312 Elements PhotographyPRICING
Chicago law firm team headshots example: four attorneys photographed as an on-location group portrait in their modern office lounge (top) paired with matching individual studio headshots on a dark backdrop (bottom) — illustrating 312 Elements' dual-deliverable corporate session.

CHICAGO TEAM HEADSHOTS

Chicago team headshots for companies and staff. On-location or in-studio group headshots with consistent lighting and efficient scheduling.

What are team headshots?

Chicago team headshots (also called company headshots or group headshots) are professional portraits for whole companies: leadership teams, full staff rosters, and new-hire updates. Team sessions start at $1,200, with matched lighting across the team. I plan about 10 minutes per person so everyone can review their images and reshoot until they have one they like. My record is 250 people in a single day, delivered within 24 hours. I've photographed 10,000+ people over 17 years (since 2009) for clients including Mastercard, Hyatt, United Airlines, and Salesforce.

Photographed by Michael Schacht

HEADSHOTS FOR YOUR TEAM

17 years of experience (since 2009) and over 10,000 people photographed, whether you're a team of 4 people or 1,000+, I've got you covered.
Diverse group portrait grid of 12 professional office headshots arranged in rows, all smiling at camera in business attire
Professional videography setup at elegant bar venue with camera rig, studio lighting, and production monitors capturing corporate headshots

MY STUDIO IN YOUR OFFICE

Sometimes it's just easier to let me come to you. Team headshots on location starting at just $1200.

LET'S DO THIS THE EASY WAY

Great projects begin with thoughtful planning. The earlier you bring me in, the more seamless everything becomes—from coordinating schedules with your team to developing a visual story that drives your entire brand across every touchpoint.
Professional headshot grid of 12 business professionals displaying corporate portraits with consistent white background studio lighting

How team headshot sessions work

  1. 1

    Pre-session intake

    A short call to confirm date, location, and any style references you want matched. A wardrobe and prep guide goes out to participants — usually a one-pager, no PDF gauntlet.

  2. 2

    On-site session

    Full studio lighting brought into a conference room, lobby, or open area. I plan about ten minutes per person: roughly 25 frames, a review together on the spot, and another round if their favorite isn't in the set yet. Team coordinators sign off as the day runs.

  3. 3

    Delivery

    Retouched finals arrive within 7 days of each person's selection. High-resolution files for press and print, web-optimized variants for LinkedIn and your site, delivered by private download link.

What's included in a team headshot session

  • One retouched headshot per person, color-corrected and sized for website, LinkedIn, press releases, and print
  • Web-optimized variants for digital use
  • Optional group composite — coordinated team photo for company-wide use
  • Optional workplace lifestyle shots — editorial-style images of team members in your workspace
  • Delivery by private download link, one per person
  • Make-up sessions for anyone who misses the day or starts after

Built for teams of 4 to 1,000+

17 years
photographing Chicago corporate teams
10,000+ people
photographed across executive teams, full-staff sessions, and rolling new-hire updates
~50/day
the pace I recommend, so every person has time to review their frames and reshoot
$1,200
starting price for a team headshot session

Where company headshots get used

Company headshots end up doing more jobs than almost any other photo a business owns. The same file goes on the team page of your website, each person's LinkedIn profile, email signatures, profile photos in Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom, the staff directory, speaker bios, proposals, pitch and investor decks, and press releases. That spread is why a team set has to hold together. When one person's photo is a cropped vacation snapshot and the next is a studio portrait, the team page reads as a collection of strangers instead of one firm. Matched lighting, framing, and backdrop across everyone fixes that. Because every file comes in both print and web versions, one session covers all of those uses. One co-founder booked his team six weeks before a Series A investor meeting; two investors mentioned the materials in their follow-up.

What to look for in a team headshot photographer

More than 90% of companies that reach out for group headshots have had a bad experience with another photographer — if they'd been happy, they would have rehired the same one. The factor most companies overlook is the after-shoot relationship: the 1–3 days on site are the start of a partnership in which every new hire gets a matching headshot, at a reasonable price and on reasonable terms, for the decade that follows. That's how most of my team clients work with me. Some bring me back every year; others send each new employee to the studio as part of onboarding. The first shoot has to go well, but the real test is whether someone hired three years from now looks like they belong on the same team page.

How much do team headshots cost?

Team headshots start at $1,200. The pricing menu has the full details.

How team pricing compares with an individual session

An individual session is priced differently because it runs differently. It's $500 for the directed shoot and a private online gallery, usually 300 to 600 frames to choose from, and each image you pick is $250, fully retouched and licensed. Individual sessions at your office or another location add a $500 on-location fee within Chicago city limits. An individual session has no time limit. Most people run out of steam around 90 minutes, experienced clients go as long as 150, and no session has passed two and a half hours. A team session runs at a set pace per person instead, which is what keeps a large team moving through the day.

Group headshots vs. one group photo

Group headshots are individual portraits of everyone on a team, lit and framed the same way so they read as one set. A group photo is a single frame with everyone in it. Most companies need group headshots for the website and LinkedIn; some also want a group photo for an About page, a recruiting deck, or an annual report. Both can come out of the same session.

When a single group photo works

A literal group photo works best for small groups and for moments that matter as a group: a leadership team, a new partner class, a department after a merger. The photo at the bottom of this page is 22 people in a Chicago corporate lobby. It takes more planning than it looks. Everyone has to be free at the same minute, every face needs its own light, and one closed eye means another frame for all 22.

Why individual group headshots scale better

Individual group headshots let people come through on their own schedule instead of stopping the whole office at once. And when you do want everyone in one image, the individual portraits can be composed into a coordinated group composite, so nobody's blink or missed meeting sinks the picture.

Common group photo mistakes and how to avoid them

One light for the whole group: whoever stands closest is bright and the edges fall into shadow. The light has to cover every position evenly, which usually takes more than one source. Straight rows: the back row loses faces and light. Staggered heights and small offsets give every face its own gap. Seven people, for example, fit well as three in front and four behind, each person in back placed between two in front. Mismatched wardrobe: one bright jacket in a row of navy pulls every eye. Agreeing on a dress level and a color range ahead of time fixes it. Not enough time: rushing a large group produces blinks and forced smiles. Budget time per person, not per group.

How to prepare your team for headshot day

Preparation is short, and most of it falls to whoever is coordinating: confirm the date and the room, send the wardrobe one-pager I provide to every participant, and schedule people to arrive a few at a time instead of all at once. The rest happens on the day.

What to wear for team headshots

The basics are on the one-pager everyone gets and in the do's and don'ts below. The bigger decision is a team decision: how formal. If half the company shows up in suits and half in T-shirts, the team page will show it, so agree on a dress level before the day. Bring a second top in case the first one doesn't work.

Colors and patterns to avoid

Skip neon and very saturated brights, and avoid fine stripes and small checks, which shimmer on screens. Watch contrast with the background: a white shirt with no jacket can melt into a light backdrop, and solid black can disappear into a dark one.

How to pose: the three-quarter angle

Nobody needs to arrive knowing how to pose; I direct every frame. The usual starting point is the three-quarter pose: shoulders turned slightly away from the camera, face turned back toward the lens, chin forward and a touch down. It reads more relaxed and more flattering than squaring up to the camera like an ID photo. Keeping that angle consistent across the whole team, or alternating it on purpose for a website grid, is part of what makes a set look planned rather than collected. Every session is bespoke, so any other framing your team needs is available on request.

For people who hate having their picture taken

On most company rosters, that's the majority. It's the reason each person gets real time with me: they see their frames as we go, we keep shooting until the favorite is there, and nobody on your team leaves with a photo they didn't choose.
Hyatt
Mastercard
Chime
Asana
Cboe Global Markets
Salesforce
Kraft Heinz
United Airlines
Topstep
Airbnb
DoorDash
Canva
Abbott
Morgan Stanley
Bain & Company
4moms
E*TRADE
Strata
Walgreens
CDW
Tether
Solana
Avant
CoreSite
Thrive
Zoom
Kellogg's
LinkedIn
NVIDIA
Goodyear
Bosch
Uber

FRIENDSOFTHESTUDIO

From Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, my work as a Chicago corporate photographer spans diverse industries and creative challenges. That includes longstanding relationships with Northwestern University and UIC, exclusive work with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, law firms including Kirkland & Ellis, Sidley Austin, Mayer Brown, and McDermott Will & Emery, physicians with Northwestern Medicine Physician Network, University of Chicago Medicine, and Advocate Medical Group, and dozens of real estate brokerages across Chicagoland. Each partnership brings unique opportunities to craft visual stories that resonate. A recent engagement: headshots and website collateral for the Chicago office of Thoma Bravo, including general counsel Steven Schwab.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

I look forward to working together. Schedule a free consultation or download the pricing menu to learn more about the process
Professional headshot of man with dark beard and glasses wearing gray plaid blazer against dark textured studio backdrop

Frequently asked questions about team headshots

How do you photograph a group of 7 (or more) people?

Past six or seven people, a single literal group pose stops working — someone is always blinking, half the faces lose light, and one schedule conflict sinks the whole frame. Instead, each person is photographed individually under matched lighting, then composed into a coordinated group composite. Everyone looks their best, new hires can be added later without a reshoot, and the team page stays consistent.

What are the do's and don'ts of group headshots?

Do: solid mid-tone colors, structured layers, and clothing you'd wear to an important client meeting. Don't: busy patterns, large logos, reflective jewelry, or brand-new haircuts the day before. A wardrobe one-pager goes out to every participant ahead of the session, and the studio has a steamer and a private changing room so company headshots stay polished without extra prep stress.

Can ChatGPT make me a professional headshot?

AI generators can produce a headshot-shaped image, but they hallucinate likeness — colleagues notice the not-quite-you jawline immediately — and they can't deliver matched lighting across an entire team. Outputs also carry murky usage rights that fail HR and legal review at most companies. For an individual profile photo they're a stopgap; for a company team page, photographed headshots remain the standard.

How quickly can you photograph our team?

Most teams of 10 to 40 people are photographed in a single half-day or full-day session at your office. Larger groups split across multiple days.

Why do you recommend about 50 people a day?

Because the time each person gets is the result. I like about ten minutes per person, which works out to six an hour and roughly 48 across an eight-hour day. Ten minutes is enough for about 25 frames, a look at them together, and another 15 or 20 if needed, so everyone leaves with a picture of themselves they actually like. Squeeze that time and the day turns into school picture day. Every parent knows the result: the smile that isn't really theirs, the kid who looks stiff. My brother's school photo growing up was snapped at exactly the wrong moment, and the problem wasn't him or the photographer. It was the schedule. Most of my job isn't camera settings or lighting. It's earning trust and calming nerves fast, and that takes minutes, not seconds.

What's the most people you've photographed in one day?

250, with two photographers and one makeup artist who doubled as an assistant. Each person stepped onto the mark, the makeup artist met them there for a quick touch-up and fixed small wardrobe details like a crooked tie or a creased jacket, and then I stepped in for 20 to 30 frames. We reviewed the images with each person right away; they either picked a favorite or we went back for more. Editing was outsourced so the whole set could be delivered within 24 hours. It can be done. I still recommend about 50 a day, because satisfaction drops as the time per person drops.

Do you photograph at our office or do we come to a studio?

Both. On-location at your office is the most common option for teams of 6 or more — full studio lighting and backdrops are brought on-site, set up in a conference room or open area, and disruption is minimized. There's no minimum room size: a bright office with floor-to-ceiling windows may need one light or none, while a basement needs more. In-studio sessions in Chicago work well for executive teams of 5 or fewer, branding-heavy needs, or when office space isn't suitable.

What if a team member misses the session or starts after?

Make-up sessions for individual team members happen at the studio, or by appointment on-location for larger groups. New hires photographed in subsequent sessions are styled and lit to match the existing roster, so the team page stays cohesive as the company grows.

How do you keep new headshots consistent with our existing team photos?

Each session is documented with a style reference — lighting setup, backdrop, retouching tone, posing direction — so future sessions can be matched to the original. Working from existing photos to extend a set is common for partner-track promotions, leadership additions, and rebrands that need to preserve continuity.

Can you handle teams across multiple offices or cities?

Yes. Multi-location programs are coordinated as a single project with a shared style reference, so headshots taken in different offices read as one cohesive set.

What's included in the deliverable, and how soon do we get the files?

Each team member receives their chosen image, retouched, in high resolution for website, LinkedIn, press, and print, plus web-optimized variants. Retouched finals arrive by private download link within 7 days of each person's selection. Group photos and workplace lifestyle shots of your team are available on request.

Can each employee choose their own headshot?

Yes. Each person chooses their own image, with no HR or marketing approval step. They review their frames with me during their session and pick a favorite on the spot; if it isn't in the set yet, we shoot another round.

How often should company headshots be updated?

Whenever something changes: a new haircut, a noticeable weight change, a new role, or a look that no longer matches the photo. The rise of GLP-1 medications has brought a lot of people in for fresh headshots. If nothing changes, every 18 months is a sensible clock.

What retouching is included in team headshots?

Retouching covers blemishes, stray hairs, under-eye shadows, and clothing wrinkles, with color matched across the team so the whole set reads as one.

What corporate teams say about working with 312 Elements

We had an investor meeting six weeks out and our deck still had LinkedIn photos for the founding team, which was an embarrassment we couldn't afford at Series A. Michael turned around edited images in under a week, handled both formal headshots and environmental office shots in the same session, and the results looked exactly like what you'd expect from operators who know what they're doing. Two investors mentioned the materials specifically in their follow-up.

DW

Derek W.

Co-Founder & CTO

Three attorneys had just made partner and we needed their photos integrated into a website alongside existing partner images — which meant matching a visual style that was already established rather than starting fresh. I'd had bad experiences with photographers who couldn't hold to a reference and created more visual inconsistency than they solved. Michael worked directly from our existing photos to match the lighting and tone, and the new images sit seamlessly alongside the originals. No one reviewing the site would know they weren't taken in the same session.

GR

Gwendolyn R.

Director of Marketing

I was coordinating headshots for our five-person C-suite — all of them busy, particular, and with very little patience for anything that felt disorganized. Michael's pre-session communication was thorough enough that I could brief each executive in advance, which made an enormous difference in how efficiently the day ran. Every image came back polished and consistent, and not one executive had a complaint, which is honestly the bar I was working toward.

PL

Patricia L.

Executive Assistant

Team headshot backgrounds: blurred, light, or dark

There's no fixed color menu. Around my open-floorplan loft I set up natural vignettes for a less staged look, and I keep a collection of hand-painted backdrops and studio paper. For a team, the background is chosen once for everyone, and the team's wardrobe informs it, so if you have a specific look in mind, tell me ahead of time. These are three directions a team set can take.

Twelve diverse professionals in business attire arranged in a grid for a corporate team photo composition

BLURRED BACKGROUND HEADSHOTS

A flattering portrait with shallow depth of field and an interesting out of focus background.

— Best for rooms with windows and lots of open space

Group portrait of 12 professional business team members arranged in grid, displaying diverse group in corporate attire against white background

LIGHT BACKGROUND HEADSHOTS

A clean crisp distraction free headshot with a bright and fresh background.

— Great for marketing materials and social media platforms like LinkedIn

Professional group portrait of six business professionals in business attire arranged in grid layout against dark gray studio backdrop

DARK BACKGROUND HEADSHOTS

The darker background is what I think of as the edgy alternative. It's never the most popular choice but it never goes out of style.

— Great for teams that want something a little bit moodier.

Group portrait of 22 diverse professionals in formal business attire arranged in a line in modern corporate lobby, Chicago

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