Best places for graduation photos in Ottawa

The Peace Tower and the broad lawn in front of it give a cap and gown group enough space to line up without crowding the frame. Weekdays keep the plaza clear of tour buses, and the flat paved ground makes it easy to fit a big group in one shot.

For graduation photos: a campus-adjacent backdrop that reads academic.

The open lawn above the locks gives a cap and gown crowd room to spread into rows, with Parliament Hill filling the background behind them. Steer clear of market days, and the mature trees at the edge offer shade while everyone waits their turn.

For graduation photos: room for the cap toss and the reaction.

The towpath beside the historic locks runs wide enough for a gown to trail without brushing the stone, with the Chateau Laurier rising formally behind. Morning gives the calmest water for a reflection shot, a nice bonus once the formal poses are done.

For graduation photos: a setting that suits regalia without competing with it.

Turrets and limestone give a cap and gown portrait a castle backdrop without leaving downtown, formal enough to match the occasion on its own. Interior access to the grand staircase runs by arrangement with the hotel, so line that up ahead of the day.

For graduation photos: space for family to gather after the solo frames.

The Great Hall's glass-and-granite front gives a cap and gown photo a formal, modern setting that reads nothing like a campus quad. Afternoon light through the glass tower works well for a group shot, and the plaza's paved surface handles a crowd of any size.

For graduation photos: clean architecture behind a gown and hood.

The hilltop lookout puts Parliament Hill and the river behind a cap and gown for one dramatic wide shot, worth the short climb up. Sunset lights the dome and the Gatineau hills beyond it, though the paths and steps call for careful footing in a gown.

For graduation photos: somewhere the colours of the regalia stand out.