Ottawa Fitness Photography – What Makes a Powerlifting Shoot Unique

Sean Menezes, Ottawa Fitness Photography

Jalen Lennon, Powerlifter and Personal Trainer

Similarly to most of my clients, Jalen reached out looking for Ottawa-Based Fitness Photography through Instagram. It took me no more than five minutes of scrolling to come to the conclusion, “f***, this guy’s strong.” Being quite heavily involved in the Ottawa Fitness space, I was excited for the opportunity to work together and create some incredible and unique photos.

After quickly ironing out the details we met shortly after at Power Muscle and Fitness Carlingwood, one of my favourite shoot locations.

My fitness photography philosophy is this: Keep it raw, keep it genuine, and keep it unique. Smiling at biceps isn’t something we do here. We lift heavy. We go for PRs. Jalen loved this, and immediately started loading up the bar for deadlifts. Before I knew it the bar was stacked and bending with about 585lbs.

Coupled with his passion for fitness, and vibrant personality, Jalen made this shoot incredibly unique, and here are some tips to make sure your next fitness photography photoshoot does the same!

Photoshoot Tips and Tricks

1. Come Prepared. – Before your shoot, communication is key. What style are you looking for? What photos have you seen that inspire you? Share those with your photographer! Bring multiple outfits, and your accessory equipment. Shaker bottles, weight belts, headphones and straps add unique elements that are personalized to you. These photos should capture you, in your element the way you normally train.

2. Dial in – Focus on the Lift. – During your shoot, to keep it raw and true to the moment, focus on the lift. Let the photographer slip into the background and guide you as required, but these moments are about you crushing that weight, or dialing in on the mind-muscle connection.

3. Have Fun! – It’s so easy these days to overthink things, especially during a photoshoot which isn’t something we do everyday! Embrace the novelty of it, and know those photos are going to turn out amazing! Your photographer will likely guide you but if you ever have questions or concerns, ask!

From all my photoshoots in the Ottawa Fitness Photography industry, each one is unique. And that’s what makes those photos so badass! So get out there, slam some weight, and I can’t wait to see you post those photos and PRs on insta!

If you’re looking for Ottawa Fitness Photography and don’t know where to start, give me a shout so we can make those ideas come to life together! And you don’t have to take my word for it – hear it from Jalen himself, or click the link to hear from all my other incredible clients!