diagonal composition – Greg Urbano

Onions and Garlic: A Study in Chiaroscuro and Culinary Stillness

The photograph captures a still life of onions and garlic on a wooden surface, showcasing classical principles through contemporary techniques. The controlled lighting and asymmetrical balance create depth, while post-processing enhances tonal richness. This artwork engages with historical traditions, revealing how ordinary subjects can convey significant meaning through careful observation and technical precision.

Tabletop still life of whole onions and garlic bulbs arranged on a wooden surface against a dark background. — A tabletop still life of onions and garlic arranged on a wooden surface and lit against a dark background.

In this deliberate composition, the photographer demonstrates a mastery of classical still life principles while working within the constraints of contemporary digital tools. The image presents three bronze-skinned onions accompanied by two heads of garlic, arranged on weathered wood against an impenetrable black void—a setup that immediately recalls the Dutch and Spanish still life traditions of the 17th century, where humble kitchen subjects were elevated to objects of contemplation.

The technical execution reveals a sophisticated understanding of light modulation. Working with a single modified light source—a Godox V1s paired with a softbox and grid—the photographer has created a tightly controlled illumination that wraps around the subjects’ curved surfaces while maintaining crisp shadow definition. The grid attachment proves essential here, preventing light spill into the background and preserving the dramatic contrast that gives the image its gravitas. This economy of means, using just one light to achieve such dimensional modeling, speaks to both practical skill and aesthetic intentionality.

What distinguishes this work within Chapter 5’s progression from classic to experimental tabletop photography is its conscious dialogue with art historical precedent. The photographer acknowledges drawing inspiration from a tutorial source, yet the resulting image transcends mere technical exercise. The onions’ papery skins catch light with a luminosity that suggests both fragility and age, their dried stalks creating gestural elements that break the otherwise spherical regularity. The garlic bulbs, positioned in the lower quadrant, provide tonal counterpoint—their pearl-white surfaces reflecting light with greater intensity than the warmer onions above.

The compositional arrangement follows classical principles of asymmetrical balance. The three onions occupy distinct spatial planes, their positioning creating depth through overlapping forms and subtle scale variation. The leftmost onion’s dramatic upward-reaching stem introduces vertical energy, while the garlic anchors the composition’s base. This triangular organization guides the viewer’s eye through the frame in a measured, contemplative rhythm appropriate to the subject matter.

Post-processing choices, implemented through color grading in Luminar 4, enhance the image’s tonal richness without sacrificing naturalism. The warm amber-to-sienna palette suggests candlelight or late afternoon sun, though the lighting setup confirms neither. This ambiguity of light source contributes to the image’s timeless quality—it could as easily have been captured in a 17th-century Dutch kitchen as in a contemporary studio.

The weathered wooden surface provides crucial textural contrast to the subjects’ organic forms. Its rough grain and worn patina introduce narrative suggestions of use and time, transforming a simple backdrop into an active compositional element. The wood’s horizontal planking creates subtle linear structure beneath the curved biological forms above.

Within the broader context of this chapter’s exploration, this photograph occupies the “classic” end of the spectrum—demonstrating that traditional approaches retain their power when executed with technical precision and compositional intelligence. The work proves that experimentation need not always mean formal rupture; sometimes it involves mining established vocabularies with fresh attention. Here, the photographer engages in a centuries-old conversation about how light reveals form, how arrangement creates meaning, and how the ordinary, when carefully observed, achieves a quiet monumentality that rewards sustained viewing.

Color Drip: Materiality and Motion in Contemporary Still Life

This photograph showcases multicolored paint dripping over a black mannequin head, representing the photographer’s exploration of paint as both subject and medium. By removing human elements, the focus shifts to paint’s properties and gestures, merging classic still life with contemporary material investigations. The composition embodies a dynamic interplay of control and chaos.

Close-up of a black mannequin head covered in glossy, multicolored paint dripping downward against a dark background. — Multicolored paint drips over a black mannequin head in a controlled studio setup.

Within the broader context of tabletop photography’s evolution from classical arrangement to experimental intervention, this photograph represents a decisive moment in the photographer’s exploration of paint as both subject and sculptural medium. The image captures viscous streams of color—green, yellow, red, and blue—descending across a black textured surface in fluid, organic patterns that suggest simultaneous control and surrender.

The composition reveals its conceptual origins while transcending them. Inspired by a live model photograph encountered on social media, the photographer sought to recreate similar effects using a styrofoam mannequin head painted black. This substitution proves significant: by removing the human element, the work shifts focus entirely to the material properties of paint itself—its weight, viscosity, and the temporal nature of its movement. The textured black surface, likely meant to simulate skin or hair, instead becomes an abstract topography across which color flows according to gravitational and physical laws.

Technically, the photograph demonstrates sophisticated handling of surface and light. The glossy quality of the wet paint creates highlights that map the three-dimensional contours beneath, while the matte black texture provides counterpoint and depth. The color palette—primary hues plus white—reads as deliberately elemental, avoiding the complexity of mixed tones in favor of pure chromatic statement. Each rivulet maintains its individual identity even as the colors converge and overlap, creating secondary interactions at their edges without complete integration.

The formal composition operates through diagonal movement and asymmetrical balance. The paint flows establish dynamic vectors across the frame, leading the eye downward and around the curved forms. The black areas function as negative space that gives structure to the chromatic chaos, while the textured surface adds a reptilian or industrial quality that complicates the otherwise organic flow patterns. This tension between the fluid and the fixed, the organic and the manufactured, activates the image beyond mere documentation of an experimental process.

As one of the first edits from this experimental series, the photograph captures the photographer working through ideas in real time. There exists a certain rawness here—an directness in the setup and execution that speaks to initial discovery rather than refined methodology. The black background isolates the subject completely, a studio technique that emphasizes formal relationships over contextual meaning. This approach aligns with classic tabletop photography’s concern with controlled environments, even as the unpredictable paint drips push toward the experimental end of the chapter’s spectrum.

Within Chapter 5’s framework, this piece marks a transition from static arrangement toward time-based phenomena. The dripping paint implies duration—the moment before and after this frozen instant. Unlike traditional still life’s carefully positioned objects, here the photographer choreographs a performance, then selects the decisive moment from its unfolding. The work thus bridges historical still life concerns with contemporary interests in process, materiality, and the indexical trace.

What emerges is less a portrait substitute than an investigation into how materials behave under specific conditions. The styrofoam head becomes armature, the paint becomes protagonist, and the photograph itself becomes evidence of an ephemeral sculptural event. It represents the photographer thinking through his medium, testing possibilities, and documenting the results with the clarity and precision his technical skill affords.

Joy

Joy’s portraiture, captured during a studio session in Denver, exemplifies contemporary photography that harmonizes technical prowess with intimate atmosphere. Using controlled lighting and thoughtful composition, the image showcases Joy’s comfort and presence. It reflects the photographer’s growth in creating authentic portrayals within collaborative workshop settings, emphasizing spontaneity amidst structure.

Woman lies on her stomach on a bed with pillows, looking toward the camera in a softly lit indoor space. — Joy reclines on a bed during a studio session at Headquarters in Denver, Colorado.

Within Chapter 4 of Greg Urbano’s Top 100 Journey—a section dedicated to studio, outdoor, and workshop portraiture—this photograph stands as a compelling study in contemporary portraiture that balances technical precision with an atmosphere of relaxed intimacy. Captured during the Sunday Night Meets sessions at the Headquarters in Denver, Colorado, the image demonstrates the photographer’s evolving command of controlled lighting environments and his ability to translate spontaneity into refined compositional structure.

The subject, identified simply as Joy, reclines across a bed adorned with an array of textured pillows in warm earth tones—burnt orange, cream, and cognac leather—that create a sophisticated color palette against crisp white linens. Her pose suggests ease and self-possession, legs bent upward, body stretched diagonally across the frame in a manner that fills the space without appearing contrived. The composition guides the viewer’s eye from her contemplative expression through the length of her form, utilizing the diagonal as a classical device to create visual momentum within an otherwise still domestic scene.

Technically, the photographer employed a Sony A7ii paired with an 85mm f/1.8 lens, supplemented by a Godox V1s flash fired through a shoot-through umbrella. This setup reveals a deliberate approach to managing the challenge of interior lighting. The umbrella modifier produces soft, directional illumination that wraps around the subject’s features and limbs, creating gentle gradations of shadow that model form without harsh contrast. The 85mm focal length, a portrait standard, maintains proper perspective while allowing sufficient working distance in what appears to be a modest interior space. The choice to augment available window light with flash demonstrates an understanding that control, rather than pure naturalism, often serves the portrait best.

The environmental context—a workshop setting where photographers gather to practice and experiment—adds significance to the technical choices evident here. Such collaborative sessions demand efficiency and adaptability, requiring the photographer to balance artistic vision with the practical constraints of shared time and space. That this image emerged from such circumstances speaks to his ability to synthesize technical preparation with responsive observation, recognizing and capturing moments of genuine presence even within structured shooting scenarios.

Post-processing in Skylum’s Luminar 4 has yielded a polished yet authentic aesthetic. The skin tones register warmly against the cooler neutrals of the background, while the overall color grading maintains consistency with the chapter’s broader visual language. The photographer has avoided the temptation toward heavy manipulation, instead allowing the fundamental strength of the capture—lighting, composition, and subject rapport—to carry the image.

Within the trajectory of Chapter 4, this photograph represents the photographer’s progression from purely technical competency toward a more holistic understanding of portraiture as collaborative performance. The subject’s comfort before the camera, the thoughtfully curated environment, and the measured application of artificial light combine to create an image that feels both intentional and uncontrived. It exemplifies the workshop paradigm at its most productive: controlled conditions that paradoxically enable spontaneity, resulting in portraiture that documents not just appearance, but a quality of presence that transcends the specifics of its making.

Portrait Slam 2024

Portrait Slam 2024 features Frank Graziano posed on a vintage railroad car, showcasing a blend of environmental portraiture and technical skill. The composition balances subject and setting, using light and shadow effectively. This portrait reflects the photographer’s evolution, integrating contemporary styling with Americana themes, and highlights a confident approach to on-location shooting.

Man wearing a hat stands on the side steps of a black railroad car, looking to the side. — Frank Graziano poses on a railroad car at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado.

The photographer captures Frank Graziano in a moment of studied nonchalance, balanced on the step of a vintage railroad car against the industrial textures of riveted steel and weathered paint. This image, created during Portrait Slam 2024 at the Colorado Railroad Museum, exemplifies the photographer’s growing confidence in environmental portraiture—a technical and conceptual evolution clearly marked within Chapter 4 of his Top 100 Journey project.

What immediately distinguishes this portrait is its sophisticated balance between subject and setting. The railroad car’s dark, rivet-studded surface creates a powerful geometric frame, yet never overwhelms Graziano’s presence. The model’s positioning—one foot planted on the step, the other casually lifted, holding a vertical rail—demonstrates a dynamic use of diagonal lines that pulls the viewer’s eye through the composition. His cowboy hat and leather jacket evoke classic Americana, while the contemporary styling prevents the image from slipping into pastiche or nostalgia.

The photographer’s technical execution reveals careful consideration of light and shadow. The overcast sky provides even, diffused illumination that preserves detail across both the subject’s face and the textured metal surface behind him. This soft light wraps around Graziano’s features, creating subtle modeling without harsh shadows—a particularly important choice given the industrial setting’s potential to create competing visual elements. The muted color palette of charcoal grays, weathered browns, and faded blacks creates tonal harmony while allowing the warm leather tones of the hat to serve as a visual anchor.

Within the context of Chapter 4—Portraits Studio, Outdoor & Workshop Work—this image demonstrates the photographer’s ability to synthesize controlled studio techniques with the spontaneity of location work. Workshop environments often push photographers beyond their comfort zones, and this portrait suggests someone working confidently with both the challenges and opportunities of on-location shooting. The inclusion of the “KEEP OFF” text, partially visible in the frame, adds an element of subtle irony: the subject occupies precisely the forbidden space, transforming restriction into creative possibility.

The railroad setting serves as more than mere backdrop. It functions as visual metaphor—the convergence of journey, transit, and transitional spaces that resonates with the photographer’s larger Top 100 Journey project. The industrial heritage embedded in the railroad car’s weathered surface speaks to American mythology and masculine archetypes, themes Graziano’s styling deliberately engages while maintaining contemporary relevance.

From a curatorial perspective, this photograph marks a maturation in the photographer’s approach to environmental portraiture. Earlier works in his portfolio occasionally struggled with the balance between subject and location; here, both elements coexist in productive tension. The composition’s structured geometry—the vertical rails, horizontal platform, the rectangular frames within frames—creates order without rigidity, allowing Graziano’s natural pose to feel both choreographed and spontaneous.

The image’s inclusion in the Top 100 Journey project reflects its successful synthesis of technical skill, conceptual clarity, and visual impact. It demonstrates how workshop environments can push photographers toward their strongest work, combining the pressure of limited time with the inspiration of new locations and collaborative energy. The result is a portrait that honors both its subject and its setting, creating a narrative that extends beyond the single frozen moment into broader considerations of place, identity, and American visual mythology.

Venice Fishing Pier Sunset: Mastering the Fundamentals of Light

Greg Urbano’s sunset photograph of the Venice Fishing Pier exemplifies the intersection of technical skill and artistic sensibility in landscape photography. Through meticulous use of exposure and composition, Urbano captures a moment where structured permanence meets the fluidity of nature, showcasing balanced tones and dynamic movement in a serene coastal scene.

Sunset photograph of the Venice Fishing Pier in Florida, showing the pier extending into the Gulf of Mexico with golden reflections on calm water. — Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico with the Venice Fishing Pier in the background, captured in a long exposure.

Within Greg Urbano’s “Beginnings” chapter, this sunset photograph of the Venice Fishing Pier represents a photographer coming to terms with landscape photography’s essential discipline: the patient orchestration of light, water, and architecture. Shot along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the image demonstrates technical competence married to an emerging aesthetic sensibility—a combination that marks the transition from enthusiast to serious practitioner.

The technical execution reveals deliberate choices that elevate this beyond a simple sunset snapshot. Using a Nikon D610 with an 18-35mm lens set to 28mm, Urbano selected an aperture of f/18 to maximize depth of field, ensuring sharpness from the foreground water to the distant pier structure. The 13-second exposure at ISO 100 transforms the Gulf of Mexico into a silken plane, smoothing the texture of incoming waves into an ethereal blue gradient. This long exposure technique—fundamental to seascape photography—requires both technical knowledge and patience, waiting for the precise moment when light, tide, and atmospheric conditions align.

The composition demonstrates sophisticated spatial awareness. The pier’s diagonal thrust from lower right to upper left creates dynamic movement through the frame, leading the viewer’s eye from the silky foreground water toward the structure’s vanishing point. The rhythmic repetition of pier supports establishes a visual cadence, their angular geometry contrasting beautifully with the organic flow of water and clouds. An American flag atop the pier adds a vertical accent and a touch of patriotic iconography without overwhelming the scene’s natural beauty.

What distinguishes this photograph is Urbano’s treatment of light. The setting sun hovers just above the horizon line, its golden warmth reflected in a shimmering path across the water’s surface. The exposure balances multiple tonal zones expertly: the brilliant sun doesn’t blow out to featureless white, the shadowed pier structure retains detail, and the water holds both luminous highlights and cool, deep blues. This tonal control suggests a photographer who understands exposure compensation and potentially uses graduated neutral density filters or careful post-processing to manage the scene’s extreme dynamic range.

The sky deserves particular attention. Wispy cirrus clouds stretch across the frame in delicate streaks, their feathered patterns creating texture and visual interest in what might otherwise be empty blue space. The interplay between warm sunset tones near the horizon and cooler blues above establishes atmospheric depth, giving the image a sense of vast space and coastal openness.

As a “Beginnings” chapter work, this photograph represents mastery of landscape photography fundamentals. The long exposure technique, the careful attention to composition and leading lines, the patient waiting for optimal light—these are the building blocks upon which more experimental work can later be constructed. There’s confidence here, a photographer who has moved beyond technical uncertainty into intentional image-making.

The Venice Pier becomes more than a documentary subject; it transforms into a meditation on structure and impermanence. The solid, engineered permanence of the pier contrasts with the fluid, ever-changing water—a tension made visible through photographic technique. Urbano captures not just a place, but a moment of perfect equilibrium between human construction and natural forces, all bathed in the transient golden light that photographers chase endlessly along coastlines worldwide.