Ilse sits down with Chicago photographer Joel Maisonet, whose headshots have quietly become the city’s best-kept secret... BUT IT'S TIME EVERYONE KNEW! They talk about intention, identity, and why a good photo is less about posing and more about letting yourself be seen. Joel shares how dance taught him to read bodies, how ADHD turned him into a Renaissance man, and why actors should stop thinking of headshots as “smiling vs. serious” and start thinking about them as storytelling tools.

They get into marketing, career mindset, creative fears, evolving your brand, and the weird dreams and rabbit holes that give artists half their ideas. It’s heartfelt, funny, and full of the kind of clarity creatives pretend they already know but really need to hear.

Follow Joel on IG @joel_maisonet and see his work at maisonetphotography.com. He’s truly one of Chicago’s best- and the reason so many actors finally look like themselves in their photos.

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