85mm lens – Greg Urbano

Elkins Apple Spiced Liqueur: Vernacular Object as Subject

The photograph of Elkins Apple Spiced Liqueur exemplifies a blend of commercial product photography and fine art still life, using classical composition techniques. The arrangement of the bottle with apples and cinnamon sticks highlights flavor context while demonstrating technical skill in lighting and focus. The image showcases an accessible beauty in everyday items, merging artistic intent with commercial appeal.

Bottle of Elkins Apple Spiced Liqueur on a wooden surface with red apples and cinnamon sticks against a dark background. — Elkins Apple Spiced Liqueur is photographed with apples and cinnamon sticks in a studio still life.

This photograph demonstrates the photographer’s engagement with commercial product photography conventions while maintaining artistic intentionality characteristic of fine art still life practice. The composition centers on a bottle of Elkins Apple Spiced Liqueur from Estes Park, Colorado, flanked by red apples and cinnamon sticks—elements that function both as contextual reinforcement of the product’s flavor profile and as formal echoes of color and shape within the frame.

The arrangement follows classical still life principles: objects positioned on a weathered wooden surface against a dark, graduated background that moves from deep black to subtle illumination. This chiaroscuro approach recalls Dutch Golden Age painting traditions, where selective lighting carves form from darkness and imbues everyday objects with weight and presence. The bottle’s amber-red liquid becomes luminous against the void, while the apples emerge from shadow with enough detail to register their texture and mass without competing for primary focus.

Technically, the image reveals deliberate choices in equipment and lighting strategy. Shot with a Sony A7ii and 85mm f/1.8 lens, the photographer employs a focal length typically reserved for portraiture, which compresses space slightly and allows selective focus while maintaining natural perspective. The use of a Godox softbox combined with a secondary flash creates dimensional lighting—the main light source appears positioned to camera right, creating highlights on the bottle’s curved surface and label while the fill light softens shadows without eliminating them entirely. This two-light setup produces the polished yet natural quality that distinguishes professional product photography from amateur attempts.

The label itself becomes a compositional element worth examining. Its vintage-inspired design, complete with wheat motif and hand-drawn typography, speaks to contemporary craft distillery aesthetics that reference historical authenticity. The photographer allows this graphic element full legibility, understanding that typography and branding function as visual information within the frame. The cork cap with its branded sleeve adds vertical interest and completes the bottle’s narrative as an artisanal product.

Within Chapter 5’s spectrum from classic to experimental still life, this work occupies the classical end—a straightforward, beautifully executed product study that prioritizes clarity, atmosphere, and material fidelity over conceptual disruption. Yet the photographer’s decision to include this image in his top 100 suggests recognition that mastery of foundational approaches remains essential even as one pushes toward experimental territories. The work demonstrates technical competence: precise focus, appropriate depth of field, balanced exposure across a challenging tonal range, and color palette that feels both rich and naturalistic.

The supporting elements—grocery store apples and cinnamon sticks—ground the image in accessible reality rather than aspirational luxury. This democratic approach to sourcing props reflects contemporary still life practice that finds beauty in the everyday rather than the exotic. The wooden surface, likely the photographer’s own workspace, bears authentic wear that reads as character rather than distress.

Post-processing in Luminar 4 appears restrained, enhancing rather than transforming the captured scene. The final image possesses the polish of commercial work while retaining the considered composition and atmospheric quality that elevates it to fine art documentation of material culture and regional craft production.

Gabby: The Architecture of Gesture and High-Key Simplicity

Gabby’s portrait, taken in Denver, showcases the photographer’s shift from low-key to high-key aesthetics, emphasizing brightness and minimalism. Using a Sony A7ii and 85mm lens, the image focuses on the subject’s form and style against a white background. The composition blends casual glamour with commercial appeal, highlighting sophisticated color and texture relationships.

Woman seated on a rolling studio stool against a white background, arms raised behind her head, wearing a sleeveless top and fitted pants. — Gabby poses seated on a stool during a studio portrait session in Denver, Colorado.

This portrait of Gabby, captured at The Headquarter in Denver, exemplifies the photographer’s exploration of high-key studio aesthetics within Chapter 4 of his Top 100 Journey. Where previous work in this chapter has leaned toward dramatic low-key lighting and theatrical darkness, this image pivots toward brightness and negative space, demonstrating the photographer’s versatility in handling opposing approaches to studio portraiture.

The technical foundation remains consistent with his established toolkit: the Sony A7ii paired with the 85mm f/1.8 lens, complemented by Godox V1s flash modified through a shoot-through umbrella. However, the application of this equipment yields an entirely different visual language. The near-white background floods the frame with luminosity, creating an environment where the subject exists in a floating, dimensionless space. This deliberate elimination of context shifts the viewer’s attention entirely onto the subject’s form, gesture, and the carefully constructed interplay of textures and colors.

The composition centers on a moment of suspended motion—arms raised to manipulate cascading blonde hair, the subject positioned on a chrome office chair that introduces an unexpected element of contemporary banality into what might otherwise read as pure fashion imagery. This juxtaposition between the mundane object and the styled subject creates a productive tension. The chair, with its visible wheels and utilitarian design, grounds the photograph in the reality of the studio space while the subject’s pose and styling lift the image toward aspirational fashion photography.

Color relationships anchor the visual hierarchy. The vibrant magenta top creates the primary focal point at the composition’s center, while the black faux-fur vest provides textural complexity and tonal contrast. Below, leather leggings in glossy black establish a continuous dark field that culminates in zebra-print platform booties—a detail that injects pattern and visual interest at the composition’s base. This vertical arrangement of color and texture demonstrates sophisticated styling that the photographer captures without interference, allowing the wardrobe choices to speak clearly against the minimal background.

The pose itself warrants examination. With arms raised and gaze directed away from the camera, the subject embodies a moment of casual glamour—not performing for the lens but existing within her own contemplative space. This approach to direction, whether collaborative or specifically guided, results in imagery that feels less like traditional portraiture and more akin to editorial fashion work. The photographer captures not just appearance but attitude, a quality that elevates studio work beyond documentation.

Within the broader context of Chapter 4, this photograph represents the photographer’s engagement with clean, commercial aesthetics. Where other images in this collection embrace complexity through dramatic lighting or environmental context, “Gabby” finds its power in reduction and clarity. The high-key approach requires precise exposure management—overexposure would flatten the image entirely, while underexposure would render the background gray rather than white. The successful execution here suggests a photographer increasingly confident in technical precision.

Post-processing in Luminar 4 maintains this clarity, with adjustments that preserve the luminous quality of the scene while ensuring adequate separation between subject and background. The result is an image that functions equally well as a portfolio piece, an editorial illustration, or a study in contemporary portrait methodology.

Gnatty Jessica Rabbit: A Study in Theatrical Light and Character Translation

Gnatty Sparkles embodies Jessica Rabbit in a portrait by Greg Urbano, showcasing a blend of pop culture and classical techniques. Set against a dark background, expert lighting highlights the figure and costume details. The image balances theatricality with technical skill, reflecting the photographer’s evolving prowess in creative collaborations.

Woman in a red sequined dress and purple gloves holding a vintage-style microphone against a black background. — Gnatty Sparkles poses as Jessica Rabbit during a studio portrait session in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Within Chapter 4 of Greg Urbano’s Top 100 Journey—dedicated to portrait work spanning studio environments, outdoor sessions, and workshop collaborations—this striking interpretation of Jessica Rabbit through cosplayer Gnatty Sparkles represents a convergence of pop culture iconography and classical portraiture techniques. The photograph demonstrates the photographer’s evolving command of controlled lighting environments and his willingness to embrace theatrical subject matter without sacrificing compositional rigor.

Shot at Old Town Yoga in downtown Fort Collins, the image immediately establishes its vocabulary through the absolute darkness of its background. This void serves not merely as negative space but as a deliberate framing device that forces the viewer’s attention onto the subject with an intensity reminiscent of Baroque portraiture. The photographer employs a Sony A7ii paired with an 85mm f/1.8 lens—a combination favored for its ability to render flattering compression and subtle depth separation in portrait work. The addition of a Godox V1s flash modified through a shoot-through umbrella provides the soft, directional illumination that sculpts the figure from the darkness.

The technical execution reveals a photographer comfortable working within the constraints of artificial lighting. The catch lights in the subject’s eyes confirm the umbrella placement, while the gradual falloff from highlight to shadow demonstrates careful attention to light-to-subject distance. This is not flash photography that announces itself harshly; rather, it mimics the quality of continuous studio lighting while maintaining the power and flexibility of strobe work.

What distinguishes this image within the chapter’s broader context is its negotiation between documentary portraiture and fantasy realization. The subject’s embodiment of Jessica Rabbit—the animated femme fatale from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”—demands a heightened reality that traditional portrait work might resist. The photographer accommodates this through his lighting choices, creating drama without veering into caricature. The sequined red dress catches and fractures the light into countless micro-reflections, a technical challenge that could easily overwhelm the sensor or create distracting hot spots. Here, the exposure maintains detail within these specular highlights while preserving the richness of the red tones.

The purple opera gloves introduce a complementary color relationship that prevents the image from becoming monotonous in its red-black palette. This attention to color theory—whether conscious or intuitive—suggests a developing sophistication in the photographer’s approach to more theatrical subject matter. The pose itself, with the microphone held close and the subject’s gaze directed past the camera, creates narrative ambiguity. Is this a performance captured mid-song, or a constructed tableau referencing performance?

Post-processing in Luminar 4 indicates a workflow focused on refinement rather than transformation. The skin tones retain a natural quality despite the artificial lighting environment, and the overall tonality suggests selective adjustments rather than heavy-handed filtering. This restraint allows the photograph’s essential qualities—the lighting, the costume, the subject’s expression—to register without distraction.

Within the trajectory of Chapter 4, this image represents the photographer’s engagement with workshop and collaborative environments where subjects arrive with specific creative visions. The success of such work depends on the photographer’s ability to serve that vision while maintaining their own technical and aesthetic standards—a balance this photograph achieves with confident precision.

Kelly

PKelly R. Bienfang’s studio portrait captures the essence of minimalist photography, focusing on the subject against a clean white backdrop. Utilizing controlled lighting and strategic posing, the image showcases the photographer’s skill and adaptability. It highlights the evolving rapport between photographer and subject, emphasizing the importance of genuine collaboration in achieving impactful portraits.

Woman with long light brown hair posing against a white background, one arm raised to her head, wearing a sleeveless top. — PKelly R. Bienfang poses during a studio portrait session in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This portrait from Chapter 4 of Greg Urbano’s Top 100 Journey exemplifies the photographer’s refined approach to studio portraiture, demonstrating how minimalist environments and controlled lighting can distill a subject’s presence to its essential elements. Captured at Old Town Yoga in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado, the image reveals the photographer’s ability to transform functional spaces into effective portrait studios, a skill central to the chapter’s exploration of diverse shooting contexts.

The composition centers on the subject, Kelly, photographed against a pure white backdrop that eliminates all contextual information, focusing attention entirely on her form, expression, and movement. Her pose—arm raised to gather flowing hair, head tilted, gaze directed toward the camera—suggests a moment caught between deliberate positioning and natural gesture. The wind-swept quality of her hair introduces dynamic motion into an otherwise static studio setup, creating visual energy that prevents the portrait from settling into conventional headshot territory.

The photographer’s technical execution demonstrates consistent mastery of the equipment established throughout this chapter. Working with the Sony A7ii and 85mm f/1.8 lens, supplemented by a Godox V1s flash modified through a shoot-through umbrella, he has created illumination that reads as both bright and dimensioned. The lighting wraps evenly across the subject’s features while maintaining sufficient shadow information to model her facial structure and the curves of her shoulders and arms. The high-key approach—white background, luminous skin tones—requires precise exposure control to prevent blown highlights while retaining textural detail in hair and fabric.

Color becomes a critical compositional element in this reduced visual field. The deep burgundy of Kelly’s garment provides the primary chromatic accent against the neutral backdrop and warm skin tones, creating a complementary relationship that anchors the eye. The photographer has allowed the subject’s honey-blonde hair to cascade freely, its varied tones adding subtle complexity to the upper portion of the frame. Post-processing in Luminar 4 has yielded clean, commercial-quality results—polished without appearing artificial, enhanced without sacrificing the authentic quality of skin and texture.

Within the broader context of Chapter 4, this photograph represents the studio portrait in its most distilled form. While other works in this series incorporate environmental elements or natural light scenarios, this image strips away such variables to focus purely on subject, light, and photographer’s vision. The setting at Old Town Yoga—likely chosen for its available space and clean backgrounds rather than thematic connection—underscores the photographer’s adaptability, his capacity to identify and utilize whatever resources a location offers.

The portrait also reflects evolving confidence in direction and collaboration. The pose suggests active guidance rather than passive documentation, indicating the photographer’s growing comfort in shaping rather than merely recording moments. Kelly’s ease before the camera—the natural grace of her gesture, the direct engagement of her gaze—speaks to successful rapport between photographer and subject, that intangible but essential element of portrait work that transcends technical proficiency.

This image stands as evidence of the photographer’s progression toward professional fluency in controlled portrait environments, demonstrating that compelling imagery emerges not from elaborate setups but from clear vision executed with precision.

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.

Mike Groth: Classical Studio Portraiture and the Language of Formality

Mike Groth’s studio portrait, featured in Chapter 4 of the Top 100 Journey, exemplifies traditional portraiture through controlled lighting and composition. Shot at Old Town Yoga Studio, the image focuses on character and presence, utilizing a classic backdrop and professional techniques. Its formal simplicity highlights the subject’s confidence, making it versatile across various contexts.

Mike Groth is photographed in a studio portrait at Old Town Yoga Studio in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Within Chapter 4 of the photographer’s Top 100 Journey, this portrait of Mike Groth represents a return to the foundational principles of studio portraiture—controlled lighting, deliberate composition, and the timeless formality of traditional headshot aesthetics. Shot at the Old Town Yoga Studio in Fort Collins, Colorado, the image demonstrates the photographer’s facility with classic studio techniques while exploring the psychological dimensions of formal masculine presentation.

The technical execution adheres to established conventions of corporate and editorial portraiture. Utilizing a Sony A7ii with an 85mm f/1.8 lens, the photographer has positioned his subject against a pure black backdrop, eliminating all environmental context to focus entirely on character and presence. A Godox V1s flash paired with a shoot-through umbrella provides the primary illumination—a traditional modifier choice that produces soft, diffused light with gentle shadow gradation across the subject’s features. This approach creates dimensional modeling without the harsh contrast of direct flash, revealing the contours of the face while maintaining a polished, professional quality.

The composition centers the subject in a classical three-quarter view, shoulders angled slightly to create visual interest while the face turns toward the camera. This positioning—neither fully frontal nor profile—has been a cornerstone of portraiture since the Renaissance, offering both dimensionality and direct engagement. The subject’s formal attire—dark suit, white shirt, burgundy tie—reinforces the traditional corporate aesthetic, while his neutral expression and direct gaze suggest confidence tempered with approachability.

What distinguishes this work within the photographer’s broader practice is its embrace of restraint. Where other images in Chapter 4 explore environmental integration and spontaneous moments, this portrait strips away context to examine how lighting, posture, and expression alone can convey character. The black void backdrop functions not merely as a neutral background but as an active element, creating psychological weight and directing all attention to the subtle details: the catch lights in the eyes, the texture of facial hair, the precise fall of shadow along the jawline.

The post-processing in Luminar 4 maintains the studio’s carefully controlled atmosphere. Skin tones are rendered with natural warmth while preserving texture and detail. The lighting reveals itself as directional yet forgiving, highlighting the subject’s facial structure without creating unflattering shadows. This balance between revelation and flattery characterizes effective professional portraiture—honest without being harsh, polished without appearing artificial.

Within the context of Chapter 4’s mission to document studio, outdoor, and workshop methodologies, this image anchors the studio component with particular authority. It demonstrates that contemporary portrait photography need not abandon classical techniques in pursuit of innovation. The photographer’s choice to work within established conventions reflects an understanding that certain approaches endure precisely because they succeed in their essential task: revealing the subject’s presence and character with clarity and dignity.

The formal simplicity of this portrait allows it to function across multiple contexts—editorial, corporate, archival. This versatility speaks to the photographer’s understanding of portraiture not merely as artistic expression but as functional communication. As part of the Top 100 Journey, the image represents a technical benchmark, showcasing the fundamental competencies upon which more experimental work can build. It is portraiture in its most distilled form: light, subject, and the photographer’s ability to orchestrate their interaction with precision and purpose.

Maia del Mazo Urban : A Study in Contemporary Youth Portraiture

Maia del Mazo’s portrait, captured in Old Town Fort Collins, exemplifies the intersection of contemporary youth culture and environmental portraiture. Utilizing natural light and artificial enhancement, the photographer balances technical precision with spontaneity. The subject’s confident pose and styling reflect a subcultural moment, fostering an authentic connection with the viewer.

Woman wearing red shorts and knee-high socks crouches on a concrete surface in an urban setting with bright sky behind her. — Maia del Mazo poses in an urban location in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado.

Within Chapter 4 of the photographer’s Top 100 Journey—dedicated to studio, outdoor, and workshop portraiture—this image of Maia del Mazo emerges as a compelling examination of contemporary youth culture and environmental portraiture. Shot in Old Town Fort Collins, Colorado, the photograph demonstrates the artist’s evolving command of natural light augmented by carefully controlled artificial illumination, a technical approach that has become increasingly refined throughout this chapter of his documentary project.

The composition presents the subject in a confident, grounded squat position against a minimalist architectural backdrop. Her styling—vintage band aesthetic meeting modern streetwear, complete with floral combat boots, striped knee socks, and layered chokers—speaks to a specific subcultural moment. The photographer has positioned her centrally within the frame, allowing the clean lines of the urban architecture to recede into soft focus, creating negative space that amplifies the subject’s presence rather than competing with it.

Technically, the image represents a sophisticated balance between available daylight and artificial enhancement. Shot with a Sony A7ii paired with an 85mm f/1.8 lens, the photographer employed a handheld Godox V1s flash without modification—a bold choice that suggests confidence in reading ambient conditions. The direct flash technique produces a subtle fill that lifts shadows without flattening the image’s dimensionality, while the 85mm focal length compresses the background just enough to isolate the figure without creating unnatural bokeh. The slight wind-swept quality of the subject’s hair adds dynamism to what might otherwise read as a static pose.

What distinguishes this work within the chapter’s broader context is its departure from traditional studio control. While maintaining the technical precision associated with formal portraiture, the photographer embraces environmental elements—concrete surfaces, architectural geometry, natural wind movement—that introduce spontaneity into the frame. This hybrid approach reflects an evolution in his practice, moving beyond purely controlled studio environments toward a more flexible methodology that captures authentic personality within structured compositions.

The post-processing in Luminar 4 demonstrates restraint appropriate to the subject matter. Color grading emphasizes warm tones in the subject’s skin and the amber cast of her sunglasses while maintaining the cooler neutrals of the concrete and sky. The processing enhances rather than transforms, supporting the documentary quality inherent in the photographer’s approach to his Top 100 Journey project.

The subject’s body language—relaxed yet assertive, casual yet deliberate—suggests a collaborative relationship between photographer and sitter. This comfort level allows for genuine expression rather than performative posing, a quality that distinguishes effective contemporary portraiture from mere documentation. The direct, knowing gaze above the rose-tinted frames establishes connection with the viewer while maintaining a degree of cool remove characteristic of youth subculture.

As part of the photographer’s long-term Top 100 Journey, this image contributes to an ongoing investigation into portraiture’s capacity to capture both individual personality and broader cultural moments. It represents the workshop and outdoor component of Chapter 4’s mission, demonstrating how environmental factors and technical adaptability can produce work that honors both formal photographic traditions and contemporary visual language. The result is a portrait that feels simultaneously timeless in its compositional confidence and distinctly anchored in its cultural moment.