Hubbard Street Murals

Pictured are 2 murals located on the concrete train embankment of the Union Pacific Line on West Hubbard Street.  The Hubbard Street Mural Project appears to be a highly successful endeavor.  It has added some color to an otherwise drab area of River West while showcasing the work of local artists.

Union Station

Only 50 Days Until St. Patrick's Day!

God Bless America

While the 'God Bless America' statue is long gone from this Michigan Avenue site, I thought we could use a reminder of what use to be.  These images were taken in February of last year about a week before it was removed and shipped for display in Mesa, Arizona.  I had read that this sculpture rendition of the infamous American Gothic painting had been met with much criticism.  I, for one, enjoy giant, larger than life public artwork displays. 

Curious

Gameday: Lions, Chedderheads, and Cops on Horses

Bears.

Cabrini-Green - 364 and 365 W Oak Street

With all of the attention on the last remaining high-rise at 1230 N Burling, many wouldn't even realize there are actually 3 Cabrini-Green housing units set for demolition this year.  Pictured above are the lingering Cabrini-Green Extension buildings known simply as "the reds."  With the exception of passing traffic, this area between Chicago Avenue and Division Street just west of Orleans is fairly quiet now.  For updates on the transformation of Cabrini-Green please check out The Cabrini-Green Projects by photographer Ryan Flynn.  You will even find images of the demolition by yours truly. 

Under Bean

As a photographer, photographing Cloud Gate, aka "The Bean" can pose a challenge.  It is such a highly photographed structure that it can be difficult to create pictures that set yours apart from the rest.  Photographing people visiting the bean can help create some unique shots.  I think it's also important to plan a visit at strategic times of day which can make a huge difference in the quality of shot (i.e. dawn or dusk).  For future posts I will do my best to create 'bean' images that steer
away from the Chicago cliche.  

Park

Hotel Monaco

Tilted City

Falling Ice

Cleared Path

Night Lights

A band of orange and blue lights surround the 100th floor of the John Hancock Center celebrating the Bears making it into the playoffs.  Below is the Palmolive Building and its Lindbergh Beacon. 

NU vs. IU

I rarely have the opportunity to play around with sports photography so last Sunday I decided to bring along the 55-200mm lens to the Northwestern-Indiana game in Evanston.  These were my 5 favorite shots from the bunch.  To avoid upsetting my friends of the IU alumni I won't reveal the score here - you can google it.

Moonlighting

This was my first attempt at a moon shot while I was shooting the skyline last fall.  Taken from the North Avenue Peninsula at Lake Michigan, I’m about as far east as I can get within walking distance from my apartment.  When the beaches are closed for the season it is very serene out here at night.  You would never know that there are nearly 10 million people just to the north, south, and west of where I was standing.

Urban View 6 of 6: My Urban View

Urban View 5 of 6: Looking Down

Two very different views directed downward in the city.

Urban View 4 of 6: Looking Up

One has adapted to city life when they stop looking up at all the pretty skyscrapers while walking around downtown.

Urban View 3 of 6: Skyline

I know I'm a bit biased, but even after being exposed to these buildings everyday I still believe Chicago has the best skyline in the world.  Period.

Urban View 2 of 6: Elevated Train

Any CTA commuter is familiar with this view, staring down the tracks waiting for the train to come through.  We rarely are able to appreciate our urban views on a daily basis being as fabricated as we are within downtown the area.

Urban View 1 of 6: Alleyways

The Minneapolis Photo Center is hosting an exhibit titled “Urban View/Rural Sight: Documenting a Sense of Place” with the work of both amateur and professional photographers.  As a lover of urban environments, I decided to choose several images that encompassed my urban view.  Living up to the definition of a true procrastinator, I wasn’t able to finish by the deadline.  Since the exhibit opens today I’ve decided to show the images that I would have submitted for the competition.  I was able to narrow my selection to 6 photos that depict urban views of Chicago from various perspectives.  But instead I'll include 12 photos, 2 for the next 6 days.  Here's the contest description...

“When artists think about place, whether it be rural or urban, they often think of it as a point of departure.  One path may lead deeper into the site and its character, a sense artists want to absorb and express.  Another path may lead away, beginning its course from connections that originated there.  Perhaps a third is more fantastical, one suggested by the unexpected, yet significant, connections that the imagination creates.  All of these ways are journeys and explorations that do not feel complete until they are shared.”

Loop Alley, Washington to Madison

Loop Alley, Dearborn to State

On a Bus

Model City

Given my fascination with great architecture it is only fitting that the Model City exhibit would be one of my favorite Chicago displays.  Located in the Atrium Gallery of the Chicago Architecture Foundation at 224 S. Michigan Avenue, I often find myself wondering inside.  Whenever I visit I’m always reminded of Alec Baldwin’s character Adam Maitland in the movie Bettlejuice.  No one could forget the scale model Adam crafted of the Connecticut town in which the movie was based.  One day, when I have enough disposable income, my plan is to purchase this model to put in my attic :)

My only disappointment is that the model ends at Oak Street.  It would have been nice if they had extended it to North Avenue to cover the entire Gold Coast.

Stacked

New York Suits, Chicago, IL

After Hours

Wabash and Lake, Loop

Milliennium Park

Northside Coastline

View from Montrose Harbor