A photographer has taken striking portraits of his wife, a nurse, to illustrate the importance of why we must stay home during these unprecedented times. The pictures serve as a visual reminder of the front line workers facing a daily battle against the current pandemic.

Ray Briggs, of Okushi Photography, took the images in a DIY studio he created in their garage, enlisting one of his sons as a lighting assistant. One of the predominant pictures then features his other son, as he hugs his mother, while she stares directly into the camera. “Stay home… so I can come home,” reads the accompanying caption.

The portraits were lit using a key light center and above the subject, accompanied by a rim light behind her, off to the left. A reflector was also used to the right of the frame to illuminate his son.

Briggs says the inspiration comes from wanting to tribute the commitment of all the healthcare workers currently risking their lives to save others. Posting to his Instagram, he wrote:

Let’s applaud our nurses, our doctors and all our medical field for working in the trenches and being the front line in this war against the virus. Praying we all get thru this soon, please do your part, stay home, practice social distancing and enjoy the time with family while you can.

Check out the portraits below, including a behind-the-scenes shot of the garage set-up.

See more of Ray’s work at his website or Instagram.

All images courtesy Ray Briggs of Okushi Photography, and used with permission.