Industry
I owe my friend Brian for the tip on this location. It’s a place I will return for more industrial beauty. I definitely have more to explore here!
Also, thanks to Marco, who spent a little time chatting with me!
Light in Shadows
There are parts of Chicago that only a few people see. Tourists almost certainly aren’t spending their time looking in hidden places. But if you enjoy the play of light on buildings and architecture, some of the greatest light play I’ve found are in the alleys.
Photo Shoot : Moondog J at Villain’s
Moondog J is a blues guitarist and vocalist from Australia with a great feel for the style. These photos are from his performance accompanied by drums at Villain’s Bar and Grill in Chicago on Saturday July 21, 2012.
You can catch him for a farewell Chicago performance at Phil McKracken’s in Street Worth, IL on Saturday, August 4. Very nice to meet him and friends at Villain’s! Learn more at www.moondogj.com
Newsworthy Weather
I took a different walk to work on July 18, 2012 which allowed me to capture some cumulonimbus clouds approaching from the west. The shot was featured on the WGN Newscast by Tom Skilling during the weather segment.
You can watch this WGN replay thanks to the Internet Archive:
The original photograph of Buckingham Fountain showing great clouds approaching downtown Chicago.
Taste of Chicagography
The annual Taste of Chicago took over Grant Park this weekend and this afternoon, I set out to grab some dinner. It was my intent to make my path directly to Lou Malnati’s for a slice of particularly excellent deep dish, but I was distracted just before the entrance.
Meet Andre
Not only is Andre a really nice guy, he caught my eye because he was holding a Polaroid 600 SE. This is a fully manual camera that can take absolutely beautiful pictures. The SE comes with a 127mm lens (which Andre is using) but can also be fitted with a portrait (150mm) and wide-angle (75mm) lens.
Andre was visiting Chicago from Detroit and if he (or his buddy!) are reading, I would love to see your beautiful work!
Then I made my way into the festival where food was constantly walking by…with people attached to it.
Crowded, hot, wonderful summer day in Chicago.
I grabbed a slice of Lou Malnati’s just as a light shower passed and saw another photographer setting up in North President’s Court with President Lincoln overlooking.
Meet Jeremy
Jeremy was setting up a project using a medium format camera. If you aren’t familiar, medium format refers to film and digital cameras that record images on media larger than 24 by 36 mm full-frame (standard photography format), but smaller than 4 by 5 inches which is considered large-format photography.
I hope to meet up with Jeremy again to see his finished work. I’m sure President Lincoln will approve.
After my own dinner time, I made my way over to Buckingham Fountain (a favorite spot) and took a photo for this beautiful couple!
And a large family!
Then I obtained one of my favorite things. It’s an Original Rainbow Cone, which is not only beautiful, it’s delicious. It also has a long Chicago history beginning in 1926 and constructed with chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House cherry, pistachio and orange sherbet. Sounds crazy, but the combination is surprisingly delicious.
Size doesn’t matter!
Illinois Lottery ladies having fun!
Officers can smile, too.
It was a great afternoon and I hope to continue meeting Chicago visitors (and photographers)!
City Visitors : Saturday, June 16, 2012
It was a warm, beautiful afternoon in Chicago and after finishing some work, I really had to get outside with my camera. One of my favorite ways to spend the afternoon is to talk with Chicago visitors. I hope you enjoy some of today’s favorites and a few other photos, too!
First stop, one of the largest fountains in the world, Buckingham Fountain. The fountain itself represents Lake Michigan (with each sea horse symbolizing the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana) that border the lake.
Cute family!
These beautiful ladies weren’t phased by the wind and I’m glad they did a “silly” photo!
Across from the fountain, plenty of people were sitting along the lake enjoying the cool breeze off the water. I stopped to talk with this fisherman about his Lake Michigan catches.
Visiting along the lake at one of the best views of the skyline near Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium. These ladies were so friendly! I hope they enjoyed their visit to Chicago.
I had fun meeting people today – now for a few of the other photos from my walk:
Printers Row Lit Fest 2012
One of my favorite Chicago events is the Printers Row Lit Fest which happens right outside my apartment building. I enjoy everything from the setup on the weekdays before to the music and events that happen all through the weekend. It is considered the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest.
One highlight for me was listening to Chicago Tribune photographer, Scott Strazzante, share his stories about Chicago events and street photography. Be sure to read his blog “Shooting from the Hip.”
Justin Roberts & The Not Ready for Naptime Players in Lil’ Lit Park was the musical highlight – entertaining both parents and children Saturday and Sunday.
Mike Flynn’s Crash Landing at The Montrose Room
Mike Flynn’s Crash Landing performed at The Montrose Room May 18, 2012 – what a performance! For me, it was an absolute delight from music to photography. It’s really easy to take wonderful photos of great performers!
Enjoy and catch this group when you can!
– LP
Larry Coryell Trio at Jazz Showcase
Tonight I visited Chicago’s Jazz Showcase in historic Dearborn Station to hear guitarist Larry Coryell with Larry Gray on bass and Paul Wertico on drums.
The show was uplifting and cheerful and that energy was evident on their faces throughout the evening.
Jazz Showcase is a wonderful venue where audience members are fully engaged with the performers. It is an atmosphere where the music is appreciated, but wandering around for photos during the show would be a distraction. From the back of the room at the bar, I had a full view of the stage and sat higher than the main floor tables. I used a fast lens (80-200 f/2.8) for the entire show after shooting a few with my new fisheye (10.5mm f/2.8). It was the perfect way to blend into the background and still get wonderful shots.
Jazz Showcase is a wonderful place to enjoy jazz in Chicago and I’m looking forward to returning soon!
Touristosaurus : Chicago
Chicago offers some pretty incredible scenes – elevated trains, historic and modern architecture, large parks and museums – so many choices to describe any mood. When a friend mentioned she was looking for a birthday gift involving Chicago or dinosaurs, our conversation led to a fun series of photos around the city.
Title: Field of Screams
At The Field Museum
The Field Museum was a great first location. It led me right to my next spot along the Lakefront Trail. Chicago has 17-miles of trail along the shore which is always full of bikers, joggers, and visitors.
Title: Prehistoric Greetings from Chicago!
The Chicago Skyline from Museum Campus
Some of the other scenes were along the Chicago River with the Wrigley Building and Tribune Building in the background, outside the Art Institute of Chicago, and in front of Cloud Gate – more affectionately known as “The Bean.”
Title: Roarin’ on the River
Along the Chicago River
Title: Lion and The King
At The Art Institute of Chicago
Title: Tyrannosaurus Tourist Trap
Cloud Gate at Millennium Park
Many of the photos from this series are listed on my Etsy store and are adorning walls of dinosaur (and Chicago) lovers across the country. A fantastic way to spend an afternoon in Chicago, joined by my Touristosaurus friends. Stay tuned for the next city!