Charles shot some pictures of our one year old daughter and family and we couldn't be more pleased. I'm an amateur landscape photographer who has very little skill for portraiture so it made sense for us to hire a professional to document this very important stage for our small family. We met Charles in downtown Manhattan for a walk-about to capture candid shots around the seaport. He is very friendly and made us feel at ease immediately. I instantly recognized his natural skill for composition as he surveyed our surrounding; the angle of the sun, the reflected light coming off the structures around us, the leading lines in the background, etc. As someone interested in photography it was a educational to see him work. Beyond his skill handling his equipment, he also had good techniques for getting natural facial expressions. Sometimes before releasing the shutter he would ask a funny question or say something clever. This helped disarm us so that we weren't making the typical goofy, staged smiles that we'd usually have. I feel like his ratio for producing quality captures is very high, when he releases there's a good chance it'll be a money shot. We'll be hiring Charles again to shoot our family when our daughter approaches her second birthday. read more

Having a headshot that is professional and represents you so that your business can gain more clients is extremely important. With that said, the process can be intimidating. I recently had a headshot session and was nervous because I really don't like to have my picture taken. Also, my business is a creative based business and not corporate so I wanted my headshot to reflect a less "stuffy" appearance. Charles was not only able to make me feel totally comfortable, he also listened to what I wanted and the outcome was more than I could have asked for. The entire process was stress free and something I would recommend to anyone who owns their own business. Charles was professional, accommodating, funny and timely with his response time to correspondence. Not only that, the turn around time from the end of the session to when I received the headshots was extremely quick. Charles will be my first choice again for any headshots I have in the future. I look forward to working with him again and would encourage anyone thinking of getting headshots taken to book your session with Charles Aydlett Photography. read more

Where do I begin? Exceptional photographer!! I've admired and been inspired by Charles and his photography work for years, and been lucky enough to have a recent session that really captured the day perfectly. He gracefully captured my headshot on my last evening in NY as I set off to a new adventure in California. He has an awesome personality and charm which are only outshone by his talent. He takes photos that truly let your personality shine! (he snapped incredible shots of my boyfriend too!) But the really amazing part is his artistic ability that is really intuitive, he puts you at ease, keeps you smiling, relaxed, confident, and the results are AMAZING & beautiful photos!! He is fearless, bold, and creative. If you need a headshot look no further.... Charles is THE ONE. It was bittersweet to say bye to NYC, made sweeter by having Charles there to capture the memory beautifully. read more

Finding someone to do headshots in a way that not only serves the purpose you need but delivers at the quality you yearn is an exhausting process. Having my photos taken by Charles was one of the most fulfilling experiences I've ever had in a professional photography setting. He makes sure you, as the subject, are comfortable and gives such detailed instruction from shot to shot. The atmosphere of Charles' studio is one that is relaxed and comforting. He's such a funny guy as well; I was laughing throughout the entire session. The untouched photos he delivered were very close to perfect. He has such an eye for lighting and facial angles. He shot multiple looks and gave me a large batch of photos to choose from. The turnaround time for receiving my proofs and retouched headshots was less than a business week. Any time I go back to get new headshots, I'll be using Charles Aydlett. read more

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! I`ve never had this much fun and felt so relaxed taking head shots in my life! Always struggling with "on camera" nerves, I always looked tense on all my previous head shots. Charles made me laugh so much I felt I was in the studio with a friend. Beautiful quality head shots, so many good ones, that I for the first time had trouble picking out which one I liked best! Charles understood exactly what I was looking for and captured the perfect expression in just a few shots! Almost no retouching was even needed, such good lighting and angle! Lovely to communicate with to set up an appointment and got the retouched images back almost straight away! I`d go back to Charles for new head shots in a heart beat! Highly Recommended!!!! read more

Charles is someone who you can trust to be as professional and responsive as possible while providing a chill and fun atmosphere. Inquiries or the initial set up is quick and easy. And once you're in front of a camera, he makes it easy to laugh, smile, smize, and just be yourself. So if you're new to getting head shots done, Charles is able to direct you without feeling like you're a puppet. The turn around time is so fast for proofs and finals, so don't worry about sitting like a duck! I ended up with a clean, clear, and wonderful head shot and even enjoyed the process - Thanks, Charles! read more

Let's be honest. Having your picture taken professionally can be a nerve-wracking experience. The build up to the moment along with questions like, 'What do I wear!?' can be overwhelming. Charles has an especially calm approach, to diffuse even the most worried of worriers. He provided quick & responsive correspondences, lots of informative feedback during the shoot & even advice after the shoot while selecting winners. I ended up really enjoying the head-shot process and because of Charles' warm demeanor & simple, clean visual aesthetic I had all confidence that we would get 'the shot'. read more

Wow! My brothers and I decided to give my parents a family photo for their 50th anniversary. Charles did an amazing job of organizing my unruly family, put the camera shy members of the group at ease, wrangled three rambunctious puppies, resulting in a great series of pictures that really captured our personalities. Needless to say my parents were thrilled and now we all a great record for years to come. Charles was extremely accommodating, professional and got the shots we wanted in record time. Highly recommend him!!! read more

Charles was great!! This was my first time in a long time taking headshots, and he was able to make me feel really comfortable in front of the camera. I'm always afraid of being too stiff, but he told jokes between shots to keep things loose and natural. As a photographer, he carries a casual, good-natured vibe that sets the tone for your experience. He also gave really good direction, and lets you know what works and what doesn't in a cool, friendly way. I'd definitely recommend him. read more

1000% recommend this guy! I'm not good with photos -- I smile, but always come out awkward. I needed a passable headshot and wanted to work with Charles since he was so easy going when we met. Not only am I extremely happy with my photo but, I enjoyed the session. Charles was patient and encouraging. He kept an easy conversation going helping me stay relaxed. And, if you're a dog person, make sure Charles' retriever Buddy is around for added support and easy smiles. read more

My friend loves her dachshunds and so I arranged, when dog-sitting, to surprise her with some pet portraits shot by Charles Aydlett Photography. Seeing Charles interact with the dogs in Central Park to get the shots showed me everything about his professionalism: high energy, patience, technique - and love of animals, too! She loved the prints I gave her - and ordered several more from the series for friends and family! Success... :-) read more

I got my first professional headshot by Charles and I love it so much. I'm a picky person and as I also do some photography, it's rare that I feel good about my own photos. Charles did an amazing job in every part of it: setting up the environment, communicating during the shooting, retouching the pictures. It only takes like 15 mins for the shooting and I got the pictures after couple days. My LinkedIn finally has a great picture! read more

Charles did an AMAZING job with my head shots!! My company has brought in several photographers to take our head shots but I've never been pleased with how they come out. I absolutely LOVE the head shots Charles took!! Let's be honest, getting your head shots taken is usually pretty awkward and uncomfortable -- Charles made it fun and enjoyable. He actually made me laugh several times. A+ HIGHLY RECOMMEND WORKING WITH HIM read more

Charles had limited time and working area to get my head shot done. We squeezed in the photo shoot at a wedding in the 15 minutes between having his own picture taken as a groomsman and the ceremony. Even with the working restraints the photos turned out great and I was able to find 2 keepers from the 15 minute session. I would highly recommend Charles Aydlett Photography for any of your head shot or photography needs. read more

Charles is professional, creative, and great to work with. While shooting a series of portraits of hair salon owners for me, he did a great job working within tight constraints--narrow sidewalks, very short timeframes, etc. He's good at making subjects feel comfortable in front of the camera and working with clients to refine the concept for a shoot. He's also a very nice and funny guy. In short, highly recommended! read more

Charles is a very talented and professional photographer. He responded quickly to my e-mails, accomodated my schedule, and was very patient with me, especially with regard to experiementing with a variety of poses and backgrounds. He provided several high-quality proofs and completed the retouching very quickly. I would highly recommend charles for business headshots and any other photography needs. read more

Charles was assigned by my workplace to take shots for a promotional article about my new role. He has the right combination of an approachable manner and a great eye, got me through my camera shyness and produced a range of flattering, well-composed shots so we had options. I received many compliments on the one we picked for the article. Would certainly recommend him to others. Thanks again, Charles! read more

Charles photographed my dog just as the sun was rising overlooking the city skyline. He went out of his way to accommodate me and took amazing shots of the dog. He was also very helpful on the back end helping me pick out what sizes and layouts would look best based on the photo. If you are looking for someone professional but makes you feel comfortable, look no further than Charles. read more

Charles is a true professional who produced a beautiful headshot for me. I know he had a busy schedule that day, but he worked hard to bring out the best from me and my team. His hilarious instructions had me laughing through our session, and the results were better than I expected. I've had other headshots made in the past, but this was the best one yet. Thanks again, Charles! read more