Chicago Headshots

What Chicago Headshots does

Chicago Headshots, LLC is a Chicago-based professional photography business founded in 2015 by Rena Naltsas, operating as a solo photographer with occasional gig-based assistants. The company specializes in three headshot service types: Studio Headshots in a controlled studio environment, Environmental Headshots captured at client-preferred locations (offices, coworking spaces, downtown Chicago settings), and Team Headshots for corporate groups with portable on-location studio setups. The underlying technology stack consists of professional photography equipment including studio lighting and portable setups, combined with editorial and photojournalism techniques that the founder applies to differentiate the headshot style from conventional corporate portraiture.

The business serves a diverse clientele that includes law firms (Edelson PC, Smith Martin and Bell, Downey & Lenkov), technology companies (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), legal trade publications (Law Bulletin Media, Chicago Lawyer), real estate agents, sports agencies (WNBA-connected Range Sports), and non-profit organizations. The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer booking through its website (chicagoheadshots.llc) for individuals and small businesses with enterprise field-style engagements at corporate offices and high-volume events such as the Hyde Park Venture Partners Techsgiving networking activation, which served 60+ HR professionals in a single day.

The company operates on a professional services revenue model, generating income from one-time session fees for individual bookings, team headshot days at corporate offices, and event photography engagements. Distribution relies on Instagram (@Chicago_Headshots) as a visual portfolio and demand-generation channel and on the website as the primary booking platform. Chicago Headshots is a privately held single-member LLC under the founder's direct ownership, with no institutional capital, no parent company, no disclosed pricing, and no public financial information.

Name

Chicago Headshots

Legal name

Chicago Headshots, LLC

Website

https://chiheadshots.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicago Headshots, LLC is a Chicago-based solo photography business founded in 2015 by Rena Naltsas, providing studio, environmental, and team headshot services to law firms, tech companies, legal publications, entrepreneurs, and non-profits in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Photography Services

NAICS

Photography Studios, Portrait (541921), Commercial Photography (541922), Photographic Services (54192)

akta.pro primary industry

Photography & Photo Production (BPAFAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Photography & Still Production (Stills, Product, Lifestyle) (MPAAAMAI)

Keywords

• Professional headshot photography
• Corporate headshots
• Studio portrait services
• Environmental portrait photography
• Team headshot sessions

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Headshot Photography Services: One-time professional photography sessions for individual headshots, environmental headshots at client-preferred locations, and high-volume team headshots for corporate clients. Revenue generated from session fees for studio, environmental, and team photography services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Chicago Headshots provides professional headshot photography sessions across three formats: studio headshots in a controlled studio environment, environmental headshots captured on-location at client-preferred settings (downtown Chicago, coworking spaces, offices), and team headshots for corporate groups with portable studio deployment at client offices. The firm serves individual professionals, law firms, technology corporations, startups, and non-profits in the Chicago metropolitan area and at select national events.

Product overview

Chicago Headshots is a professional photography service offering three distinct headshot session types: Studio Headshots for controlled studio environments, Environmental Headshots for on-location sessions at meaningful settings, and Team Headshots for group corporate sessions. The company was founded by Rena Naltsas in 2015 and serves a wide range of industries including law firms, tech companies, and non-profits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio Headshots Professional headshot photography sessions conducted in a controlled studio environment with professional lighting, designed to create a comfortable shooting atmosphere that promotes genuine empowerment. Aimed at individual professionals seeking polished portraits for LinkedIn, company websites, and professional directories.
• Environmental Headshots On-location headshot photography sessions captured at locations where clients feel most confident and at ease, such as downtown Chicago, coworking spaces, or office environments. Aimed at individual professionals who prefer a non-studio setting for their portraits.
• Team Headshots Professional headshot sessions for groups and teams, with on-location portable studio setup capabilities for corporate offices, providing tailored experiences for multiple team members. Aimed at corporate clients such as Facebook, Twitter, and law firms needing consistent team imagery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ professionals served at single networking event

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Peter Hurley Headshots: Peter Hurley is one of the most recognized headshot photographers in the US, offering studio and on-location corporate headshots in NYC and beyond. Directly comparable as a celebrity-driven editorial-style headshot specialist targeting individual professionals and corporate teams.
• Awaken Studios: Awaken Studios is a multi-photographer headshot studio offering individual, executive, and corporate headshot sessions. Comparable as a regional headshot specialist serving both individual consumers and corporate clients with team-headshot offerings.
• Capturely: Capturely provides event and conference headshot services, setting up branded photo experiences at corporate events. Comparable on the high-volume event headshot vertical that Chicago Headshots serves at activations like Techsgiving and LinkedIn expos.
• Headshots By Dan: Headshots By Dan is a dedicated professional headshot photographer serving individuals and corporate clients. Comparable as an independent photographer-built headshot business with similar service positioning.
• Headshot Truck: Headshot Truck operates mobile headshot studios for corporate events and conferences. Comparable because both companies deliver on-site, high-volume headshot experiences to enterprise clients and event organizers.
• Corporate Shots: Corporate Shots specializes in on-site corporate and team headshots for businesses. Comparable because both companies offer portable studio setups at corporate offices for team headshot days, serving similar enterprise buyers.

Regional players

• The Wallflower Studio: The Wallflower Studio is a Chicago-area photography studio offering headshots and branding imagery. Comparable as a direct local competitor serving the same Chicago professional and corporate market with similar portrait offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Shutterstock Custom (Offset): Shutterstock is a large stock photography platform that also offers custom commissioned photography services through Offset. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing commercial/corporate photography solutions, though not specializing in headshots.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/Chicago_Headshots
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-headshots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Headshots