How a photographer used a stray flash to make star Greta Gerwig look ethereal

CANNES, France — Daniel Cole, a freelance photographer who does extensive work for The Associated Press, mostly in southern France, spends the majority of his time covering hard news. But he takes great joy in spending nearly two weeks each May in a tuxedo, covering the glamourous Cannes Film Festival, where he can push the creativity of his photos even farther. Yet the Cannes Film Festival has become one of my favorite assignments: a non-stop two weeks with no shortage of glamorous looks or Hollywood star power. But I immediately knew I had something interesting when I noticed the catch flash — light from another photographer’s flash — across the face of “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig, this year’s festival jury president.