The only thing better than our
rental gear selection…
is how we treat our customers.
While it’s true we put every effort into providing the widest range of still and motion equipment possible, the cornerstone of our business is our attention-to-detail approach to customer service. From throwing in extra batteries to loading up your car, we’re passionate about caring for our customers. We’ve even been known to answer calls well after-hours, just to handle those last-minute questions and make sure you’re all dialed in. As professional photographers ourselves, we know that’s the kind of support that takes your rental experience – and your shoot – from good to great, and it’s our goal to provide you that type of experience time and again.
Our Staff
ProGear opened its doors in 2008 as Chicago’s only professional rental house that focused exclusively on rentals. “We wanted to create a boutique business that had rentals as its sole focus, so we could be as agile and helpful as possible for our customers and their needs,” said ProGear co-founder, Pete Biasotti. And now, more than ten years and 25,000 invoices later, that focus still stands strong.
Pete
Around since day 1, Pete is the main man at ProGear. Having been in the photo industry since 1975, he not only has a deep understanding of photo and video products old and new (with a keen interest in lighting and flash photography), but he also takes customer service to a whole new level. Test him…there’s rarely a problem Pete can’t fix.
Brennan
Following in his fathers footsteps, Brennan has learned everything he knows on the job. Basically here since the beginning, he has done almost every job from sweeping the floor to cleaning sensors (not at the same time). A jack of all trades that makes the ProGear machine run smoothly, but most know him as our friendly “Head of Shipping and Receiving”. He insures your gear gets to you; complete and on time. So you can make the magic happen.
Fons
If you need technical help, Fons is your guy. Not only is he up on the latest changes with Phase One and Profoto, but his highly technical background in commercial photography makes him equally well-versed in lighting and modifiers, both in-studio and out. (And technically speaking? His name’s Alfonso.)
Brian
As a crew member recruited to the ProGear team, Brian’s first hand experience makes him a well rounded resource for lighting, cameras, and grip. With a bachelors in photography from Columbia College and 9 years as a freelance photo assistant he knows the importance of having the right gear to get “The Shot”.
15 Years Worth of Rentals Delivered (and we’ve got the giant ball of tape to prove it!)
From the very first package we shipped, we’ve used bright red Gaffers tape to label the rental equipment inside each box. But when that first rental order was returned, we had an important question on our hands: what do we do with the tape?
Instead of sending it to the landfill, we decided to ball it up..and have continued to wrap the ball with more and more tape with every subsequent order returned. Our “Ball-o-Tape” has grown from a sphere no larger than a kiwi to the behemoth that lives on our shipping shelf today. This brightly colored beauty is a glowing example of the countless orders that have been sent and returned back to us at 1740 W. Carroll Ave.
The Giant Ball-O-Tape Fun Facts
Current Weight: 110.8 lbs.
Total Amount of Tape: 85 Rolls
Total Tape Length: 2.65 Miles
Last Updated: 8/31/23
The only thing better than our rental gear selection… is how we treat our customers.
While it’s true we put every effort into providing the widest range of still and motion equipment possible, the cornerstone of our business is our attention-to-detail approach to customer service. From throwing in extra batteries to loading up your car, we’re passionate about caring for our customers. We’ve even been known to answer calls well after-hours, just to handle those last-minute questions and make sure you’re all dialed in.
As professional photographers ourselves, we know that’s the kind of support that takes your rental experience – and your shoot – from good to great, and it’s our goal to provide you that type of experience time and again.
Our Staff
ProGear opened its doors in 2008 as Chicago’s only professional rental house that focused exclusively on rentals. “We wanted to create a boutique business that had rentals as its sole focus, so we could be as agile and helpful as possible for our customers and their needs,” said ProGear co-founder, Pete Biasotti. And now, more than ten years and 25,000 invoices later, that focus still stands strong.
Pete
Around since day 1, Pete is the main man at ProGear. Having been in the photo industry since 1975, he not only has a deep understanding of photo and video products old and new (with a keen interest in lighting and flash photography), but he also takes customer service to a whole new level. Test him…there’s rarely a problem Pete can’t fix.
Brennan
Following in his fathers footsteps, Brennan has learned everything he knows on the job. Basically here since the beginning, he has done almost every job from sweeping the floor to cleaning sensors (not at the same time). A jack of all trades that makes the ProGear machine run smoothly, but most know him as our friendly “Head of Shipping and Receiving”. He insures your gear gets to you; complete and on time. So you can make the magic happen.
Fons
If you need technical help, Fons is your guy. Not only is he up on the latest changes with Phase One and Profoto, but his highly technical background in commercial photography makes him equally well-versed in lighting and modifiers, both in-studio and out. (And technically speaking? His name’s Alfonso.)
Brian
As a crew member recruited to the ProGear team, Brian’s first hand experience makes him a well rounded resource for lighting, cameras, and grip. With a bachelors in photography from Columbia College and 9 years as a freelance photo assistant he knows the importance of having the right gear to get “The Shot”.
15 Years Worth of Rentals Delivered (and we’ve got the giant ball of tape to prove it!)