The assignment sheet for the Montreal Gazette freelance gig said I had an hour with Michel Audet, Quebec's recently named designate to UNESCO, for a portrait.

I arrive a bit early to scout the place, one of the many Université Laval huge campus buildings. I find two great locations that I could use as a backdrop.

I arrive at Audet’s office at the same time as the reporter, who asks him how long he will have for us. 15 minutes. Knowing that I might not be able to get him on my previously scouted location, I start to take pictures as the journalist interview him. The office is small, there is nothing I can use as a backdrop, so I just put an off camera flash and I try to created something.

After 15 minutes, he have to leave. I ask if I can have him for 5 more minutes in the hall downstairs. I know I don’t have a lot of time, so I decide to use the second best location I found. Less potential, but safer. The other one has some mixed light with weird reflection on the floor so I want to play safe.

No time to be artsy fartsy. “Get the best picture in the time allowed”, was saying Frank O'Connor, one of my teachers at Loyalist College. I just put a side flash on a light stand and I shoot a couple of frame. “Thank you for your time, sir!”

At the end, the Gazette used the one in the office. The picture ran pretty small and I guess they wanted a tighter one.