Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Schacht.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think to myself that I missed my calling. That I’m doing the wrong thing. I have this tendency to go down the rabbit hole with things and it gives me the opportunity to explore specific subjects in great detail. One day its woodworking, the next day web design and then the following week I’ll be wanting to design my own speakers. My brain doesn’t stop. Even when I sleep, I’m waking up and writing down ideas. It can’t be healthy, but it’s really all I know how to do. What I’ve learned, what I’m constantly trying to get better at, is focusing these mini-obsessions on things that lead to helping my photography. It’s my way of taking one most would consider a weakness and making it a strength. On the good days, I’m diving deep on photographers who have made a difference, or renaissance painters and their use of color and light. These are the things that make me a better photographer. I’ve recently become fascinated with psychology. There’s a lot of psychology in photography. What was the photographer trying to communicate? How does the subject perceive the image? How does the viewer perceive the image? In a perfect world the photographers intent will shine through to the viewer and the subject will see it as an accurate representation of themselves. This is rarely the case and one of the things about photography I find so fascinating.
Please tell us about your art.
I’m a portrait photographer. More specifically I’m a commercial and editorial portrait photographer. The core of my business is headshot photography. I help people earn trust via an image. That probably sounds ridiculous, but most of us are online in some capacity. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Historically, unless you were famous, people didn’t really know what you looked like until they met you. Now, with the power of the internet and Google, it takes about 30 seconds to figure out what someone looks like. That’s a game changer. So, when I say that I help people earn trust via an image, what I mean is that I work with everyday people to make sure that their personal branding tells their story. If you think of a headshot as anything other than your personal branding, you’re missing out on opportunities. In terms of my art, I find that headshots have a lot of rules and that’s why I love editorial portraiture. I consider my portraiture, my own personal rebellion against the headshot. It’s my Disneyland. If I can dream it up, I can execute it.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think the most difficult part is incorporating a commercially viable component to your work. Art without commerce lacks sustainability in modern culture.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My commercial website is https://312elements.com and my editorial website is https://michael-schacht.com. I host annual gallery events and often collaborate with other photographers and artists. It’s not about seeing and appreciating my work as much as it is about stepping away from the television long enough to experience a little bit of culture.
Contact Info:
- Address: 312 Elements Headshot Photography
- Website: https://312elements.com
- Phone: 312.546.3582
- Email: info@312elements.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MICHAELSCHACHT312/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/312elements
- Other: https://michael-schacht.com
Image Credit:
Photo credit: Michael Schacht
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