the john urban production co.

the john urban production co. Commercial Video Production and Still Photography.

Took a few minutes off from being pi**ed and angry last night and went through some of my Venice images from the fall.si...
01/30/2026

Took a few minutes off from being pi**ed and angry last night and went through some of my Venice images from the fall.

sigh.

okay, back to pi**ed and angry. Sorry, I mean - strong and determined.

"nine bells in C #"
© john urban
The Church of San Giorgio Maggiore
Sunrise, Venice - Oct. 2025

2 weeks ago I was in Venice. Last week, on the road to Janesville. Both very nice places, but I will say the gondolier o...
10/22/2025

2 weeks ago I was in Venice.
Last week, on the road to Janesville.
Both very nice places, but I will say the gondolier on the Rock River would not sing for me. Lame.
"the road to Janesville"
© john urban

For a few years I shot photos for an amazing nonprofit - Flashes of Hope. Portraits of kiddos who were at the hospital a...
04/10/2025

For a few years I shot photos for an amazing nonprofit - Flashes of Hope. Portraits of kiddos who were at the hospital and usually fighting something pretty serious.

This little one didn't really want anything to do with being photographed, that happened occasionally and we totally understood. But then Mom asked her one more time and she responded, "Only if I can be with sis."


"sisters"
© john urban / flashes of hope

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

Learned a ton, met a bunch of cool humans and maybe just maybe this will inspire me to finish one of my damn screenplays...
04/07/2025

Learned a ton, met a bunch of cool humans and maybe just maybe this will inspire me to finish one of my damn screenplays. Apparently you have to have more than just 3 scenes to make a feature film! Great big thanks to Michael Graf and all the wonderful people who put the second Wisconsin Screenwriter's Symposium together! Bang-up job and I can't wait for next year!

I remember when I was a young photographer and knew nothing about politics and just spent my days photographing lovely h...
03/28/2025

I remember when I was a young photographer and knew nothing about politics and just spent my days photographing lovely human beings.

My phone would ring and a model would ask me how much for "3 looks" and I would tell her and then sometimes I would get the question, "Do you shoot nudes and is that the same price?" And that was my life and it was fairly awesome.

Today I wake up and all I think about is - "where is Rumeysa Ozturk and what can I/we do to help her?" "Does Usha Vance lie awake all night wondering what tremendous evil she did in a previous life that is causing her to be punished this much?" "Will the courts hold?"

Not gonna lie, I often miss young, naive camera-boy me.
And yes, same price for nudes.

photo - WedPlan Madison
© john urban

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

The official day was Saturday, but I didn't get a chance to post this because Saturday is also International Run Errands...
03/10/2025

The official day was Saturday, but I didn't get a chance to post this because Saturday is also International Run Errands with My Mom Day! (maybe that is just a day I celebrate...every single Saturday?? I'm fine. I'll be fine) It was an honor to work with the UW Police Dept. and photograph these amazing law enforcement women for International Women's Day! I made my standard jokes about arresting me and handcuffs. Silence. A State Trooper who was looking down at the floor lifted the brim of her hat just slightly and said in a calm, quiet tone, "Good one, camera boy. None of us have ever heard that one before." And then another officer chimed in: "Maybe just click the shutter and keep this moving."
Yes, Officers.
And THANK YOU to these brave women and their unwavering commitment to keep us safe and protect our communities.
UW-Madison Police Department:
All Together Now: International Women’s Day 2025
Today, we celebrate the strength, dedication, and leadership of women in law enforcement across Dane County!
We’re ALL TOGETHER NOW — and we recognize the power of unity, collaboration, and the shared mission to serve and protect our communities.
These incredible women— representing 12 different agencies across the county — stand together as a testament to resilience, teamwork, and progress in policing. We will continue to uplift and support women in law enforcement and beyond. Together, we can create a future where every woman is empowered to lead, inspire, and make a difference.

From a fashion standpoint, our first studio owned West High school last century. Tom Allen and I started the studio as A...
03/07/2025

From a fashion standpoint, our first studio owned West High school last century. Tom Allen and I started the studio as Ascot Studios West and keen fashion historians will realize that I completely ripped off our sweatshirt design from Esprit.

Esprit closed permanently last year so they probably won't sue us. I don't think our sweatshirts had anything to do with their Chapter 7 filing.

Anywho, great big thank yous to my sister, Cherie Urban and our wonderful friends who had an ASW sweatshirt day! I'm sure they were seen as fashion-forward and cool and not mocked at all!!

Oh, and I have one sweatshirt left, still sealed in plastic and I have been told it is worth almost nothing, but can be yours for one million dollars! I'm not gonna tag the beautiful souls in this image because I think at least one of them is in the United States Federal Witness Protection Program
(Hi David! Whoops, s**t...delete that!)

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

Last week I pulled this image to share for my "Forty" series on Friday and then the day got busy and I didn't post it. ...
02/24/2025

Last week I pulled this image to share for my "Forty" series on Friday and then the day got busy and I didn't post it.

Rockameem Bell passed away on Saturday.

I only spent about 20 minutes with Rock in 2017 when I photographed him for Community Shares of Wisconsin. But from those few minutes it was easy to see why so many people loved him and cherished his friendship. I get the feeling that one of his missions in life was to lift people up, remind them how much strength they possessed and that they could do anything they put their heart and soul behind.

All the hugs and love to his family and friends, especially my friend Hedi LaMarr Rudd. His drum beat will continue in the hearts of the countless lives he touched, loved and made better.

Rockameem Bell
photo - john urban

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

I don't have any children. (I can hear all three of my "friends" now - "that you know of") Whatever. If I did have kid...
02/07/2025

I don't have any children. (I can hear all three of my "friends" now - "that you know of")

Whatever. If I did have kids I hope I would be like this father who walked for two days to get his daughter a cleft lip surgery. Do whatever it takes for your baby girl.

I hope many people are like him or want to be, but now more than ever we must try to be like him. Take care of our friends and family and all the people we love, do whatever it takes - and then make the circle bigger. Like really big. Because s**t is getting ugly (uglier) and people are falling through the cracks and we need to be there to catch them.

"the angels of Quảng Ngãi"
2008 - Vietnam
© john urban
Photographed for ReSurge International

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

A while back Melissa and her awesome kiddos moved in next door. The youngest, Nora (or Norma as I liked to accidentally ...
01/27/2025

A while back Melissa and her awesome kiddos moved in next door. The youngest, Nora (or Norma as I liked to accidentally call her from time to time) was battling leukemia - for the second time.

Mom and Nora stopped by the studio one day and we took this portrait of this badass, amazing kid who punched leukemia hard in the face.

This May, she’s graduating as a neuroscientist!
Nice way to show 'em how it is done, Nora Nanteza!

© photo - john urban
graphics - Gregory Kuh

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

I hate Donald Trump. I mean a hate that will last until the sun supernovas and all life as we know it ends. And my hatr...
01/10/2025

I hate Donald Trump.

I mean a hate that will last until the sun supernovas and all life as we know it ends. And my hatred will continue after even that.
So, yesterday, I am watching President Carter's funeral and once again being in awe of his grandson Jason. I would vote for that dude for President. He made me cry at his Grandma's funeral and once again for his Grandpa.

Jason Carter:
"But his life was also a broader love story about love for his fellow humans, and about living out the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that that love is what taught him and told him to preach the power of human rights, not just for some people, but for all people. It focused him on the power and the promise of democracy, its love for freedom, its requirement and founding belief in the wisdom of regular people raising their voices and the requirement that you respect all of those voices, not just some."
---
I was talking to a friend after the funeral and she asked me, "what do you think Obama was thinking sitting next to Trump?" I responded, "he was probably channeling Jimmy and treating him with kindness and respect."

Many years ago I did a whole bunch of portraits for Habitat for Humanity Dane Co. and they used the portraits for a promotional brochure piece. I want to try and be more like Mr. Jimmy. Take the energy from my hate and anger and turn that into a positive force for good. Help more people. Be more kind. Build more love.
If you would like to donate to Habitat for Humanity of Dane Co., please visit: https://habitatdane.org/
"home"
© john urban

Forty
the john urban production co.
1984 - 2024

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Madison, WI

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