Mike Hudson is an experienced freelance photographer with a passion for photography. Over the past 30+ years, he's photographed kings, queens, presidents, CEO's and celebrities. But he's also worked in homeless shelters and his videos have helped raise millions of dollars for social service agencies. And along the way, he's photographed countless 'average joes' like you and me. He's shot two royal weddings, one open heart surgery, two politicians who are currently in jail, the last two mayors of Chicago, at least three billionaires, two US presidents, seven current or former British prime ministers, one Beatle (three times), one rock star in his palatial mansion, been chased down by an ambulance (for a hospital billboard shoot), shot almost fifty college and university graduations, worked for half a dozen different healthcare systems, and even photographed two funerals. It's been quite a ride so far. When it comes to photography, Mike's [almost] done it all.

"With every job I shoot, the first thing I do is just listen. Listen to what the client is looking for, listen to what they need the pictures or video to do for them, and listen to how they want to accomplish it. Then I ask lots of questions. What are we photographing? Who are they marketing the pictures to? What's the purpose for the pictures? You see, while some photographers just take pictures, I like to know everything about the job we're shooting– before we even start. To me, every shoot is a collaboration with the client. We're working together to produce images that will increase sales, increase your company's visibility or make people more aware of your services. By knowing all this, I can bring my experience into the shoot to accomplish your goals and boost your business."

"Since 1989, I've worked with hundreds of companies and organizations– some are large global corporations, while others are small, two or three employee non-profits. My photos have been used in National Geographic Traveler, Sports Illustrated, the Wall Street Journal, the Discovery Channel, Outdoor Photography (UK), Crain's, Washingtonian Magazine, Naperville Magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, among others. I shoot for a varied clientele, ranging from colleges to hospitals to hotels, sports teams, architectural firms, social service agencies, magazines and more. I also do video production, shooting short videos for the web, fund raisers and trade shows. I've got years of experience helping clients market their products, people and services."

"I'm very proficient in Photoshop and shoot digitally almost exclusively, using professional Canon cameras like the new top of the line R5 mirrorless camera, the 1Dx Mark 2 and the Pentax 645Z medium format system, as well as the Canon C200 Cinema 4K video camera. I pride myself in my focus on the details, and getting the job done on your schedule, with images often delivered digitally within a day of the shoot. All my work is shot on location with portable lighting gear. I don't own a studio and am happy to travel to your location, wherever you are– I love a good road trip.

"I'd like to hear about your next photo or video project. Call me or email me, talk about the details with me and I'll work up a quote for you.

“I look forward to hearing from you.”