Hire Justin Van Leeuwen

What I Photograph In Ottawa

Additional Services

  • High-Quality Prints: if you like what you see on this blog, high-quality photographic prints and limited edition canvases are available in many sizes. Additional reprints of your portraits, wedding or event are also available on-demand.
  • Photo Walks: if you are a photographer who lives in or will be visiting the Ottawa area, contact me for details on the area photo walks that I am involved in. There is no charge to join us for a photo walk! On twitter, use the hashtag #ottawalk
Biography

A comic book retailer by trade (since I was 13), I've always had a passion for the creative arts, though I was never able to translate what I saw into drawing, and appreciated writing more than I could carry a story, I stayed a devoted observer.

Portrait of Ottawa-based photographer Justin van Leeuwen

With the increased popularity of digital photography, and my own affinity towards sitting at a computer desk fiddling about, I finally had something I could sink my teeth into.

My first forray into SLR (The "S" is for SERIOUS) territory came with the Canon Rebel XT, having played with my friend Attila's and being BLOWN away by his photography (I still am), I decided I wanted to give it a go.

Like any good shutterbug I decided to bring my camera with me everywhere, and everywhere I went I heard "boy that camera must take really good pictures" (and indeed it could, if only the user could too). Eventually my skill level (barely) caught up with my zeal and I started taking photos at corporate events. Practice makes perfect and I continue to challenge my skills along with my bank account by upgrading my gear and resources.

I love to shoot portraits—from social media avatars (Facebook, Twitter, blogs etc) to intimate family portraits; I enjoy the unique photographic opportunity every person presents. I am also an experienced event photographer, including weddings, charity galas, and corporate functions.

In 2008 I moved to Ottawa to be with my lovely wife and our incredibly cute and photogenic son Quinn, followed by another attractive young man in 2010: Alex.

If you've read this and you're interested in more, check out my interview over at Petapixel.com

Contact JVL

My Gear

A constantly changing (read as: “growing”) list of my gear. Click individual categories to see more, or, if you dare, do it all at once:

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Bodies

Glass

Lighting

Lighting Accessories

Other Gear

Straps & Bags

Software