Category Archives: Chicago Corporate Photographer

Lakeshore Recycling Opens New Facility

Last month Lakeshore Recycling opened a state-of-the-art single stream recycling facility in Forest View IL, and I was there to document the ribbon cutting, speeches, facility tour, and buffet lunch. The 40,000 sq. ft. facility was amazingly clean, quiet and well-organized, but what impressed me the most was the buffet lunch: great sandwiches, pasta, hors d’oeuvres, salad, and warm chocolate chip cookies. Plus, all our plastic silverware and paper plates were recycled!  It was a fun day and I felt like I did my part for the environment by shrinking my carbon footprint.

The Joys of Industrial Photography

It’s cold, it’s dirty, it’s loud, and it’s often dangerous.  No, I’m not talking about fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, rather I’m referring to doing industrial photography. To most people, factory floors are grey and boring and to be avoided whenever possible, but I find them to be a vibrant source of creative photography. The mix of complex machinery and workers engaged in a variety of activities get my creative juices flowing, and it’s such a refreshing change from the typical white-walled suburban corporate headquarters. I recently completed a series of assignments for Vapor Power, a manufacturer of industrial boilers; while my clothes and equipment always came back dirty, and I needed to be constantly alert to potentially dangerous situations, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Revival Social Club

 

 

In the late fall 2014, the Revival Social Club opened in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood.  The owners wanted to bring a retro environment to the neighborhood where people could hang out comfortably in a warm and inviting setting.  The interior was conceived by Platinum Interior Design of Chicago.  The menu features an abundance of breakfast and brunch options, but also an array of enticing comfort food for lunch and dinner.  Come hang out for coffee or a drink and you will feel like it’s your own private club. Update: Unfortunately, like so many restaurants in Chicago, this lovely place has closed down.

Fulton Street Market

For the past dozen years, Randolph Street just west of the Loop became the de facto Restaurant Row, fueled by Oprah’s Harpo Studio, the United Center, and a boom in residential development.  Now that expansion is exploding onto the nearby Fulton Street Market area making awkward neighbors of the upscale restaurants and the historic meat packing plants and produce markets.  With the advent of new restaurants and galleries, rents are rising and the meat and produce companies are feeling the pinch.  They provide so much of the character that brought the new tenants to the area in the first place, it would be a shame to have them chased from the neighborhood.  Adding to this mix is the soon-to-be-completed Google headquarters and the showplace Morgan Street transit station; growth is inevitable and change is in the air.

Transwestern Commercial Real Estate

Over the past two months I have been photographing commercial real estate for Transwestern.  I had the opportunity to shoot office complexes, shopping centers and strip malls in some of the lesser-known Midwest vacation meccas.  These include Schaumburg IL, Blaine MN, Columbus IN, and Southfield and Farmington Hills MI.

Luxury Vacation Rental in Chicago

I photographed this upscale vacation / corporate rental apartment in Chicago’s River North neighborhood for the G2G Collection.  What is unique about this company is that it donates a percentage of its income to the charity of your choice.  So while you are relaxing on a tropical beach or taking in the view of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset, you know you are helping underprivileged kids or breast cancer research.  This residence has an eye-popping view of downtown Chicago and was located just steps away from the hottest restaurants and clubs.

Cameron’s Steakhouse, a cut above

Cameron's Steakhouse dining roomService with a smile and a filetNo caption necessaryThe inviting bar at Cameron's Steakhouse Always time for a toast at Cameron'sFresh OystersSo much wine, so little timePrivate dining room at Cameron's Steakhouse

Chicago has always been known as a city where you can find an abundance of great steaks, but don’t think meat lovers are in any way deprived should they be outside the Windy City. If you are ever in the Detroit area, you might want to head toward the upscale neighborhood of Birmingham and check out Cameron’s Steakhouse.  I was there on assignment recently and I found it hard to concentrate on my work with all the incredible food to indulge in.  The fresh oysters, fine wine, succulent salmon, and of course steaks galore.  Cameron’s is an old-school, classy steak joint, the kind of place you might expect Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to have their own private booth.  I don’t often tell clients that I will “work for food”, but after this job I was thinking of reconsidering that policy.

 

 

Chicago’s Athena Greek Restaurant

Located in Chicago’s Greektown, Athena has been serving tasty Greek food (“cuisine” might be too extreme) for 17 years. The enclosed patio is one of the biggest attractions, offering a bright and cozy environment in the dead of winter, or a cool respite on those hot summer days, all with a view of Chicago’s skyline.  I had the pleasure of photographing Athena recently, and it offered such a nice range of photo possibilities from the warm interior, the colorful central bar, to the cocktails and delicious Greek dishes. The fried calamari will blow you away–best I’ve ever tasted.  OPAH !!!

Jim Beam Drinks

Over the course of three days in June, I had the pleasure of photographing 98 Jim Beam drinks for the Jim Beam web site.  Some of these drink recipes were pretty incredible–drinks for every occasion, mood and season.  All photos were taken at the Barrelhouse Flat bar in Lincoln Park. Cheers.

Optima Chicago Center

Forty-two stories of sleek black glass have risen between the Hotel InterContinental and the NBC Tower in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.  The Optima Chicago Center designed by architect David Hovey commands a strategic location close to Michigan Avenue, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and Chicago’s lakefront.  Plus the views are nothing short of breathtaking.  I spent a few weeks earlier this month documenting this building from inside and out; it was a joy except for the fact the elevators weren’t working yet.  I never realized the 42nd floor was actually up 42 flights of stairs (sound of heavy breathing).