JACKIE // JMA
Jackie is an actress, photographer, and goofball. That is me. She is I. See photo for reference.
I want to capture whatever you want to share - whether you're dramatic and outrageous, or just like to keep things simple. It's all about you, and if you feel good, I’m doing my job. Bring your creative ideas to our shoot and let’s make your wildest dreams come true - from engagements to branding sessions to ironic family portraits in turtlenecks & bowl cuts with your Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Let’s have fun!
For packages, rates, & booking, please email or use the contact page
INFO + FAQ
CREATIVE COLLABORATION
So, I love creating portraits.
Collaborating to create images that authentically capture whatever you’d like to share of yourself is my passion.
These images can be: branding, album art, boudoir, business, editorial, LinkedIn headshots, website content, high concept, recreations, reimaginings, reenactments, show promotion, special skills on display, personality, just ‘cause.
Bring me your ambitious imagination & let’s put our heads together to figure out how we can bring your vision to life!
I have a selection of props, chairs, and stools, but (eagerly) welcome you to bring anything you might want to use with you (from knickknacks to balloons, donuts, and beyond…).
For family portraits, proposal shoots, engagement shoots, wedding photography inquiries, or ongoing collaborations for blog or social content, please inquire about your needs and I’ll be happy to provide a quote!
LOOKS
A ‘look’ refers to an outfit or overall appearance.
Each look should be a different representation of you. Think of each look as one facet of your personality prism.
Creating distinct looks within a session empowers you to be intentional & specific about how you’re expressing yourself in each image so that you can showcase everything you have to offer. Think of a cover story about your favorite artist, and all the cool photos of them in that one spread.
For headshots, looks may correspond to archetypes or roles.
For portraits & branding: same, but, also… the possibilities are endless!
Layering an outfit with a tie, jacket, or glasses? Still one look, as long as the base layer remains the same.
HAIR & MAKE UP
Let me know if you will be getting glam in the studio! It is absolutely not necessary to use a hair & makeup artist for your session. You know yourself, I can’t make that decision for you. Initial application can be done by someone of your choosing prior to arrival to my studio, or in the space. Some recommended artists are:
If you’re utilizing a HMUA in the studio, assume an additional 60 minutes when setting aside time for our shoot.
TIME & SPACE
I shoot out of my home studio in Manhattan. (Yes, this is where nearly all of the images you’ve seen on this site and on Instagram were; we can make a lot happen here!) Cultivating a safe, creative atmosphere is incredibly important to me, and I have so much appreciation & respect for the trust you put in me as your photographer.
If you’d like to shoot on location, or in a rented studio space, I’m on board. Please let me know up front so we have time to book the space & discuss your ambitions for the shoot. Note that you will be responsible for the studio rental cost, and this fee will be dependent on the rate of the agreed upon studio space.
A session can last anything from one hour (single look session) to three hours (larger sessions). If we’re collaborating on portraits with multiple extensive set-ups, or drastic hair & make-up changes, our shoot may run longer.
RESHOOTS
I do not offer free reshoots. Throughout the session I check in to ensure you’re satisfied with the images as they are being taken. I will show you test shots to approve of hair & makeup, as well as backdrop colors for each ‘look’. We are in constant communication & collaboration – if there is anything you’re not super keen on, or want to see for yourself, I encourage you to speak up during your session.
This is your time; it does nothing for me if we shoot an entire look with a backdrop you don’t really like because you really liked the first option that you initially felt ‘meh’ about and now feel self-conscious asking me to change it back. I’m here to support you!
CANCELLATIONS
Things happen! As soon as you know of a conflict with your scheduled session, please let me know as soon as possible.
If you have to cancel within 72 hours, you will forfeit your deposit. ‘But Jackie, what if I wake up feeling sick the day of or day before my session?’ Respect your health, my health, and the health of my other clients by emailing me to reschedule and your deposit will be transferred. (Yeah, there’s an honor system going on here – because cancelling on short notice is rough, but a deposit should not be a reason to show up feeling sick; not worth it!)
Blemishes are never a reason to reschedule a shoot – a pimple? on an important day? groundbreaking. But seriously, between lighting and retouching, you’ll never know it existed.
MARGOT, JMA PHOTO ASSISTANT (CAT)
Give me a heads up and I’ll have my assistant work in the other room; you won’t even know she’s here! (Of course, I’ll do a deep clean prior to our session and welcome you to bring whatever allergy meds help you)
PAYMENT
Cash, Zelle, check, or Venmo.
BEFORE OUR SHOOT
Take care of yourself. Hydrate!!!! Your skin (and energy levels) will thank you.
Make time to consider what you want out of our session so that you know what you want when you show up.
Rest: try to get a good night's sleep (easier said than done, I know, but what I'm really saying is: if you can, make a conscious effort to take it easy on yourself).
Consider your undergarments!
I have a steamer on site and will hang & steam your options so no need to worry about wrinkles in transit.
If using a hair & makeup artist (HMUA), coordinate with them to make sure you're on the same page.
If we're creating portraits, let me know what backdrop colors you're interested in so I may have them set prior to your arrival.
Have a talk with your representation about what they would like for you.
Maybe put together some inspo photos or a mood board to share with me, and plan outfit options so that you aren't scrambling the morning of our shoot. Maybe you make a playlist for the general mood - or just give a thought to what you'd like to listen to while we play. Don't: try a new haircut/hairstyle/hair color/skin product/shower product/trendy extreme physical activity.
THE DAY OF
Running late? Shoot me an email! Running early? Earlier than ten minutes - bless you, please feel free to grab a coffee or tea nearby and message me to see if I can bring you in early. Grumpy? Join the club.
Being photographed can be stressful and unnatural; I recognize it’s a lot to ask you to ‘just be yourself! while a bunch of lights go pop-pop! and I hold a big camera in front of you!’ My goal is to make it as relaxed and, dare I say, fun? as possible for all of us.
AFTER OUR SHOOT
You will float out of the studio in all of your glowing post-shoot glory and feel the world is full of radiant possibility. At the end of your session, you will pay the remainder of your fee and we'll part ways. I will stare at your face for many hours, swoon, narrow down the hundreds to a reasonably sized gallery.
Within a week, you will receive your gallery of color corrected, watermark-free, high resolution images in an email from me via Pixieset – the site makes it easy for you to share your gallery with friends, family, & reps, who can all make favorites lists on the site to help you narrow down your options. The photos are all yours to download and use as you wish.
Your proofs will be available in the gallery for two months, so be sure to download them all to treasure til the end of time.
AND BEYOND…
Based on the package you selected, you have a certain number of retouches available. Once you decide which photos (if any) you'd like retouched, shoot me an email with the file name(s), and be as specific as possible about what you'd like me to touch up or change (crop, adjust coloring, etc). We all have things we notice about ourselves that others do not, and I will never assume you want something removed/blended/altered without your say so. I will email back your retouches within two weeks.
Returning clients receive 20% off of regularly priced future sessions.
For printing, I recommend WHCC - amazing quality, reasonable price, quick turnaround.
Feel free to reach out with any other questions or concerns you may have!
TESTIMONIALS
“Jackie, I can’t thank you enough for making miracles happen here. These photos are magnificent and you are a geniussss and so much fun to work with. I already have a couple friends I’ve showed these two who are definitely coming to you for their next headshots! Also, my manager is obsessed with them.
Seriously - you make it so easy to just hang and have fun and I really appreciate it. ”
“THESE ARE BRILLIANT. The best headshots of my lifetime!!! You are MAGIC. I didn’t want to waste a MOMENT not saying that I’m so incredibly grateful and thrilled with these. Mark my words, the internet will never stop hearing from me with your name and art. Instagram? Doesn’t stand a chance. Bouta break it with a trillion posts. Facebook? New life will be breathed when my childhood theatre connections see my current face structure and are like “yup, there they are!”
Thank you thank you.
”
“I’ve been going through the photos today, and am absolutely ecstatic with the results. Taking headshots always makes me anxious, but it was such a pleasure to work with you. Thank you for creating such a comfortable environment, it truly shows in the photos. I have honestly never been so pleased with a headshot session.
These pictures actually look like me, rather than some glorified unattainable representation of myself. For the first time I feel I can be proud submitting them. I appreciate your kindness and consideration in this entire process, and truly look forward to working with you again.”
“OH MY GOODNESS ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! These are incredible! I am so thrilled to have the most difficult task of picking my faves.
Thank you so much, wow. I stand my declaration that this was the best headshot session I’ve ever had. ”
“I just wanted to reach out and tell you how absolutely blown away I am by your work on this past shoot. I’m genuinely speechless at how good ALL of these shots look- not only did you nail exactly what I was looking for as far as style and lighting and color, but you also got a sense of power and confidence out of me that was so fun and empowering to see in myself.
I know you said during the shoot you were having fun experimenting with some different genres- but I could never have expected the stunning work you did overall- it truly feels like perfection.
Thank you, as always, for your inspired and brilliant work.”
“Jackie thank you So so so soso so so much. These are amazing, *exactly* what I needed. Thank you for being an amazing photographer who can take an actor who is having a weird day and turn it into absolute fire headshots.
You truly are a magician, a wizard, and I’d leave you a million 5-star reviews on yelp if I could”
“Jackie oh my LORD these photos are amazing. I am so so happy and everyone I show is RAVING. Just wanted to thank you. So much. The entire experience of shooting with you from start to finish was a joy. Can’t wait for more shoots. Thanks so much Jackie.”
“I have looked at these pictures so much and I love so many of them.... it was so hard to narrow it down! Thank you! It was such a pleasure working with you! I’ll refer anyone who asks me where I got my beautiful headshots! :) Your work is amazing! Thank you so much for everything!”
“Jackie! I am agog! I love these so much! Thank you thank you thank you for such a wonderful shoot, and also for capturing exactly what I’d dreamed of. That’s me in there!
Feeling grounded in myself just looking at these, what a gift?!
I WILL be posting proofs & singing your praises far & wide...”
“Thank you so much for the gallery, I’m obsessed with how many different options there are. I was honestly nervous at first about my headshot session so I also wanted to thank you for putting me at ease during the shoot, the tips you included in that email before the shoot were also super helpful! I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience.”
“I can’t thank you enough- I LOVE these photos!!! I so enjoyed getting to work with you and again, these photos are so beyond anything I could have imagined or wanted. Again, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!”
“Dude first of all let me say I fucking love these photos I have taken so long to get back to you because I truly could not choose which ones are my faves lol. Thank you so much dude. These are really great and exactly what I wanted and I am super grateful.”
“I am IN LOVE WITH THESE PHOTOS! Thank you for having the space, talent, and heart for capturing me in my best light! I cannot thank you enough for this!”
“These are probably the best headshots I’ve ever had taken no joke ! Thank you. These are beautiful. I’ll never forget it.”
“The response on these shots has been so overwhelmingly complimentary and I’m DEEPLY in love with them. My agents were freaking THRILLED. Seriously, you are amazing and I look forward to working with you again! ”
“I LOVE how these turned out! Not just do they look pretty fierce, but I had such a fun time shooting with you and felt the most at ease I’ve ever felt while taking headshots. Thank you thank you THANK YOU!”
“OH MY GOD!!! These are absolutely incredible. Wow, wow, wow. I can’t thank you enough. Thank you for creating a comfortable space to work in. I am beyond thrilled with these!”
“LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!! You are the best. It’s going to be a tough decision to decide which ones are my favorites! ”
“I want to thank you so much, again, for such a positive and fun session, with amazing results. I couldn’t be more happy!! ”
“JACKIE!! These are AMAZING!!!! Thank you so so much!!! You made me feel so comfortable and I had so much fun!! Thank you for everything”
“First of all, thank you so much for the incredible shoot - you made it such a fun and comfortable experience and I’m absolutely obsessed with the pics! ”
“I’m so so happy with these, and there are so many shots that I love. Thank you for your magic!”
“Thank you Jackie! These turned out AWESOME, and I’m so excited to go through them and pick out my faves. Love em”
“Just wanted to thank you again for honestly what was the most fun, enjoyable, and meaningful photo shoot ever! ”
“The pictures are AMAZING!!! I’m so happy with how they turned out. Thank you so much again, it was such a dream to work with you!”
“You are the literal best. I love these so much! Thank you! I will definitely want to do more shoots with you. Thank you times a million. I’m so excited to share these!!
”
“THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOUUUUU for these pics! It was so much fun doing that exploration and I cannot have asked for better people to do this with and for better results!”
“You are a genius. Omg I’m obsessed. You are a true talent. These are incredible. Thank you so much Jackie! ”
“Thank you so much for all of your hard work on these! I absolutely LOVE them. It was such a pleasure working with you; you truly made my dreams come true. ”
“I LOVE ALL OF THESE!!! AHHHH! Figuring out how to share literally every single one to my instagram that I’ve turned into polaroids haha but seriously. these are going to be my new profile and icon photos everywhere.”
“It was such a pleasure to work with you! I really love these batch of headshots. I feel like it’s the first time I’ve had headshots taken where my personality was really captured. ”
“I am SO happy with these Jackie, I’m having a really hard time picking one. You are a star - thank you so much :)”
“Thank you again for a wonderful session and for the speedy turnaround in getting the shots back to me. They look absolutely incredible and I’m so smitten with them!! By and large my best headshot experience to date. Thanks again! Hope to work with you again sometime.”
“Holy MOLY IT WAS SO HARD TO NARROW DOWN. Jackie, for real, I’m obsessed with these. Thank you. And all of my most beloved peeps are saying “damn these are exactly YOU and so good.” For the first time in my life I’m like “eh I don’t really want too many retouches, I love them as is.” I’m gonna be using so many from this shoot, all over the place. UGH WOW. You’re a genius. Endless thanks. I really, truly loved this shoot. Can’t wait for many more.”
“Thank you for these amazing shots. Every person I had look through them came up with a unique list of favorites— I think that’s a testament to the fact that I could use any and all of these shots with confidence.”