About John Schlia - Rochester professional photographer
“John is professional, has a great sense of humor, and always captures the perfect moment.” – Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester
Says an awesome client.
Alright-y. I’ll take that.
OK, so… I think this is the page where I say what a great photographer I am?!
Yikes.
I get it. When the spotlight is on you, it can feel awkward, intimidating, difficult, overwhelming — all the not-so-great things! Frankly, you’d rather have a root canal.
Believe me, as a professional photographer, I see people feeling this way all the time. Being in front of the camera feels like a big deal.
(I’m feeling it right now, writing this ‘about me’ page!)
Fact: no one adores having their photo taken.
Or writing personal bios. Unless you’re some celeb or model (ask my teenager for the latest names). And even then, they’d probably rather skip it.
So, what’s my approach to that not-so-awesome feeling you get? This is important — and it’s why I’m telling you first, I make everything about your photography session with me easy, fun and relaxed — heck, you might even enjoy the experience.
Hi, that’s me: John Schlia
What is a Schlia?!
Well, it is a super rare breed of human. There are only 11 of us in America! Don’t feel embarrassed about not knowing how to pronounce it. I have heard it all.
But, FYI it is pronounced – SHLEE-uh.
Your friendly Rochester photo-man.
This next bit I’m going to tell you? I promise: nothing like listening to your father-in-law drone on about his “investments” (sitting there and being polite is one thing, but you can X-off this page any time!). Let’s dive into the fun stuff that makes me, well, me!
- I’m a dad to two awesome kids. One is a teenager — the humor and fun make up for those mood swings.
- Husband to my amazing wife, Anna. She’s a small biz owner like me (yeah, we’re a little bit crazy, but would we have it any other way?)
- I’m a dog dad to a Corgi (meet Benedict Corgibutt. We did what everyone else did and got a dog during the pandemic — it was the best decision ever.).
- Of course, I’m a small business owner (also like some of my awesome clients)
- Family man, my family is everything — sorry for the cheese!
- Geeky things are my jam (I once had a Doctor Who-themed birthday party — complete with giant Tardis cake!)
- Speaking of Doctor Who, I love a bit of British culture — especially comedy (Have you ever seen Wallace and Gromit?! Legendary).
- Love an off-color joke (but don’t fret; I can read my audience and won’t drop an f-bomb around your kids or boss – unless they drop one first…)
- Oh, and I might make the odd joke about dentists, but — guys — it’s nothing personal. You are awesome, and my grin couldn’t be so big without you.
What I do
I take fun, bright, and confidence-bursting photos for business owners, conferences, events, families, and even fur babies.
(And the not-so-furry babies… yep, I once had a boa constrictor in the studio. Don’t believe what they say about snakes; he was great, I’ve met snakier humans.)
Buckle up, it’s story time.
Just kidding. I know you’ve had enough of that from your Great Aunt Tilda last Thanksgiving.
But in case you’re wondering? Here’s a quick recap. I started off as a middle school art teacher. But I wasn’t in love with it or the abuse that middle school kids give out. So I opted for the abuse of owning my own business (just kidding… again… kind of…).
The next thing I knew, I was eating a lot of cake. Yep, wedding photography. But I missed seeing my family on the weekend, so I left weddings and ventured into what I do now — photographing people, pets, events, and other awesome stuff.
I studied at art school, so I learned to tell a story first and use a camera second. It has been in the years since college that I have sharpened those camera skills in order to walk into a situation and dominate! *high five*
“John was amazing. He did my headshots for my career, then he did a family shoot for us.
He worked magic, because he was able to get all 3 of our kids to have fun, laugh and smile throughout the whole shoot.”
– Kate
Ready for some cheese?
Metaphorically — sorry to disappoint. I know, you were hoping for some actual camembert.
My clients are the best, they really are. I never tire of walking into a new situation, whether it’s trying to crack ‘Stern Stephen’ on office headshot day, or getting grumpy grandma to give us her best smile for your next family portrait.
My goal is to capture you as you are — because you’re awesome that way!
Beware: hiring me as your photographer means you’ll…
Be in the presence of a goofball
Endure the odd (dad) joke
Be so at ease you could doze off (it’s that relaxed!)
Have facial expression coaching (relax, I’ll help you get the right level of grinning)
Actually enjoy having your photo taken
Be in the realms of technical photography prowess (I hope you’re reading in a slightly comical tone, but it’s true: I am pretty damn good with the camera)
Get awesome photos you can be so proud of
Jokes aside, I’d be truly honored to be your photographer. So if I’m speaking your language, you know what to do.
Go on, tap that button below.
Where to find me
My studio is located in the Sibley Building in downtown Rochester, New York — perfect for business headshots, family portrait & pet photography.
I’ve got the best dog treats, a Shaun the Sheep poster and some pretty bright and colourful art in my studio. It’s what makes me, me. And I reckon it helps my clients relax and have fun.
I also travel across New York State, from Buffalo to Syracuse and the Finger Lakes.
