Looking for a Headshot Photographer in Ottawa? Here are three photographers who specialize in corporate photography, freelance headshots, and just generally making you, your business, and staff look awesome.
Whether you are a freelancer or self-employed professional in Ottawa, Kanata, or Orleans that is looking to enhance your personal brand with a great professional headshot, or you’re a marketing manager looking to have an Ottawa staff photographer come in and photograph the team, your best option is always to hire a photographer who specializes in professional headshots.
A headshot is one of the best ways to make a good impression on your potential clients. It is truly their first impression of you, and that’s why having a good headshot is so important. A headshot says a lot about you as professional – the quality, style, and of course, appearance of the photo will tell a client a lot about your commitment to quality, how modern your approaches are, and how seriously you take yourself as a professional.
Headshots or staff photos show you are willing to invest in your business, help you to stand out, and also show confidence in the quality of your work. By adding a face to your messaging, you are also helping people to foster a personal connection, which will help them to have confidence in choosing your service.
But, an outdated or bad headshot is worse than none, and can yield the opposite effects of those great benefits listed above.
That’s why a professional, someone who specializes in corporate headshots in Ottawa or staff photos in Ottawa, is a must for when you’re ready to update your headshot.
Here are three of the best headshot photographers in Ottawa.
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Dwayne Brown
Dwayne Brown is a corporate and headshot photographer in Ottawa. As an Ottawa headshot photographer, he specializes in LinkedIn Portraits and creative brand photos.
Dwayne has been working with Digital Mainstreet and Invest Ottawa to highlight local businesses during the Pandemic, and has some amazing photos to show for it on his website. You can also see his more creative work on his instagram page.
Dwayne and his team have experience making senior executives, team managers, office workers, healthcare professionals, and many others look their best. Dwayne’s focus is making sure everyone feels comfortable and enjoys their experience in front of the camera.
Dwayne offers group headshot packages for organizations looking to have individual and staff photos taken. A list of testimonials can be found on his Corporate Portraits page (as well as a guide for preparing for your corporate shoot with him) here.
Jemman Photography
Jemman Photography is a studio that specializes in Corporate and Brand Photography in Ottawa. As an Ottawa headshot photographer, Jemman’s headshots are modern, fun, yet professional. The team has worked with many well-known business in Ottawa to provide consistent headshots to growing organizations.
Jemman Photography specializes in making you have a great first impression with your corporate headshot, especially for those who don’t love having their photo taken.
The studio offers a turnkey solution to corporate photos – beyond booking in for corporate headshots, they also offer branding and content creation sessions. During these sessions, they will review your business and brand and develop some creative content ideas for the photoshoot that will help to capture the core values and essence of your brand through these unique photos.
More information of the full range of investments and packages Jemman Photography offers can be found on their website.
They also do great staff photos in Ottawa, as seen below.
Elizabeth and Jane
Elizabeth and Jane are a photography duo who specialize in brand photos. As Ottawa headshot photographers, they are fun to work with and offer amazing creative insights to give your brand, and your headshot, a refresh. They are talented photographers with backgrounds in graphic design, so they understand how imagery and websites flow hand-in-hand in creating a dynamic impression on potential clients. Headshots and brand photos are offered in a range of packages on their site. They offer packages complete with team photos, headshots, product photos, and any other ideas to fit your unique needs.
They also do great staff photos in Ottawa, as seen below.
Headshots: Tips & Trends
In the age of digital and social media, headshots are getting creative. Gone are the days of straightforward headshots. Instead, professionals are taking advantage of the power of modern day photographer to be creative, innovative, and fun for their corporate photos.
Smile Or No Smile?
Of course it depends on the industry, but generally, a smile is the best approach. Smiling headshots show much more personality, and science dictates that viewers will be more likely to have a positive impression (known as the mimicking technique, seeing a smile sends signals to our brain that triggers small releases of dopamine, putting us in a slightly better mood).
Show Off Your Personal Style
There are a few does and don’ts when it comes to what to wear for headshots, but a major ‘Do’ is to make sure your clothes reflect your personal style in some way. This helps you to stand out to potential clients.
On the flip side, a major ‘don’t’ is to avoid geometric patterns. On high-res photography they can be overwhelming. They also don’t foster the same feels of intellectual groundedness that solid, darker (blues, grays, burgendys) do.
Finally, avoid turtlenecks and scarves. On a backdrop, these can make you look like a ‘floating head’.

Always Look At The Camera
You should always look at the camera. This seems obvious, but new trends in brand photography sometimes place the subject in a laughing or looking away pose for a more contemporary effect. This is a great approach for photos used in other areas, but your headshot should always be looking head on. As your headshot is used to sell you and your business to potential clients, you want to make contact with them through the photo. Looking away does not make this same connection, subconsciously, with the viewer. It can even come off as cocky or unapproachable. It doesn’t show trustworthiness or directness, two things you need to communicate in your professional headshot.

Avoid Looking Nervous
This is an obvious idea, but how can it be done? Here’s a simple trick taught by media experts. When being shot professionally, pretend that the camera is a long lost friend. When you picture the camera as someone you haven’t seen in a while, your eyes will soften and your smile will appear more genuine as you trick your brain into relaxing, and not feeling so off-put by the camera.
Make Sure Your Smile Is Natural
An experienced headshot photographer will help to make sure you are comfortable and your smile is natural, but how can you help this process? Here’s three great tips for having a welcoming smile.
Firstly, try to smile slowly. It may feel odd, but as you picture that camera as a long lost friend, try to break into a slow smile. The result will be a more natural effect to your grin.
Secondly, when doing an ‘open mouth’ smile, showing your teeth, put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. This produces a better looking smile instantly. (Try it, it works!).
And last but not least, try fake (or real, if you can) laughing! It may feel odd, but fake laughing will produce a super real smile for your photos.

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