Photo by Bevrore Contemporary Portraits
The photographer Annie Leibovitz once said: “A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”
Talk to Jillian Williams, and you can tell that she, too, views her job through that same lens. Her eyes light up when she tells stories about clients who enter her home-based studio in Dillsburg with a mixture of apprehension and doubt and exit smiling ear-to-ear.
“Everyone has a negative voice in their head, and I’m on a mission to change that,” she said. “I firmly believe that, if we can love ourselves, we can love other people better.”
That’s just one of the reasons Williams created Bevrore Contemporary Portraits, taking the word from a South African term meaning “frozen,” as moments frozen in time, through magazine-style portraiture, is her specialty.
Williams spent the first seven years of her photography career working with an entirely different, sometimes volatile demographic. Some clients cried, others laughed and several were so overwhelmed that they even soiled themselves, but she could always be sure that the parents would find shots of their infants nothing short of adorable.
Williams said she changed direction to challenge herself.
“Everyone thinks babies are cute,” she said with a laugh, “but women are very critical of themselves.”
Williams marvels at the emotions she sometimes elicits when the subjects view the end product.
“She’s gorgeous, but she couldn’t see it in herself, which is why I find this job to be powerful, fun and amazing,” she said.
What to Expect
When you enter the Bevrore studio, the first step is choosing your clothing.
“We ask our clients to bring along six to eight outfits, which I will narrow down,” said Williams. “Just because you love it, doesn’t mean it photographs well.”
The good news is that your work ends there, as Williams and her team handle the rest.
“I work with amazing hair and makeup artists, so we ask that our clients come barefaced,” she said.
The entire experience, including clothes selection and choosing backdrops, takes about three hours.
“I consider myself one of the luckiest girls in the world, having the opportunity to chat with all these women while they’re being pampered,” she said. “The session itself is very fun and, by the time a client leaves, we are friends.”
Wall prints begin at $275, and packages start at $1,200 for six pictures, which include a decorative storage box and a flash drive so that photos can be shared digitally. The session fee, which includes hair and makeup, is $195.
Very Positive
Carrie Perry, former correspondent and part-time host on “Good Day PA!” spoke enthusiastically about her experience at Bevrore. As the current face of West Shore Windows and Doors, Perry needed a professional shot for business.
“They take the anxiety out of getting a photo taken and put you in positions that make you feel pretty, not awkward,” she said. “They are fun, upbeat and engage your personality to help you better connect with the camera.”
Perry said she enjoyed everything down to the make-up session by Carmina Cristina, one of several make-up artists who works with Williams.
“She asks you questions about your regular routine and works with that so you feel good going out in that makeup,” she said of the Camp Hill-based makeup artist. “She’s incredibly talented.”
Williams chose to photograph Perry in a work dress, a snakeskin Betsey Johnson dress and what Perry describes as “a sassy hot, coral, flirty dress.”
Perry ordered headshots for work and others for her children. She said that Williams succeeded in capturing the many facets of her personality, from her fun side to her work side to her sexy side.
“For my husband,” she said with a smile.
Camp Hill public relations professional Anne Gallaher said Williams gets “an A+” for her marketing and professional branding.
“For someone like me, who is in public relations and marketing, I found it to be a very positive experience,” she said.
Clients are asked to return within a week of the completed session to view the final product, where they will sit in front of a curtain, which Williams pulls back to reveal the professionally matted final products.
“I was blown away by the end product, and I’m not new to professional photographs,” said Gallaher. “I have since recommended her many times.”
For those hesitant to invest the time and money, Williams stresses the importance of submitting to a bit of indulgence.
“There’s nothing wrong with taking a little time for yourself to refresh and rejuvenate—to love yourself and feel confident with who you are,” she said. “It feels weird to some and we, as women, aren’t good at doing things for ourselves, but our impact on other people is directly related to how we feel about ourselves. Being internally happy is key.”
To learn more about Bevrore Contemporary Portraits, visit www.bevrore.com and the Facebook page.
