Urban Portraits

"Urban Portraits" is a series that explores the dynamic relationship between people and the urban environment. By placing subjects against the backdrop of city architecture, street art, and urban textures, these portraits create a dialogue between human expression and the built environment.

The city offers an endless variety of backdrops—from gritty alleyways to sleek modern architecture—each adding its own character and context to the portrait. This project aims to capture authentic moments and expressions while using urban elements to enhance the visual narrative and mood of each image.

Working with diverse subjects across different urban locations, this collection showcases how the city can become an extension of personality and style. The contrast between the organic human form and the geometric, textured elements of the urban landscape creates a visual tension that brings these portraits to life.

For this urban portrait series, I primarily used a Canon EOS R6 with a selection of prime lenses, including a 35mm f/1.4 for environmental portraits and an 85mm f/1.8 for more intimate headshots with beautiful background separation.

Lighting was a critical element in these urban portraits. I often used a combination of natural light and portable flash to balance exposure between the subject and the urban background. For some images, I employed off-camera flash with modifiers to create more dramatic lighting that complemented the urban setting.

In post-processing, I focused on creating a consistent color palette that enhances the urban mood while keeping skin tones natural and flattering. Each image received individual attention to bring out the unique character of both the subject and the location, while maintaining a cohesive look across the series.