BioTech Campaign

Been off the news beat for a bit and shooting some corporate campaigns such as this for a biotech company in San Diego. When they called they had no idea of a "look" in mind but told me 3 buzzwords they wanted to come through in the imagery. Trustworthy, visionary, and a fun place to work but serious. Now, these are Scientists so right off the bat I knew it was going to be a bit of a challenge to get relaxed employees in and out of their environments. Also, Living in San Diego, I've shot in a million labs and know they can be pretty sterile with crummy light and lots of folks who aren't used to having their pictures taken. SO, I did what I usually do. Throw on the running shoes, hit the trail and let the creative motor start running. For some reason the Torrey Pines Glider Port popped into my head. This is a beautiful spot high-up on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean with nice rugged landscapes. The word Visionary fit that mold. Relaxed and fun meant having them w/o ties and sportcoats, and trustworthy I was hoping would come through having them smile while in a nice outdoor setting.
I wanted to stay away from the normal slick, over lit style portraits and go au natural. I think one benefit was going with minimal gear, just a camera, a few lenses, and a reflector. I also planned late in the day so the light would add a bit of mood. This allowed me to be more mobile and get photos that were spontaneous and energetic. There are so many times when the best shots come in between set up situations. In fact, I usually do the "say Cheese" photos anticipating that the usable shots will be captured after those are over when the subject lets their guard down.