I had a great headshot session with Ben Esner, and his make-up artist Jen Espensen! As an actor, I'm not new to the whole headshot process, but I still really don't like it, and have a hard time relaxing. Ben and Jen were fantastic, they have a great rapport---they were both really easy to talk to about what kind of shots you want, we focused on commercial looks and makeup---but most importantly, Ben was GREAT at reminding me to keep breathing and try to have some fun! And I did! We shot everything outdoors, and the proofs we got are looking fantastic! I love the natural light, and I love the way my eyes are popping, which is something we wanted to focus on. I have a lot of shots to choose from, and its taking a long time to narrow them down! Ben is also very communicative, any questions before the shoot, during and after, he's been accessible and responsive. His prices are SO affordable, I told him he should really be charging more for the quality of his shots compared to other photographers in his price range (but hopefully not too much more, so I can book a session with him again!!!). read more

Ben defined excellence at every turn of the process by setting me at ease from the beginning to end of our shoot. He's clearly professional with a strong command of the photographic arts, but this is just a fraction his arsenal. Just as important was his ability to relate to me and bring out my essence through excellent direction. I know because I've got the results that I was looking for with three quality legit shots, two commercial shots and one that crosses over (for electronic submissions only) where I'm wearing a pair of glasses (I usually wear contacts). His post work was superior and polished off what was required for the finishing touches. I'm extremely pleased with the results as all of the shots look great after printing! I have absolutely no concerns in fully recommending him to my fellow actors and I will be revisiting Ben when it's time to shoot again. Maybe... maybe there's someone who's on par with Ben's professionalism, artistry and integrity somewhere in NYC, but I doubt you will ever find better value. read more

I don't know if I could possibly do Ben Esner and Jacqueline Cookson justice with one overwhelmingly positive review. However, I will do my darnest. Ben and Jacqueline made me feel at home in the studio, and proceeded to work their magic from the start. Ben provided me with his expert opinion in getting the best looks for my choice of genres. The mood was set perfectly with music of my choosing provided by Ben and Jacqueline. Hair and make up artist Jacqueline made sure my hair and make up were styled and primped to perfection for every shot and outfit change. All angles and beautiful lighting changes were used to Ben's advantage to create the ideal head shot, corporate, commercial and body shots. I list them as I wisely had all of them done through Ben who also was quite the acrobatic photographer never ceasing to capture a wow moment on camera. A big thanks to Ben and Jacqueline from me and my agent. You were more than awesome; you were superb. Thanks, Peju Bamgboshe read more

I can't say enough great things about my experience shooting with Ben. When I found him, I had just had headshots done by another photographer that were completely unusable, so I was very timid and worried about getting new head shots. Before booking my session with Ben, I explained to him my recent experience and he went above and beyond to consult with me and walk me through his process, which made me feel confident that he was a great choice for a photographer. Shooting with Ben was a blast. Because of his way of putting people at ease, I was able to just relax and be myself, and ultimately that came through in my pictures. I had a variety of shots to choose from. I felt like Ben really understood the pressure that is on actors to have a great headshot and has a unique ability to lift the pressure off, which allowed me to just have fun in front of the camera, resulting in great, natural shots that I couldn't be happier with. read more

As a professional in NYC, I've had a few headshots taken for work positions and LinkedIn. Within minutes of working with Ben (both prep and the shoot itself), it was clear he was 'a cut above'. Beyond constructive coaching through posture and head angle, his friendly demeanor fostered both comfort and confidence to pull the best shot out of me. He was also immediately conscious of what tactics worked well for me to make your face pop. It was such a joy working with Ben that I kind of just want to hang with him on a social basis. I highly recommend being prepped by Ben's makeup stylist, Jessica, prior to your shoot. She made me look more well-complected, rested, and made sure my hair was in place. And if that's not enough, Ben digitally touches-up and color-adjusts one photo of your choosing for you. Again from 'soup to nuts' Ben and his team did an outstanding job and I was extremely pleased with my result. read more

I chose to work with Ben because I believed he would treat his clients like human beings rather than products as I fear with other photographers. And I was happy to find this belief to be quite true! Taking headshots is his craft. Ben truly treats the process like an art, instead of a way to make a few extra dollars as a photographer. He is great at understanding the person within the picture in order to capture their essence. He experiments with lighting and locations in a unique and true-to-the-moment process rather than treating the session as a standard "A, B, C this is a headshot session." It is his craft. I will say I was very happy to have the make up artist as part of the process. She was very helpful not only for the environment of the room, but in contributing ideas to the process. I would definitely recommend Ben to anyone needing new and genuine shots. read more

Couldn't be more elated to have found Ben Esner. To me, taking new pictures is always a stressful situation and finding a great photographer is half the battle. Shooting with Ben was the absolute best. Aside from having the best prices in the city, he is totally relate-able and communicative. The minute I walked in to his studio I felt comfortable and at ease with the process. From picking out outfits to discussing the looks I wanted to achieve, Ben was present and invested in the end result. Jacqueline Cookson did my hair and make-up. She was such a pleasure to be around and a really excellent artist. 5 stars to her, as well. I may be new to NYC, but have sat for many sessions of pics in Los Angeles over the years. My session with Ben was the most stress-free I have ever experienced. My pictures turned out great and I truly couldn't be happier. read more

In our headshot shoot - I sincerely felt Ben Esner clearly commits enthusiastically to his art of photography and getting his clients the best results! Throughout the time we spent he was always trying creative new lighting, angles, looks...though subtle changes, his communication and attention to detail truly shows in the proofs. He's a pro! He has the right gear a good photographer needs for exterior or interior and really did the prep conversations with me to get a clear sense of my agent's and my objectives. Jen Espensen, his go-to makeup artist, was terrific with hair and makeup! They worked as a solid team throughout my shoot. She was extremely attentive to details the entire time! My experience? It was fun, effortless, comfortable, professional, collaborative and fruitful! I got what I needed and loved doing it! read more

Ben Esner is a great photographer for a number of reasons. A few being his talent, and the ease you experience when working with him, his positive attitude on a shoot, etc, etc, etc. But it's hard for some photographers to understand what makes a good headshot, and also what makes a good headshot do what it needs to do. Because Ben is also an actor, he knows what it takes to make an image stand out from all the others and make it say something. I had a great time working with Ben and will definitely be going back when I need my next batch of pics. Also, he makes it affordable, which is so important for actors just starting out. But for even the seasoned ones, where money isn't an option, his quality and style makes just as much sense to choose him over the others in the business. read more

Ben is great to work with. He is professional, communicative, knowledgable, and really supportive and helpful during the actual shoot. He definitely wants the best out of your session for you and is there every step of the way. I also booked the makeup artist he recommends and she was awesome; they both kept things fun, upbeat, and it was definitely a collaborative effort, which is great. The shots came out great, and he gave some guidance and suggestions along the way, always listening and never forcing opinions (though I would highly recommend taking the advice he gives. :) ) I have some awesome headshots now, plus he offers extremely fair pricing for an awesome product that can easily cost an arm and a leg (or the blood of your first born) elsewhere. Thank you Ben!! read more

Acting in New York City for over six years now, I have not have a clear idea of what industry standard headshots were until I shot with Ben. I have shot with five other photographers spending anywhere from nothing to way too much money for an actor's headshots. Ben is the right price, and knows how to take a shot that looks like YOU, not overly glamorized, which is what the NYC market is looking for right now! I took a look at my shots with Ben during the session, and my first thought wasn't, "wow, that's really pretty," but instead, "I look like I'm on the TV show, Shades of Blue!" I could see myself on a show, which for me, was an incredibly inspiring experience to have during a headshot session. I would highly recommend Ben Esner for your next headshot session. read more

My experience shooting with Ben Esner was fantastic in every way. He's professional and communicative, and asked intelligent, thoughtful questions during our first meeting. His questions and expertise guided me to making great choices about how I wanted my headshots to look. While shooting, he was calm and a fantastic director, expertly guiding me towards a great shot. Hair and make up artist Jacqueline Cookson did an amazing job, and their collaborative rapport set the stage for a supportive, productive and fun shoot. Ben knows the business, and his background as an actor is truly helpful. He's affordable and amazing, and I'd recommend him to anyone looking for great pictures. I'm truly happy with how mine came out - the only hard part is choosing which ones! read more

I recently had a wonderful shoot with Ben that resulted in fantastic headshots. I literally had scores of great shots to choose from and have already booked a film role with my new headshot. I have worked with some great photographers over the years, but Ben stands out as the easiest to work with while providing superior results at great prices. I actually had fun during this shoot and enjoyed my time with Ben and Jennifer Espensen who did make up. Together, Ben and Jennifer helped me choose my looks and made the entire process much more relaxed then I feared. This is not an easy process for any actor and I was completely happy to put myself in their hands. I am more than satisfied with the results and I feel like Ben Esner is my photographer for life. read more

I'm a writer who's been behind the camera for magazine cover shoots, but I've never been on the other side. With a recent book deal, my publisher requested professional head shots, and I honestly had no idea where to go. A friend recommended Ben, and I'm so glad he did. Ben put me at ease immediately...as mentioned, I'm not an actor who's used to this. He's fun, funny, patient, and, most importantly, extremely skilled at his job. He's a master at getting just the right look and creating the perfect lighting. Thanks, Ben, for a great experience! (PS I recommend taking Ben's advice and hiring his make-up artist. She's wonderful and really great with getting hair/skin just right.) read more

In general there are a lot of options out there when looking for just about anything. Finding the best option available is sometimes one of the hardest things that you can do. In this case when it comes to one of the most important areas of launching or maintaining your career, Ben is the best! His work speaks for its self, but what you can't see is the experience involved in producing such great work. From start to finish working with Ben has been one of the best times easy going times we could have asked for. He came highly recommended from a high level industry source and 1000% didn't disappoint. Thank you and can't wait to shoot again soon. read more

Ben Esner was recommended to me by an acclaimed casting director of old. Not only was he wonderful to work with and helped me feel at ease and encourage my archetype to beam through the lense, his shots have worked. I'm getting called in for big projects, and booking. I go to multiple casting director classes and get rave reviews on my headshot, some CD's have even asked who my photographer was so they could reccomended someone who does incredible work and hasn't lost their mind on exploiting the dreamers for every cent they have for that one good shot. Ben Esner. He's your guy. Michaelpatricklane.com read more

I was referred to work with Ben for getting my first acting headshots after hearing high praise for his talent, professionalism, and easy-going personality. I was so thankful I did so, for the experience turned out exactly so and then some! Ben made me extremely comfortable for my first shoot by helping me feel welcome, using excellent cues, sharing ideas to fit my "look", and playing awesome tunes! The finished product came out even better than expected and are a huge asset to my website and future aspirations. I am already looking forward to working with him again for my next shoot :). Highly recommend! read more

I was really nervous about having my photo taken (I kind of hate it) and after three different photographers I had yet to get good shots. Ben was recommended to me by someone in the business and I expected him to be machine-like and way out of my price range. Not only was he affordable, but he also took the time to talk to me on the phone days before the shoot, answer all my questions, and made the session itself very relaxed. I ended up with tons of great shots to choose from and now can't even narrow it down--what a great problem to have. I'd recommend him to anyone! read more

Ben is a perfect combination of what one wants in a professional photographer- he is communicative, personable, transparent about fees and the process, highly proficient both technically and aesthetically, takes the time to understand what the purpose of the shoot is, and structures it accordingly. He has a great working rhythm with Jen Espensen , the stylist he recommends - she very talented, and put us at ease immediately with her expertise and warmth. Both worked beautifully with my teenage daughter and we love the results. I will be back for my LinkedIn photo! read more