MEET JUSTIN ABERNETHY
Say hi to Justin Abernethy, our newest director and photographer based in Toronto.
A child of the late 1990’s, Justin grew up with influences of cartoons and animation, bold graphic design and the internet of the Y2K era. It’s no wonder his work is full of textures, stark contrasting tones and bursts of light and colour that create almost abstract versions of his subjects. Talk about Zillenial representation.
JUSTIN'S WORK
We don’t necessarily believe in destiny, but the stars did align just right for Justin in this Under Armour campaign, which is now in every store across the US. With 10 minutes to get the shot, he managed to turn pressure into diamonds: The campaign shines bright with the infectious energy of NFL Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver Zay Flowers and Justin’s technique. It’s giving touchdown.
Less truly is more in this campaign for Toronto label U3. Justin was given full creative freedom for this shoot, which he translated into an experiment in minimalism. By ditching overly stylized set design, Justin let the model and the clothes do all the talking. It was also his first time experimenting with a bolt arm camera and cloning effects, which we think he got just right.
Justin infused this heavy-hitting Bell x Samsung collaboration — originally created to air during the 2024 Paris Olympics — with techniques from his background in music videos. Featuring Olympic break-dancing gold-medalist Phil Wizard, this spot radiates with Justin’s signature energy.
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MOODBOARD
Justin tells us about four of his creative inspirations
A beautiful and introspective book that really makes you think about your artistic approach, and life in general. Calming and easy to read, it remains on hand to shuffle through when I’m in a creative rut, or need a fresh perspective on things.
This photo series stands out to me specifically as Grevet’s creative approach, from art direction to retouching, is completely unique. Who would have thought police dogs could have made such an interesting set element?
This NBA campaign is pure art to me. All the scenes, tableaux and action combined in this crescendoing, epic piece give me goosebumps. It makes me feel something; isn’t that what art is all about?
When I watch music videos I want the visuals to match what I’m hearing in the song. For me, this video does exactly that. The Weeknd creates a beautiful, visual metaphor of what heartbreak looks like.