Meet Your Photographer
I help camera-shy couples forget the camera exists—and creative souls bring their wildest vision to life.
I'm Jeremy Glickstein—a Jeff Award-winning theater professional turned wedding photographer. After 10+ years helping actors reveal authentic emotion on stage, I now do the same for couples who "hate having their photo taken."
The Unconventional Path
Many photographers pick up a camera in high school and never look back. I took a different route.
I spent over a decade in professional theater—as an actor, acting coach, and director. I worked at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, one of the most respected theaters in America. I won a Jeff Award (Chicago theater's equivalent of a Tony). I have IMDb credits from film and television work.
What I learned in those years had nothing to do with aperture or shutter speed. I learned how to help people feel safe enough to be vulnerable. How to create an environment where authentic emotion surfaces naturally. How to guide someone through discomfort until they forget they're being watched.
When I transitioned to photography—first as a fine art street photographer for nine years, then wedding photography—I brought all of that with me.
The result? About 70% of my couples describe themselves as camera-shy. By the end of our time together, most tell me it was the most fun they've ever had being photographed.
Why This Actually Works
Most photographers tell you to "just be natural" while pointing a giant lens at your face. That's terrible advice. You can't ignore a camera through willpower.
Instead, I give you something real to focus on—each other.
Instead of "smile at the camera," I might say "tell me about how you met" or "whisper something that makes you laugh." You're doing something genuine. You're connecting with each other. I'm just there capturing it.
The magic happens when you stop performing for the camera and start being present with each other. That's when I get the shots that make couples say "I didn't even know you were taking that."
The Credentials
Jeff Award Winner
Chicago theater's equivalent of a Tony Award—recognizing excellence in professional theater directing.
Steppenwolf Theatre
10+ years as actor, acting coach, and director at one of America's most respected theater companies.
IMDb Credits
Professional film and television credits—I understand visual storytelling from both sides of the camera.
250+ Weddings
Six years of professional wedding photography. Every possible scenario, venue, and challenge—handled.
151+ Five-Star Reviews
Consistently rated 5 stars by couples who said "we hate photos" before working with me.
Industry Recognition
WPJA Spotlight Photographer • Fearless Photographers Member • PPA • Best of Zola 2025
Beyond the Camera
I live with my beautiful wife, two beautiful children, and my beautiful (and very high maintenance) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the suburbs of Chicago.
I see your day in a way no one else will. For the camera-shy, I help you finally see your beauty in all its glory. For the creatives and lives of the party, I help you paint your vision in spectacularly unexpected ways. Either way—you get photos that feel like you, but better than you imagined.
- I can perfectly imitate Scooby Doo's laugh (ask me on your wedding day)
- Thai iced coffee is my fuel—don't talk to me before I've had one
- Always on the hunt for the best Detroit-style pizza in Chicago
- My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is named Ziggy—after David Bowie's alter ego, Ziggy Stardust
- Butcher & the Burger has the best burgers in Chicago and I will die on this hill
- I physically cannot handle caraway, anise, or fennel seeds—it's a whole thing
Ready to Feel Comfortable?
If this approach resonates—if you want photos that look like dreams but don't want to feel awkward getting them—I'd love to hear about your wedding.
Let's Talk151+ five-star reviews · Preferred vendor at Chicago Winery · Jeff Award Winner
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