking care of everyone else, chasing goals, and holding everything together for their families. Somewhere in that process, they lose sight of themselves. I know that feeling because I have lived it.
Through my studio, I want to give women a space to pause and reconnect with themselves. A space where they can feel seen, valued, and worthy without needing to be anyone else. When a woman looks at her portrait and sees her strength, her softness, and her story reflected back, it is a reminder that she is still in there.
At the end of the day, what matters most to me is love. Loving my family well, loving the women I serve, and helping them see the beauty that has always been within them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://themarianmethod.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarianmethod_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msaint1000
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariandiop/
Image Credits:
