Meighan Gerachis
You know, it’s a funny thing, a lot of actors don’t like getting their picture taken. There isn’t a role to project. You have to reveal a part of you that is available to become whatever it is that is being sought by whoever is looking at your picture.  Mike Schacht has a gift for eliciting and capturing that essence on film. He has a beautiful loft space (and a personality) filled with natural light  I have had many, many headshots taken over the years and never have I been as immediately sure that I was in good hands as I was at 312elements.

Julie Proudfoot
Mike gets it right! 14 years in LA, 5 in Chicago and 4 in NYC and he
wins for the best headshot ever! He is fantastic.

Kristin Barnett Ford
For most actors getting your headshots done is stressful. It can be expensive, so there is a lot of pressure to get a great shot.
Michael puts you at ease and I ended up with so many options. I love the way the lighting and bare background put all the focus on the eyes and emotion. Michael shoots the clean, expressive headshots casting directors look for. Now the stressful part will be choosing which great shot to use!

Deirdre Hayes
Great headshot photographer and very nice guy to work with!

Jason Richards Smith

As an actor who does primarily stage work, I know how important a headshot can be. It’s your calling card, your first impression with casting agents and a bad one can stall your career before it starts. That’s why I was so glad that I found Mike. He doesn’t just take your picture, he gets to know who you are, what you want in your career and tailors your headshot specifically to you and your needs. His studio is big and homey and he has a way of setting you at ease so that you can relax and take great photos. Plus I love that he lets you preview your shots as you go! I normally dread looking through my headshots, but mine came out so great that I just can’t decide! Can’t rave enough about 312 Elements. Thanks again Mike!

Headshots with 312 Elements

The experience with Michael was great. For me, headshots were only for actors so I was kind of nervous before my appointment. I did not know what to wear or if I needed makeup… and also, I was too self conscious to ask about it.
That changed as soon as I got into Michael’s studio. The place is comfortable and inviting. First we had a little chat and I let him know that, as a writer, I was never able to get good pictures and someone recommended his studio. Before I knew it, we were already working. I was dressed as me, casual as possible, and we were able to see the work in progress on a flat screen television in the studio. The few times I had my picture taken I had felt very awkward and kind of directed, but with Michael I was being myself and it worked well. Everybody, including my agent are very happy with the results.
The pictures came out very natural and with a beautiful sense of light and color. He provided me with a good selection to pick from, which made a great portfolio. I will be using these portraits for my next book (press-tour). I am very fortunate that I have found a fellow artist which whom I will definitively work in the future.

John Bell
I needed a high quality, professional head shot and a few photos for http://Match.com…… and Mike really came through for me. I was cringing at the thought of sitting still to get photos taken. Mike knew it, worked around it, and made the whole process painless and easy. The photos turned out absolutely great, and I couldn’t be happier. If you’re looking for a photographer, I very highly recommend Mike and 312 Elements!

Michael’s first question during a headshot session is “What are you hoping to achieve with these photographs?”. By designing a session around the client’s end goal and learning more about the client’s desired image, Michael is able to help clients achieve fantastic headshots which capture not only the image of the client, but also the spirit of their work. Half way through the session Michael stopped the shoot to sit down with me and review the pictures taken thusfar. This helped to ensure that the photographs being taken were exactly what I was looking for when I booked the shoot…. I am thrilled with the end product and will soon be using these photographs not only on social media but also in print media and promotional material. I would highly recommend 312Elements and Michael to any professional looking to update their headshots.

Julie Steffen, Co-Owner, Chicago Fitness Parties, LLC

Bambi Raptor

My bands experience with 312elements photography was totally positive. Mike was friendly and easy to work with. He had great ideas for shots and was able to capture perfect moments…. case in point Kenneth Black/White Phonology Studio Shot, awesome. Mike met with us on multiple occasions to really get a solid feeling for the band and what our music was like. He matched the shots well to our style, personalites… Mike let us experiment and give ideas too (Lincoln Park Zoo Big Cats House). Mike was always on time and completely dedicated to the shoot, even braving 25 degree temps for over an hour on a cold Chicago night to get some night lake/Shedd photos. He is an excellent photographer and my band BambiRaptor 100% recommends him.

Gareth Woods

Michael Schacht over at 312elements is a great guy, easy to work with, responsive, creative, fun to be around. He really gets the job done to a very high standard. Any time I had a question or request he responded really quickly and always came up with a positive solution to any problems. If you want a cool guy who’ll provide a great product at a great price, I certainly couldn’t recommend anyone better. I was extremely happy with the work he did and the results obtained, Gareth Woods