Brad Starks Photography

10/21/2026

Even New York Times bestselling authors need great images.
I photographed Kurt Andersen for a South Beach Magazine assignment.
We started in the studio, then jumped in a taxi to Times Square for the photograph that ran with the article. This studio portrait of him is still one of my favorites.
My approach to portrait photography goes back to my time with mentor Ron Gordon at Ron Gordon Photographic Services in Madison & Chicago, where I learned to print and retouch by hand in the darkroom. That training still shapes how I see light, detail, and the person in front of my camera. (Thanks, Ron!)
Today, I bring that experience to portrait and branding photography here in the Midwest, working with entrepreneurs, authors, and creatives who want images that feel like them.
You don't have to write a bestseller to deserve a great portrait. If your next chapter needs a new image, let's talk!
www.bradstarks.com

10/20/2026

A portrait with a purpose
Your portrait should look like the room you're about to walk into.
Cedric Johnson recently stepped into a new role at Ascendium Education Group, and his welcome announcement featured a portrait from our session!
That's the thinking behind my work. Where will your images be seen? Whom do you want to connect with? What do they need to understand about you? Your answers help shape your shoot to your specific needs before I ever pick up the camera. I create professional brand photography for ambitious individuals, entrepreneurs, and start ups, who refuse to blend in. My VIP image/video brand experience transforms how your ideal clients see you and invest in your expertise.
DM "PORTRAIT" and tell me where you're taking your business brand next.

09/23/2026

One of the best days of my creative life was playing hooky for my art history class and meeting the one and only , the most idea-forward graphic designer I've ever met! Great guy as well!

Recorded at Seed 3 in Chicago on June 6th, 2008 by BusinessPOV, Carlos Segura shares a few thoughts on the daily grind of having the right business plan for you.

06/06/2025

05/14/2025