The 8 Best Portrait Photographers in Cincinnati

Paris of America, the Queen City, Porkopolis — Cincinnati has as many names as it does portrait photographers. Classic formal portraits? Monochrome or color? There are so many choices and styles out there. As a result, choosing a photographer can be a hassle if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Fortunately, we’ve found the most talented Cincinnati portrait photographers. Enjoy the work of these shutterbugs!

1. Helen Adams

Helen boasts decades’ worth of portrait photography experience, making her one of our top choices for best portrait photographers in Cincinnati. She finds her love of portraiture fueled by an endless curiosity about people, as well as a love of connection. Named “Best Family Photographer” by Cincinnati Magazine and “Best Children’s Photographer” by All About Kids Magazine, Helen is different in that much of her work is meant to be displayed as family heirloom pieces. These works feature closely cropped subjects, tidy backgrounds, and colors ranging from muted to vivid, depending on the tastes of her clients.

2. Louise Erdeljohn

Specializing in headshots and portraiture, Louise has clients that include actors, models, executives, LinkedIn professionals, and much more. She uses a very clean and modern style of portraits that’s consistent in application. In her words: “I try to be consistent in the work I offer for my clients so they are comfortable in knowing that I will provide them with something familiar.” Clean backgrounds, even lighting, and perfect skin tones are a major part of her work.

3. Angela Talentino Kurkian and Erica Milligan of Essenza Studio

Master photographer Angela and studio manager/photographer Erica make for a powerful duo. The former holds a collection of regional and national awards for her work, including the Kodak Gallery Award and the Fuji Masterpiece Awards offered by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Angela’s covered families and weddings in Cincinnati since 1994 and has extensive experience with both the subject and the city itself. We love that she fills the frames with her subjects and isn’t afraid to get up close and personal! Traditional portraits often give space around the head and shoulders yet feel distant and not nearly as intimate as her work. Erica is a member of the PPA, and she has had her work featured in a book published by the prestigious Loan Collection.

4. Jeremy Kramer

Bold, artistic, rich with stunning detail and hand-picked elements — that’s how we’d begin to describe Jeremy’s work. His portraiture ranges from classic to editorial to fine-art styled, with quite a bit of crossover. His knowledge of lighting is fantastic as well — even in the outdoors, he’s a fan of off-camera lighting elements. Some of his clients include Google, Amazon, ESPN Magazine, and other brand names.

5. Anne Gregoire

Photographing families, children, and newborns comes naturally to Anne. She finds inspiration from capturing connection among families and the spontaneous joy of children. Anne has a studio space in Cincinnati for newborn and child photography, as well as works on location for children and families as well. Her outdoor family photography is especially eye-catching, thanks to golden-hour highlights creating a soft, magical feeling.

6. Mike Schalk

Mike is a portrait, event, and headshot photographer with a love of earth tones, monochrome, and subjects that fill the frames of his shots. He shoots both in studio and on location in the outdoors. He’s accomplished at capturing not just beautiful smiles but moments of connection, which are evident in his family and event images.

7. Alex & Corey of Larrison Photography

Alex and Corey are a married photography duo, and they shoot events, portraits, businesses, weddings, and senior portraits across Cincinnati. They summarize their style quite nicely: “We love simple, natural, good photography. No crazy poses, no weird post-processing.” Looking through their work, that’s definitely the case. Greenery often frames outdoor images and natural light fills in soft skin tones, but all of it is natural and tasteful.

8. Vickie & Mark of Studio 66

The co-owners of Studio 66, Mark and Vickie, collaborate on wedding, event, corporate headshots, and portrait work in Cincinnati. Vickie’s background is in weddings and portraiture, while Mark specializes in architectural and corporate photography. Their style is classic, with a mixture of wide-angle posed portraits, closeup smiles, and formal poses. Churches, beaches, parks, farms — Vickie and Mark shoot everywhere and have the talent and tech to bring out your best self!

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