Spotlight: Axel Sigurðarson for the Icelandic Cancer Society

BY 4 September 2024

Reykjavik, Iceland-based Lifestyle photographer Axel Sigurðarson recently completed a photo shoot for the Icelandic Cancer Society. The Icelandic Cancer Society (Krabbameinsfélagið) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to cancer prevention, research, and support for cancer patients and their families. Founded in 1951, the NGO works to reduce the incidence of cancer in Iceland and to help those affected. At the end of last year, the client needed new stills for their website, social media, and general marketing efforts. They brought on Axel and his long-time collaborator the Tvist agency to get the job done.

A tearsheet from The Icelandic Cancer Society featuring an older couple on a couch laughing.

Preplanning

From their years of working together, Axel and the Tvist team approached their project with the Icelandic Cancer Society with both professionalism and a spirit of collaboration.

Tvist’s creative director Sigríður Ása set up the creative brief and mood. We then collaborated on choosing the location and cast with the casting agency Arctic Productions. I assembled an excellent team for the project, which included stylist Sigrún Ásta, hair and makeup artist Kolbrún Vignisdóttir, and 1st assistant Anton Bjarni.

Children laughing while sitting on a bunk bed.

An adult man and a child preparing a dish in the kitchen.

The aim of the images was to capture sincere human moments of the love and endurance that illustrate the countless families impacted by cancer in their day to day lives.

My goal for this project was to infuse the overall image library with a sense of warmth and a feel-good atmosphere. I aimed to create visuals that evoke positive emotions and a welcoming mood, ensuring that the final images would resonate with viewers and reflect the essence of the Icelandic Cancer Society’s mission.

My Lifestyle work incorporates both authenticity and a human touch. My goal is always to ensure everyone feels good on set, hoping that this positivity shines through in the final result. I believe this approach is especially important for this project.

An older and young woman holding hands and hugging.

The Photoshoot

The shoot took place in late December 2023 at a rented location in the Reykjavík metro area.

We completed the entire shoot in one 12-hour day. We rented a beautiful house just outside Reykjavík for the project. The shoot took place on the shortest day of the year in Iceland, with only around four hours of daylight, so we did separate light setups for every scene.

A portrait of an older woman wearing a winter jacket, a scarf and a cap.

On set, there were Axel and his crew, teams from both the client and agency, as well as ten talent.

The schedule was quite tight for a single day, with numerous different setups to manage. However, the location was fantastic, offering a variety of angles both inside and outside. This versatility ultimately made everything work out in the end.

Despite the super tight schedule with numerous different setups, we managed to complete everything with good energy and enthusiasm throughout the day.