Last weekend was incredibly clear, puffy white clouds filled the sky–basically a perfect day for photos. The city never looked better. It took me almost an hour to swim out to this spot, plus it was incredibly difficult to keep the water off my lens. The things I do for my art.
Today is the first day of what I hope will become a regular daily feature. I want to post a photo on my blog every day; I realize this is a big step, a big responsibility, a venture into the unknown. But as the Zen Master says, “a journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step”…I think he really meant one photo. So here goes….
This is the staircase at the Rookery Building, designed by Burnham and Root. This is one of my favorite buildings in Chicago, unfortunately access is restricted, so I haven’t been able to shoot there in decades. Luckily I had an assignment in the building last week and updated my collection of Rookery photos.
About ten years ago when the NATO summit was in town, our city played host to thousands of international visitors, and a couple dozen world leaders. Where do these presidents, prime ministers and brutal dictators stay when they are here in Chicago? Surely not at the Days Inn or the Holiday Inn Express. More than likely, they occupied the many uber-elegant Presidential Suites that are downtown. I had the wonderful privilege to photograph several of them for Elite Traveler magazine. After shooting this assignment, I know that I will never be satisfied with any hotel room again…but then I rarely pay $4000 to 5000 per night for a room. No, that isn’t a misprint. Politicians, rock stars, Wall Street bankers, and world leaders are about the only people who can afford this luxury. Here is a glimpse into that rarefied world that most of us will never be privy to.
When the sun goes down, the colors come alive. Anyone who has done nighttime photography will attest to the amazing colors and wowie zowie effects that can mysteriously appear; invariably, the colors are better and more intense than what you see with the naked eye. Of course a tripod is essential unless you are going for some wacky motion effects or doing flash photography. Here is an assortment of photos I took in Chicago at night–if I wasn’t such a “morning person” I would be doing this more often.
Some of the most famous and creative people in the world pass through or reside in Chicago. Here are just a handful: fine artist, ceramist, classical pianist, duck decoy carver, potter, art restorer, fashion designer, stained glass artist, blues musician, and jewelry maker.
