Knowledge Base

JA Headshots is Chicago’s leading headshot photography studio – not only are we rated #1 in the Chicago area, but we are also one of the top ten headshot studios in the country.

We have been trusted by thousands of professionals and creative artists to help progress their career. Our experience, professionalism, and dedication to customer service are what marks us out from our competitors.

In this age of digital cameras, it’s tempting to use favorite images or enlist the help of a friend. While you’re certain to have a fun day doing this, it’s unlikely that the results will be professional headshots – but certainly great ones for personal use.

You do! Our headshots are all about taking a photo that encapsulates your best qualities in a shot that attracts, engages, and holds people attention in a saturated digital world. More than just catching a candid moment, it’s also about capturing you and your personal brand by bringing out your individual spark.

I’ve never had a professional headshot before – I’m a little nervous.

It’s understandable to be nervous, especially if you feel like you don’t “photograph well.” Our job isn’t to make you feel stiff, awkward, and out-of-place. It’s to make you feel natural and relaxed.

We believe that your greatest assets aren’t those we can see – but your individual personality, and our aim is to capture that by leveraging the Natural Shot Method to put you at ease. Most of all, we make it fun! It’s all about you.

Every time you change your look is a good time – many people continue to use their old photos for years, which can lead to uncomfortable revelations in person when the headshot in question has not been updated since the 1990s! Having an up-to-date photo increases trust and puts you ahead of people who are reluctant to update their own headshots.

We typically book corporate headshot sessions one to two weeks in advance. If you require a session sooner than that – especially within 24 hours – you should contact us first to avoid disappointment. You can start the booking process and check availability here.

As Chicago’s leading professional headshot studio, we’ve gathered a lot of glowing testimonials on this site, Yelp, and Google Reviews.

We offer two levels of turnaround time during booking. Our standard turnaround time is five business days, and we also offer an extra fast same day turnaround time for a small extra fee. While the standard turnaround works for most people, the extra fast option is provided for those who need results, fast.

We do not have any one standout package in terms of popularity, as we offer headshots for a diverse group of professionals – and depending on the individual (or group) needs, each package offers its own benefits.

If you’re unsure which package will work best for you, contact us today for a free consultation; we’ll help you to work out your own headshot strategy and tell you which package fits your needs best.

We offer additional images at the price of $75 per image as a part of our extra services.

Yes, we do, for people who make group bookings. If five or more people come to our studio for headshot photography at the same time, we offer a discount. To find out more about our discount package, contact us today for a free consultation!

The final decision lies with you, but we do recommend taking the services of our in-house professional makeup artist for both men and women. Not only will this optimize your photoshoot by naturally reducing the appearance of blemishes, wild hair and “shiny skin,” our professional makeup artist can also help you to look your very best throughout the shoot.

The most important thing about a headshot photography session is you – and to help you maximize the impact of your headshot, we’ve put together a guide that shows you the best practices to use in preparing for a headshot. You can find it here.

We ask that clients notify us in case of cancellation. We can accommodate rescheduling to another date within a month of the original date at no extra payment. However, if this is done within 24 hours prior to the shoot, there is a $75 fee to account for the time loss.

Once the session is done and you have the photographs, you have full usage rights and are welcome to use the headshot images in any way you see fit – across social media, your websites, on your resume, and on other professional documents. We will retain the copyright and right to reproduction.

We offer a selection of reasonable rates as well as optional extras and even discounts, giving you a lot of flexibility when it comes to scheduling your headshot session. You can find a full run-down of our rates over on this page.