Architectural & Interior Design Photography, Corporate Commercial Photography, Advertising & Portrait Photographer | Ottawa | 613-558-7585 | justin.vanleeuwen@gmail.com
Fortune favours the prepared. I was asked to complete a special project for iPolitics.ca last week, budget day, a bit out of what you normally see me display on the blog. While I was there taking pictures, the quantity asked of me far exceeded any shoot I had previously undertaken. I was to document the […]
Another awesome family, another fun extreme portrait. The Buell’s (I’ll refrain from the Ferris jokes) contacted me about creating their own unique family portrait. Unlike Nadine, though, they didn’t have a clear vision of what they wanted – just that they wanted something different than your every-day family portrait. Well that’s what I do, isn’t […]
A few weeks ago I was called, last minute, to do a shoot for a new Ottawa-based media firm Mediastyle. Headed by the much lauded Ian Capstick, I jumped at the opportunity. Ian’s an Ottawa main-stay, and while I certainly cruised the same twitter circles as he, we had never met in person (IRL). While […]
Home remedies for kids with colds – Quinn’s sick – though once I put him in front of the camera he sprung to life. Go figure. Setup was pretty straighforward, I mention my setup info on my flickr page. A friend of mine once asked “What are all these .XMP files, and why do I […]
As chance would have it, I’ve been picking up some work lately taking real-estate photos. Pictured here is my sister-in-law’s house which she’ll be selling, on her own, through grapevine here). This was the second shoot I did in the past month and I felt I improved over the first a lot. The learning curve […]
My inspiration of this series is Jason Lee, or “jwlphotography” on Flickr. I first heard of him when the Strobist blog featured his work – doing amazing setups with his two little girls – I’ve been hooked ever since. His own work has taken a bit of a departure from the surreal and comical – […]
Since starting my SAHD series I’ve received loads of positive feedback, in the form of direct image views on Flickr, and being approached by clients and families to photograph their own “Extreme” family portrait. I’m grateful for all the attention, it certainly helps boost my ego on these dark winter days. I took a break […]
Just because getting cold means you have to bundle up, it doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun photo’s taken of you. Caroline & Al contacted me to do some rush portraits for them as gifts to their parents for the holidays (of course your family wants awesome photos taken of you!). Now I had […]
There are few things you can purchase that will improve your photography. Indeed, the only way I’ve seen people get better is through practice (or riduculous intuition and artistic ability – but we don’t like those people). 10,000 photos, or 10,000 hours; either way, it’s gonna take you time, trial, and error. But if there’s […]
It’s been a while since I posted a HDR image – mostly because I haven’t been shooting them. Some people hate the effect, some love the results. I find it’s usually pretty polarized within a few groups “photographers” and everyone else. See – photographers themselves are always polarized – which camera company, bag, lens, flash, […]
Maybe it’s not technical properties what make a compelling image.I love this shot, it’s grainy, blown out in both directions. But that leap Erin is taking into Will’s arms – it sums up their whole experience for me – joyous and trusting, it’s what a marriage should be.
Here’s my photo of the head table – look at it, I know some things stand out to you, then think about them – I want to hear your thoughts. See, I spent quite some time editing this image, or four images actually. It’s a composite of 3 groups, plus 1 for the background. The […]
Erin & Will – congratulations on gettin’ murried. I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Erin & Will’s wedding this weekend. Despite all location scouting going to shit (it rained… then snowed!) I had planned some indoor contingencies and packed some big lights to take good portraits. This one, though, was a bit simpler. I […]
I’m going to put this simply: If you live in Ottawa, or specifically Hintonburg, come by Hino Restaurant on Monday October 25th. Doors open at 7pm, there’ll be a bit of food to much on, some prints I’ve made special with the boys and girls at Canvaspop. There’s gonna be some good people there, Photographers, […]
Ottawa’s 95 bus. Takes people accross the city, on a journey… …A stinky, cramped journey.
Ottawa got itself a Chinatown Arch. Now, definitively, people will know where Chinatown is. Before, visitors had to vaguely guess. I mean, being surrounded by Phở joints would only denote that you’re in Vietnam-town right? WRONG! Sommerset St. West might be the highest concentration of Phở outside of Hanoi… but it’s still the only Chinatown […]
I spent some time this week making arrangements and booking a lot of last minute portrait sessions and weddings, all of them based on referrals. It’s a great feeling to receive praise from your peers – praise coming in the form of recommendations: I can’t think of a better way to compliment a photographer than […]
We had ourselves another Photojam this past weekend. More folks showed up and lots of more fun was had [read: more booze consumed]. Same location, alley beside my house, it’s easier to keep an eye on the kids when they’re running around you. It’s a great way to shoot, experiment, drink, hang out with friends […]
And we’re back! Spent the past week on a brief repose in Toronto. Most of the time was with my family, and extended family for those who *ahem* managed to get back to me (props to Dan & Andrew Lieu for grabbin beers with me!) I travelled light for this trip. 2 kids under 3 […]
When Mel and I first moved into the Hintonburg area in Ottawa, we only had a few restaurants that we knew about beforehand. With a preemie in the hospital, we were really always looking for comfort food – the familiar. That said, there wasn’t much variance in what we ate, and one of the places […]
Lots of cross-posting repetition going on in my media streams this weekend. If you haven’t seen it already, please head over to Tiffinbox.org and read my post on the Ranger Quadra’s and recent wedding I shot. Leave a comment to – it makes me feel good. For those who follow my flickr stream, you’ve already […]
Wow… WOW – it’s been a long time since my last post. I’ll explain. My computer has the habit of always being placed in the hottest room of my house, every place I go I figure an ideal location that will not only be bad for my computer’s life-span, but bad for me to even […]
Another snapshot from Erinn’s wedding. One thing I’ll have to keep an eye out on, for my own couples, when shooting weddings I’m paid there to do, is going to be to take a small amount of time away from the safety shots – the gimme’s. What I need to do is get the portrait, […]
Just looking up and around with the G11 checking out all the lines.
