Brandon Barnard Places as Finalist in Profoto’s Global Share the Light Challenge
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Johannesburg-based photographer Brandon Barnard has been named a finalist and second runner-up in Profoto’s prestigious Share the Light Challenge, competing against photographers from around the world in the fifth round of the Race for the Gold series.
The challenge brief called on photographers to master the balance between ambient light and flash, a discipline that sits at the heart of Brandon’s outdoor fashion work.
The Shot
The Creative Vision
Brandon’s entry drew inspiration from the iconic fashion photography of Peter Lindbergh, channelling the classic Young Hollywood Glamour aesthetic that defined Lindbergh’s work. Shooting at golden hour in a Johannesburg industrial location, Brandon had to work quickly against the intensity of the African sunset, a light source that is both beautiful and technically demanding.
In Brandon’s own words:
“I wanted to create that classic Peter Lindbergh photograph, Young Hollywood Glamour. Being in Johannesburg, it was a real challenge to style this shoot, but I managed to find the lights and location to craft that look as our actress was stepping onto set. From a technical point of view, our African sunset is extremely hot and bright even at sunset, so I had to shoot quickly and balance the power of the strobe to add to the image, rather than overpower it and make it look like studio flash.”
Behind the Scenes
Lighting Diagram
This recognition on a global platform is a testament to Brandon's ability to read and shape light under real-world conditions.
Profoto unveiled the winner of Round 5 live on their YouTube channel, with judges Lee and Patrick reviewing the top submissions and discussing what made each finalist’s work stand out. Watch the full reveal below to see Brandon’s image featured and hear the judging panel’s commentary on the challenge entries.
Technical Breakdown
For this shoot, Brandon used the Profoto B1, a powerful 500Ws portable monolight, paired with the Profoto Softbox RFi Octa Silver 3 ft and a 515 mm grid to shape and control the flash output precisely. The grid ensured the light remained directional and focused on the subject without spilling into the surrounding scene, whilst the silver interior of the octabox added contrast and specular quality to complement the warm tones of the setting sun. Three practical tungsten lights were positioned on set as both ambient fill and compositional elements, contributing to the cinematic depth of the final image. Brandon shot on a Leica with a 24–70 mm lens at 1/250s, f/5.6 and ISO 200, settings that allowed the ambient sunset to remain present in the frame whilst the strobe added controlled fill rather than dominating the exposure.
Brandon Barnard’s featured work demonstrates the technical mastery and creative storytelling that defines professional portrait photography. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Brandon works with clients internationally. Explore our fashion photography services or view our gallery to see how we can create compelling portraits that tell your story.