The BeVard Studio · Farmingdale, Long Island

You don’t need to
know how to pose.
That’s my job.

From the moment you book to the moment you see yourself on that screen — here’s exactly what happens.

Before We Begin

Most women walk in
nervous.
That’s completely normal.

Some are excited. Some are terrified. Most are somewhere in between — equal parts “I can’t believe I’m doing this” and “I really hope this works.”

You don’t need to arrive confident. You don’t need to know your angles. You don’t need to have done anything like this before. Mary has worked with women who haven’t liked a single photo of themselves in years — and they’re the ones who cry the hardest when they see what’s on that screen.

The only thing you need to bring is yourself. Everything else is handled.

How It Works

Every session.
Every time.

01
The
Consultation

Before anything else, we talk. Not about logistics — about you. What you want your photos to feel like. What you’ll be wearing. How you want to be seen. What matters to you about this session and why you booked it in the first place.

This conversation shapes everything that comes after. Mary listens differently than most people do — she’s paying attention not just to what you say but to how you say it, what lights you up, what you hesitate on. By the end of the consultation she already knows what your photographs need to be.

“We design the whole thing together — the mood, the style, the wardrobe. So by the time you walk in on shoot day, there are no surprises. Just a plan built entirely around you.”
02
Hair &
Makeup

You arrive and get pampered. Our professional beauty team creates a camera-ready look built around who you actually are — not a costume, not a mask, but an elevated version of the face you already have.

This part matters more than most people realize. It’s not just about how you’ll look on camera. It’s about how you’ll feel when you step in front of it. When a woman sits in that chair and watches herself being transformed, something shifts before a single photo is taken.

“Hair and makeup isn’t about covering anything up. It’s about making sure the camera sees exactly what we see when we look at you.”

03
The
Session

This is where it happens. Mary directs every single moment — your posture, your hands, your chin, your expression, even the breath you take before a frame. You never have to wonder what to do or whether you look right. She’s watching every frame in real time and adjusting constantly.

She reads faces for a living. She can feel when you’re holding back. She knows the difference between a performed smile and a real one, and she knows exactly how to get from one to the other. Most clients say they felt more natural in front of the camera than they ever have in their lives.

“I can tell within the first five minutes what a woman needs from this session. And I spend the rest of it giving her that.”

04
The
Moment

Mid-session, Mary turns the camera around. And something happens that she has watched hundreds of times and never gets tired of — a woman sees herself, maybe for the first time, the way the people who love her have always seen her.

There are usually two reactions. Silence. Or one specific question.

“Is that really me?”

05
You Drive
Home

This is the part Mary thinks about most. Not the photos — the drive home. The quiet twenty minutes after a session when a woman is alone with what just happened to her.

She wants every client to make that drive feeling three things: beautiful, confident, and seen. Not because the camera made her look better than she is. But because for a few hours, someone paid complete and total attention to her — and the proof is sitting in a camera card.

“Beautiful, confident, and seen. That’s what I want for every single woman who walks through that door.”

What This Actually Is

This isn’t a photo
shoot. It’s a
two-hour permission slip.

Permission to take up space. Permission to be photographed as if you matter — because you do. Permission to stop hiding from the camera and start existing fully in it.

Most women spend their whole lives being photographed by accident. Birthday parties. Holidays. Someone else’s phone pointed in their direction. Nobody ever built a session around them specifically.

That’s what this is. Two hours where everything — the lighting, the direction, the music, the entire environment — is built around making one specific woman feel exactly the way she deserves to feel.

In Their Own Words

What women say
when they see their photos.

All of your insecurities are temporarily washed away and you feel radiant, strong, important. Something magical happens with Mary.
— JoAnne · Portrait Session
I cannot believe that’s me. This was an empowering experience — as women age we must bring our inner beauty out for all to see. You will never regret it.
— Portrait Session Client · Long Island, NY
She pushed me out of my comfort zone. Her personality exudes comfort in what for me is uncomfortable. I was hoping to get powerful shots — and boy did I ever.
— Leslie M. · Personal Branding Session

Common Questions

Everything you want
to know before you book.

What happens during a session at The BeVard Studio?
Every session begins with a consultation where we design the mood, style, and wardrobe together. On session day you arrive, get your hair and makeup done by our professional beauty team, and then Mary guides every single pose and expression throughout the shoot. Most clients see the back of the camera mid-session and can’t believe what they look like.
Do I need to know how to pose?
Not at all. Mary directs every moment of your session — where to put your hands, how to hold your body, what expression to make. You never have to figure it out on your own. Most clients say they felt completely natural in front of the camera by the end, even if they walked in terrified.
What do clients say when they see their photos?
The most common reaction is “Is that really me?” Most women have never seen themselves photographed this way before — with intention, with direction, with someone who actually sees them. The reveal moment is one of the most powerful parts of the entire experience.
How long does a session take?
Sessions vary depending on what you’ve booked. Hair and makeup typically takes 60-90 minutes, followed by the shoot itself. Portrait and glamour sessions run 2-3 hours total. Personal branding sessions can run up to 6 hours for a full-day experience. We discuss timing during your consultation.

Ready to see yourself
the way we already do?

Every session starts with a conversation. Tell us what you’re thinking and we’ll build the rest around you.

Start the Conversation