If a picture is worth a thousand words and you don't have two chances to make a first impression, you'll want someone who deftly creates Shakespearan verses with each snap of the camera. You'll want to go with Michael Schacht at 312 Elements. I'm the type that will research a big-ticket purchase for six months to get an idea of the market--and then spend another three months trying to convince myself why I don't need it. I didn't need nine months to be convinced to go with Michael. An initial look through his portfolio and you'll notice that he not only knows how to take a picture, he knows how to make you look good. Visit him in the studio and you'll also notice that it's not just knowing facial expressions, angles, body positioning, spacing, and lighting that creates his elevated works. I already knew Michael was good behind the camera, I was genuinely surprised by how good he is in connecting with clients in the studio. These days we frequently meet each other online before getting together in person. Michael will draw out your best self and capture the parts of your personality that are sure to leave a lasting impression. read more

Having worked with several photographers at this point I have to say Mike's working style is unique. I walked into the shoot expecting the standard "stand over there and do this pose" shtick. Instead, Mike spent about the first 10 minutes getting to know me. By understanding who I am, what I wanted to accomplish, he understood what I want to portray through the shoot. The rest of it was a breeze, Mike was able to capture I was envisioning, and help me bring out my best. If you want to end up with a stereotypical headshot, feel free to find your run-of-the-mill portrait photographer. But if you want an unique experience with quality headshots you can use in years to come, Mike's service is well worth the price. read more

Mike is awesome. I highly recommend him. He's clear, knows his stuff, produces great work, and is easy to work with. He's always been on time, and he's super creative. I've worked with him with some of my clients, and they have all given me great feedback as well. It's nice to trust the referral. HIRE HIM! read more

I noticed many other reviews raving about Mike as a headshot photographer, but I want people to know that his area of expertise extends outside of taking professionals' LinkedIn pictures. My boyfriend and I wanted a few fun photos taken together, and Mike definitely delivered. He was very relaxed and flexible the entire shoot, and I appreciated that he was willing to incorporate our own ideas for the photos. We didn't want typical couple-y pictures taken, and I'm happy to say that Mike was more than willing to help us achieve a balance of whimsy and practicality in our photos. Our pictures were e-mailed to us in a short period of time and I was very eager to share the finished product with family and friends. I would definitely use 312 Elements again! read more

Mike went far above and beyond what we expected for our daughter's newborn shoot. His chill personality made a slightly chaotic hour totally bearable. We insisted on having him come to our house- which turned out to be a mistake. We don't have great lighting and our rooms are small. At the end of the shoot Mike offered another hour in his studio to ensure we got the photos he thought we should have of our infant daughter- as he said, "This is important." He really cares about his clients and it shows in his work. We were blown away by his ease working with our tiny baby and the pictures are just amazing! We had a hard time picking out just one for our announcement. I look forward to working with 312 again in the future! read more

312 Elements Headshot Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's taken me a while to write this review, as I actually had my photos taken last November, 2011, I believe. Let me start by saying that Mike is easy to work with! I needed a photographer that would work with me as far as getting some personal photos taken for my new fitness website, and he did everything perfectly - my web guy got the photos and literally said, "I got the photos, and they RULE." I enjoyed my photo session with Mike very much, and he helped make the process very easy and laid back, all while making sure that we accomplished getting the photos that I wanted. The best part is that he was time conscious: he didn't take too long on any one particular pose, and we allocated enough time for each idea. He was also quick in getting my photos back to me, I got the finished photos back 1 week later. I definitely recommend 312elements, and will be using them again for the next time I need photos! read more

Tried to schedule with Mike. He was very short and rude on the phone and ended up hanging up on me before I could finish asking about making an appointment. Horrible customer service. Make sure to not inconvenience him with a call to schedule your appointment and book it online instead. read more

I met Mike in the Summer of 2015 for an individual corporate photo session - one picture for the website and one for LinkedIn. He got to know me a little bit before the photo session, specifically that I am a financial advisor and under 30 years old - which works against me in the business world. He was able to get me looking a) approachable and b) confident. Mike is outgoing and fun to work with, on top of being a true professional with photography and lighting. Highly recommended! read more

I called this place to inquire about pricing only to be met with rudeness from the man who works here (most likely the owner). If you're rude to people on the phone, don't expect people to show up to your business! I'd rather take my own pics, such a shame. Also the prices are ridiculous. 0 stars NOT 1! read more

I loved loved loved my session with Michael! I was pretty nervous to have photos taken but he put me completely at ease. He's extremely friendly and thorough when walking you through his process. His studio is gorgeous and easy to get to. I highly recommend 312elements for your next professional photos! read more

312 Elements Headshot Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Product photography, head shots, band promo shots... you name it, Mike can do it. I've had the pleasure of using 312elements for a number of projects and the result is always amazing! A summary of 312elements? Affordable and easy to work with. Does it get better than that? read more

My headshot experience with Michael was amazing! I was super nervous to get my headshot done because I was self conscious about making weird faces and my face getting tense. I was totally wrong - I had so much fun and Michael made me feel very comfortable and he even spent the time with me to give me some tips about facial expressions. I highly recommend Michael to anyone who is considering getting their headshot's taken because its a great experience and the pictures turned out incredible! read more

It was pleasure to work with Michael and the makeup artist he recommended. They both made the experience easy going. My photo looks Amazing! His services are highly recommended. read more

312 Elements Headshot Photography - Session Photography Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I 100% recommend Michael Schacht if you need a photograph taken for any reason. I consider myself quite unphotogenic and wasn't that comfortable getting my picture taken for an hour. Mike really has a way to get you relaxed and captures great pictures (and will take as many as needed to get a handful of "loves"). His loft studio is really cool and relaxed as well. He shows you pictures on his IPad every so often so you can see how your smile/poses are working and adjust as needed. He's a great guy who takes great pictures - seriously go to him if you need a professional picture taken! Couldn't recommend him more! read more

Really great experience getting headshots done here.... I would absolutely recommend anyone needing headshots consider having them done at 312 Elements. The space is absolutely beautiful and welcoming, and Mike does a great job at listening to your needs and producing the photos you want. 5 Stars! Thanks Mike!!! read more

Mike was quick to respond, schedule and get proofs to me for review. He was easy to work with and provided a lot of insight regarding posing for a professional head shot for business purposes. He is both business savvy and a professional photographer which can be hard to find. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM. He is a professional through and through. read more

Pictures came out better than I thought possible, great guy - better photographer.

Michael was a true professional and great to work with! I felt very comfortable during my session and Michael was great at getting the best out of me for my shoot. The pictures turned out great and I would highly recommend Michael's services to anyone looking to get some great shots! Seriously, do yourself a favor and book an appointment with him, you will be happy you did! read more

Mike is outstanding at his craft. We had a growing technology company and needed executive head shots that fit our up and coming image. His photos were exactly what we were looking for in a head shot. Clean, modern and crisp. All this happened in 2011 and just this last week I needed to get access to my headshot for my next new company. He responded within 24 hours and sent my photos right away. What a great guy and studio. Highly recommend. read more

I would definitely recommend 312 Elements and Mike to anyone looking to get a corporate head shot. My photo is FANTASTIC! I've already received many compliments. I'm not a big fan of having my photo taken but he put me right at ease. He was fun to work with and took the time to explain why he had me pose certain ways. His make-up artist was fantastic too! She took the time to fix me up between poses. They both made me feel right at home. read more

As I was working on my new website I decided to take professional headshot photo to display it on one of my pages. I have been following Mike for a while on social media and couple a weeks ago I decided to reach out and ask him if he would be available to take my headshot. He squeezed me into his schedule pretty fast and last week I had a great session with him. I was really familiar with his work before, and always liked his style and creativity. He was super easy to work with. I could not believe how many face expressions he was able to get out of me, by giving me the simplest directions. Each photo he took was amazing and the only problem I had was choosing my most favorite one. read more

I'm going to jump on the 5-star bandwagon and agree that Mike is both an incredibly talented photographer (and I say this as an art critic) PLUS master psychologist. I went in there so nervous and traumatized by a bad headshot that my lip was twitching when he started shooting. But he has this amazing calming effect, he's talking you through it, helping, a complete lack of pressure or rush to be done - and voila, the pictures got better and better as we shot. And before you knew it, it was done. And this is really a fantastic price, the failed headshot session wanted more for 1 additional photo than Mike wanted for the entire shoot. read more

I asked Michael to do a corporate headcount for me and was thrilled with the results. I recommend checking out their website as it is full of very useful information including tips on what to wear and how to prepare for your headshot. Michael can also arrange for a professional make up artist on site which I STRONGLY recommend. I don't wear a lot of makeup but the artist (Kristina) did a great job of accentuating/enhancing my features without making it look like I had much make up on. She even stuck around during the shoot and would step in periodically to do a touch up or fix my hair. The end result of Michael and Kristina's talent were pictures that were exactly what I was looking for, very professional and polished and yet very natural looking - I felt like they captured the real me, which is something I don't think corporate headshots can always do. Michael is a pleasure to work with and he makes the process very easy. Just a further update - I've been using my corporate headshot at work and have received countless unsolicited compliments on the headshot. I mean over the top compliments from people saying it's the best headshots they've ever seen, how natural it is, how professional it is, etc., I really don't consider myself photogenic at all, so this is really a testament on how great Michael's work is. Oh, and his rates are very reasonable as well. read more

I had a great experience with Michael. It can be intimidating to get your photo done, but he was very approachable. He asked me questions to help make me feel comfortable. The photo turned out great. We reviewed the shots during the shoot so I got a good sense of what angles and poses I liked. I got some many compliments. I highly recommend Michael. read more

I'm a busy mom trying to get back into the workforce after an extended maternity leave, and I realized my professional pics were 5 years old when I was updating my online profile. 312 Elements to the rescue! Yes, it was pricier than if i'd been able to take some photos on my own, but Michael did a great job and I love the results. A picture is worth a thousand words, and Michael did a great job capturing the image I was looking for. It was time and money well spent. He did editing work on 2 final copies, but just in case I need a different angle or pose in the future, he sent me the files of other good pics from the session as well. While I have no plans to use them, it's nice to know I can use them in a pinch. read more

Mike took family pictures for us 8 days ago in Millennium Park. We had such a great experience - he was very laid back with our (young!) kids and got fantastic shots. My four year old is still talking about how much fun she had with "Mr." Mike. His turnaround time far exceeded our expectations - we received the images a week later. We highly recommend 312 Elements! read more

Michael Schacht was great! I wanted to update my LinkedIn photo. Michael made the experience so easy. He described the process and factors leading to a photo expressing who I am. I appreciated that he gave his opinion about the best photos to use. His process allowed my wife and I to pick proofs we liked and then landed on the one. Thanks much Michael! read more

Michael was a joy to work with. He was very quick with communication and flexible with scheduling. Through the entire process he was quite professional. Michael is the only photographer I have worked with who has shown me the photo on his camera to make sure it's exactly what I wanted before we walked away from the site. I haven't seen the finished product yet, but I'm sure they'll be fabulous! Highly recommended! read more

When I needed to get a headshot Micheal at 312 Elements was the only name that I kept hearing about. I hadn't had a headshot done in years and was extremely nervous and feeling a little more than self conscious about the shoot. When I got to Micheal's space it was professional and put you at ease at the same time. Micheal's personality was the same, and through the session he helped me relax, we definitely laughed and he captured some great shots. There is no doubt that Micheal is a highly skilled and professional photographer, but what elevates him to the next level is his genuine personality. I highly recommend Micheal and 312 Elements for your photography needs. read more

Art, specifically photography, works when the artist and the picture come together to create a wonderful image. Many photographers don't understand this. They feel they are creating the art themselves. Specifically in photography, they don't take the time to work with their client. They create their own vision, rather a vision that has both their's and the client's input. Mike is the complete 180 of this. The pictures taken were truly a collaboration of my band and Mike. The end results were fantastic. Not only do they look extremely professional, but we were still able to have a little bit of 'us' in the pictures. Our band photos are definitely unique because of this. Mike also did a ton of work setting up our website which has become the central location for anything involved with our band from social networking, to music, to emails and blogs. I highly recommend Mike if you are in a band looking to give a professional face-lift to your band's image.... read more