Hey, I’m Joe Hertler
I’m a photographer, film-maker, and musician based in the Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti / Detroit area, and I really like taking photos of real people doing real human things. And pets. Actually, the only reason I do anything is to ensure a comfy life for my cat, Socks. Please book me to take pictures of you and your pets, so I can give her a perfect life.
Anyhow, I specialize in lifestyle, street / outdoor, animal, and event portrait photography. That usually means less stiff, “stare at the camera and don’t move” energy and more of casual "let's hang, have a decent time, and take photos" kind of vibes. I love natural light, interesting locations, and whatever the environment gives us.
If you need something more formal or studio-style, I’ve got the gear and I’m totally comfortable doing that too. I just lean towards a more natural approach to photography, not like you got dropped into a mall portrait studio in 1998. Mall portraits can be super hype, though. Maybe I'll open up shop at my local Walmart one day.
My photographic style & process
My goal is simple: keep it human, personal, relatable, and attention grabbing, without it feeling overdone.
I want you to look at your photos and think, “Wow, that’s me” not “Wow, that’s a filter.” I can give you photos that'll make your friends ask about your skin care routine.
I lean toward more stylistic, artsy-leaning lifestyle photos. I love natural framing, using architecture and nature, and letting you move around instead of freezing in one spot. I approach photography from the eyes of a film-maker or cinematographer: Relatable, affecting, and (dare I say) beautiful photos succeed in displaying one's humanity. Just trying to keep things low pressure and real!
If you want, I’m happy to tag along to events, parties, trips, or whatever you’ve got going on.
Professional & Social Headshots, Dating Profiles,Corporate Events, Real Estate, & Architecture
Model & acting headshots:
Resumes, LinkedIn, social media, band photos, art photos... this is all in my wheelhouse and I have plenty of gear and experience to make it happen.
Pets:
They live short lives - and our own lives are often demarcated by their coming and going. And speaking from experience, the love we feel towards them is profoundly real and human. Lemme get some good pictures of you and your critters. I grew up in a hardcore animal family, I'm a pet owner myself, and am comfortable around them all: Dogs, cats, bird, reptiles, insects, ect. Just imagine how awesome a 4 by 6 foot framed portrait of your doggo would look above your fireplace.
Dating Profiles:
You can take me to Cedar Point, we'll have the best day ever, and the next day, you'll find yourself with the most interesting dating profile on the planet! For real, though, if you want to spruce up your Hinge profile, let's plan out a day that showcases your interests and personality!
Corporate & Staff Headshots:
This includes your typical corporate portraits and company parties, too. Can be as formal -or informal- as you'd like.
Real Estate & Architecture:
Need industry standard, super clean, wide angle, HDR / flambient images for your house listing? I have the gear and plenty of experience. The same goes for architecture photography. Next to portraits, showcasing building design and structure is my specialty!
Event, Music, & Sports Photography:
This is how I got started. I've taken event photos for Electric Forest, countless tours, parties, and for hundreds of different bands and artists.
Weddings:
I approach weddings the same way I approach concerts and documentaries... as a story. Your story. I’m not really into stiff, over-posed setups or forcing anything unnatural. I’m there to capture the emotion, the atmosphere, the little micro-moments most people miss. Ryan and I have access to some of the best photographers in this state and can put together a wedding photo / video dream team. If you want photos that will truly give that "wow factor", photos that convey the story behind your most important day, then get in contact with me. You'll be getting the absolute best.
Thank you!
Locations & how far I'll travel
Short version: I’ll go pretty much anywhere.
I’m based in Michigan, but I regularly travel around the Midwest and beyond for shoots. If it’s important to you, I’ll find a way there. A decade long music career and thousands of shows under my belt has made me unphased by distance. The same goes for weather. I'm a huge weather nerd and outdoor enthusiast; I have no issues working in challenging conditions. That being said, since I love environmental photos and natural light, if weather gets in the way, we can just reschedule. No charges, no stress.
Some of the main places I work:
Michigan
Detroit • Ann Arbor • Ypsilanti • Lansing • Grand Rapids • Kalamazoo • Flint • Dearborn • Ferndale • Royal Oak • Traverse City • Marquette • Petoskey • the rest of the mitten and the U.P.
Ohio
Toledo • Columbus • Cleveland • Cincinnati • Dayton • Akron and surrounding areas
Illinois
Chicago • Naperville • Evanston • Rockford • Springfield • Champaign-Urbana
I’m totally comfortable building travel into the shoot, whether it’s a day trip, a weekend, or tagging along on something bigger. I can fly, drive, hop on a train, whatever. If you’ve got a location that feels special to you, I’d honestly rather come to you than drag you into a random studio somewhere.
What it’s like to work with me
I like people - and I also think bringing ease to social situations is a low key superpower that some folks have (my partner, Ryan Hoger, has this particular superpower). I can only aspire.
I got into this because I think light is really interesting, but also, I'm horribly un-photogenic. Getting behind the camera was the remedy! I have, however, watched 5000 hours of YouTube tutorials on how to be photogenic. While there was no hope for me, I have gotten good at bringing out the best in my subjects.
I keep things pretty relaxed. I give direction when you need it, I'll show you the back of the camera as we go, and make sure you’re feeling good about how you look. I really pride myself on helping folks feel comfortable.
Here’s how I usually handle the logistics:
Quick previews: I try to send a few quick edits within 24 hours so you have something to post or share right away.
Full gallery: You can expect around 40–60 professionally edited photos from a typical session.
Proofs included: I always provide the raw proofs when we’re done, so you can go back through and call out anything you’d like polished up. I generally take around 800-1400 photos.
Revisions: If you want something adjusted, we tweak it. Color, crop, mood. I want it to feel like you.
Pricing that fits real life: I work with companies and small families alike. Musicians, couples, educators, whoever. I try to make photos accessible to folks at different income levels. Just tell me your budget and what you’re looking for, and I’ll figure out what we can do.
Guaranteed Satisfaction: If you’re not happy, you don’t pay. If you see the final photos and truly aren’t happy, you do not have to pay for the shoot. I do ask for a 15% retainer to hold the date, but so far I haven’t had anyone tell me they were unhappy with the end result.
The goal is always the same: photos that feel authentic, are not over edited, and still have that “wow” factor.
Netflix-quality cameras, lenses, and lighting:
I shoot on full-frame cinema cameras (Sony A7SIII + FX3) and a Fuji HS2 for APS-C flavor and texture, paired with fast prime cinema lenses - and sometimes APS-C lenses, too. I use lenses from Sony, Viltrox, Sigma, Nisi, and DZOfilm. I live down the street from a video gear rental business, too, and have access to just about everything. This is a big part in how I achieve:
True cinematic depth of field
Rich color and super clean low-light performance
Shots that feel more like film stills than standard portraits
Natural, authentic skin tones... not over-edited. My lenses will make you look 5 years younger
That “wow factor” you don’t get from basic portrait setups
This is the same gear used for music videos, film projects, and commercial work — but applied to everyday portraits, family sessions, and holiday photos in a real, approachable way.
A little more about me
I’ve spent the last decade plus touring and making records with my band, Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers. We’ve played Red Rocks, Electric Forest, Bonnaroo, and also have toured clubs, and theaters all over North America, and that experience heavily shapes how I see people and environments. Live music teaches you the power of aura - and that all creative endeavors are a team effort. It's about capturing imperfections; therein lies our humanity, it's what makes something relatable and beautiful (but also, I'm can make you look 5-7 years younger. The code phrase is "can you brighten these photos up more?").
I also work as a documentary filmmaker, making short films and mini-docs, especially in education and STEM. A lot of my recent work has focused on culturally responsive teaching and STEM programs in Metro Detroit. Documentary work trained me to look for the little details, honest expressions, and those real, honest, authentic, split-second moments that say more than anything someone could pose.
Before all of this, I was a STEM educator and curriculum developer at Michigan State University. I used to design science and math programs and learning experiences that (hopefully) made things feel less boring and more connected to real life. Teaching made me patient, gave me a huge appreciation for families and kids, and taught me how to work with just about every personality type you can imagine.
All of that feeds into how I shoot. I want the photos to feel human, grounded, and real, but still interesting enough that you stop scrolling and look twice.
Let’s hang and make some photos
If you’ve got an idea for a shoot, an event coming up, or you just want good photos of you and your people (or your pets), reach out and tell me what you’re thinking.
You bring the humans. And the animals. Remember, I'm only actually doing this for the critters <3
...I’ll bring the camera and try my best to make you say “woah” when you see the photos.
...I’ll bring the camera and try my best to make you say “woah” when you see the photos.
