About ErikJawsPhoto

A self portrait of a man with glasses and a beard wearing a blue plaid shirt, posing thoughtfully in front of a collage wall of photos.

Who’s Erik?

Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from Hinsdale Central in 2011 and then went to Ithaca College for a degree documentary studies & Productions and a minor in theatre. After college, I was able to get employed by NBC Universal, and assist with set lighting and gear equipment for Chicago Fire, PD, & Med. In between my fulltime job, I purse my passion for photography and offer my services to those who need it. My other interests include video games, biking, tea, and cooking.

A small boat floating on calm, clear turquoise water under a cloudy sky.
A man with sunglasses and a plaid shirt leaning against a wooden pole with a large, smiling shark face decoration nearby at an amusement park or waterfront area.

Why Jaws?

Am I big shark fan? Not really. Do I like the Steven Spielberg blockbuster classic? Yes, but that’s not the main reason. Since my last name is Jaworski, many people struggled pronouncing it correctly, So I was often called ‘Jaws’. The word became my college nickname and also my DJ name on the local college radio station, VIC. After college, it just made sense to make that nickname be part of the brand for my photo business. Just please don’t send me any Baby Shark related content! Haha

Why Photo?

It’s crazy to believe that my photo journey started with a small point & shoot camera and a high school English teacher who encouraged me to join yearbook. That was the spark that started my passion for photography. People loved my photo work and thoeir kind words of encouragement pushed me to borrow my mom’s DSLR camera and self teach myself. It was only in college I took formal photography classes . After years of lessons and work experience, I’ve come to learn that photography is the perfect balance of both creativity and science.

A professional camera with a large lens, mounted on a black camera bag, in a photography studio setup with a white backdrop, ladder, and lighting equipment in the background.
Photo of a man in a black hoodie and blue jeans taking a photograph with a DSLR camera at an indoor event. He is wearing a blue cap with shark teeth design and is leaning forward while holding the camera. The background features a decorative floral screen, flower arrangements, and a colorful cityscape image on a large display.
  • Little Mermaird's Ariel lying on her back on a teal bed, smiling and looking up. She is wearing a light teal dress with a brooch and light teal sheer sleeves, with teal tulle surrounding her.

    Kelly M.

    Erik did a wonderful job capturing my cosplay! I highly recommend going with him for any photo needs. He is excellent in communicating before, during, and after the shoot. He had watched the film before we met to ensure any certain poses or ideas would be captured. Very happy with how all the photos turned out. Thank you!”

  • Final Fantasy 7's Tifa behind a bar counter, wearing a white tank top with black trim, with black arm sleeves and harnesses. Wooden rustic shelves with various liquor bottles are in the background.

    Mulan M

    Erik's great at capturing cosplay in action! Every photo looks like it's from a movie, and I'm always happy with my results. He's also a very good guy in general.

  • Kingdom Heart's Kairi carrying a colorful staff adorned with flowers and yellow tendrils over her shoulder and standing in a forest.

    Kayla W

    “Erik has been my top photographer to work with! He always makes shoots fun and enjoyable. He always makes sure you are comfortable in poses and does research of your cosplay to make sure he’s capturing photos that represent your character! “

  • A woman dressed in a cosplay costume with pink hair, blue eyes, white cat ears, and fluffy white paw gloves, outdoors with blurred trees in the background.

    Taryn J.

    Whether it's your first or 100th cosplay photoshoot, Erik will study and capture your character while making the whole experience fun and comfortable. He's also extremely polite and respectful while giving posing points/cosplay fix ups between picture taking. The photos came out so beautiful and I still cannot believe how incredible my cosplay turned out through his camera! I still stare at them in awe of what I did and how he captured it. 10/10 would absolutely recommend ErikJawsPhotos!

  • Witcher's Geralt cosplay holding a sword out towards the camera, wearing armor and leather clothing, with a dramatic background.

    David W

    Erik is peak professional when it comes to handling his work. Communication is extremely open, with plenty of prework put in including location scouting and character/pose research. Timelines are top notch and surprisingly fast considering how well the photos + the edits turned out. Would recommend every single time

  • A woman dressed as a fairy or elf in a forest setting, wearing an orange top, purple shorts, fairy wings, and a green leaf headpiece, with long braided hair.

    Heather B

    Working with Erik is such a privilege, he is so incredibly talented and easy to talk to and a pleasure to work with. Getting photos back took only about a week, and the work done of them was absolutely stunning. His rates are so good for how high quality his work is, if you're looking for a quality cosplay photographer in Chicago Erik is well worth it”

  • A female cosplayer as Vi from League of Legends with pink and black hair, wearing dystopian armor and makeup, leaning against a tree in a forest.

    Autumn T

    My experience was delightful when working with you! you are able to adapt to situations and meet any request your clients may have! I like the fact that you are very free form with your imagery and your passion for photography really shows through your photos! I had a great time working with you and would highly recommend you to anyone who is looking for a photographer! 100% would book again if at future cons! Thank you so much again!

  • Spiderman's Black Cat wearing a black mask, black latex gloves, and holding pearl necklaces, against a black vignette background.

    Alex G

    Erik is the sweetest most professional photographer I've ever met! We have done everything from cosplay shoots together to nude shoots and he has never made me feel uncomfortable! He is always making sure the model is comfortable and loves to plan out the shoot before hand which is always a huge help! Erik is someone I recommend to any model or cosplayer who is looking for someone to shoot with, no matter what the concept is.

  • A young woman with dark brown hair, wearing a black leather shirt, posing against a red background.

    Gina G

    “Erik was very easy to work with and made sure that I got what I wanted out of the shoot. We shot several genres for which he had good suggestions for poses and great dynamic lighting. He ensured that I was comfortable in the space and he maintained a professional demeanor throughout. I also received my photos in a timely manner, all of which turned wonderfully :)”

"My top photographer to work with" |

"Easy to work with" |

"Excellent in communication" |

"The photos came out beautiful" |

"My top photographer to work with" | "Easy to work with" | "Excellent in communication" | "The photos came out beautiful" |