We were given the job of creating inspiring portraits for Pfizer's health and well-being campaign. I wanted a bright, lively look to highlight our positive message in the fight against cancer. The lighting aimed to resemble the warmth of sunlight, but since it was cloudy, we chose to use flash to get the effect we wanted.

Key light here was the Profoto Magnum Reflector.

When it comes to portraits, I try to create a sense of direction with the lighting. The key light has to make sense, or our eyes will pick up on it as being unnatural. If there’s no window, like in the photo below, I imagine a theatrical one and light accordingly. Hair lights play a major role in creating this look. If you pay attention to movies, there’s almost always a hair light helping to separate the subject from the background. As long as I have enough grip and space, there will always be a kiss of light on the subject’s head. If there’s no hair, I do my best to make that light as soft and subtle as possible.

A special thank you to Pfizer Montreal & Brief for organizing this photoshoot.

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