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Neverending

Many photographers, pro and amateur, will rave on and on about utilizing the warm glow of the golden hour. The Golden Hour (or hours) is the first and last hour of sunlight during each day. You can't really argue with the powerful glow and the wonderful color that it brings. That shouldn't limit your photography though. In a town like Chicago you aren't going to get half of the opportunities as other cities to utilize these hours. It's usually because of cloud cover, blustery snow or staying home to watch the Bears playoff game. When the weather turns gray and dreary grab your camera and hit the bricks. You'd be surprised at just how many great images you can find . . . especially when you convert them to black and white. This photograph was originally in color and it was originally unappealing. Before giving up on it completely I turned it into black and white just to see what would happen. Bam! I like the result. The high contrast gives it a little bit of character, the light that is reflecting off of the building adds even more and a little vignetting finishes it off. Give it a shot. 


Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission

Happy Ending

Photographically speaking there's no reason for me to be posting this image because there's not anything interesting about it. That being said I couldn't help but smile when I came across this headstone. After an early morning snowfall the skies had cleared and the sun was shining. I snatched my camera and headed out in hopes of finding a few well lit snow scenes. After walking through hundreds and hundreds of headstones that held the air of loss about them I came across this one. Although it's incredibly simple it stood out from every other headstone in the cemetery. The font used and the dramatic angle made it feel more like a marquee for a jazz musician than a headstone. Can you see it? "LIVE SHOW, LOUIS ROSENBERG, TONIGHT ONLY!". I don't know who Louis Rosenberg was but I have a feeling he was someone special. 


Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission

Monochrome Skyline

View south from North Pond on a cold day. 

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work . . . I want to achieve it through not dying." -Woody Allen


Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission

Fleeting Light

I I am infatuated with the CTA overpasses/underpasses that are all over Chicago. Not only are they built to last thousands of years they look like they’ve been in existence for a thousand years. They are some of the most beautiful remnants of the old Chicago. I was driving under this specific overpass when the sun came through the clouds and lit it up like an ancient church. I slammed on the brakes, grabbed the tripod and camera and ran out to get a few photographs. By the time I got the gear set up and began shooting photographs the sun had run off behind the clouds again. Despite the less than stellar lighting I was intrigued by the weathered texture crawling all over the structure.

Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission

Open Sky

View from Navy Pier on a brutally cold and windy day in January.

I think it would be safe to say that I've been to Navy Pier less than any tourist who has visited Chicago in the last 10 years. Unless you like large crowds, Bud Light, $18 parking lots or Bubba Gump Shrimp there aren't many reasons to go other than to take in views of the city that are pretty good. Despite it's lack of soul, Navy Pier still maintains its hold as one of Chicago's top tourist attractions year after year. Maybe it's the ferris wheel. One could probably make an argument that the Rock and Roll McDonald's is a better representation of Chicago than Navy Pier. The good news is that by 2016 Navy Pier is scheduled to be updated, overhauled and/or redesigned. This is an opportunity to add some much needed authenticity to the pier. 


Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission

Lincoln Square at Night

Happy 2011! 


I apologize for the absence over the last few days. I've been working on upgrading Chicageaux to a bigger and better site. I hope to have it complete within the next few weeks. Don't worry, I will notify everyone when it's up and running. The new site will maintain the same concept and in addition it will boast larger photographs, cleaner design, more technological photography information, links to inspirational photoblogs and Twitter and Facebook feeds. 


The best part of the new site is that we'll have a monthly contest where the winner will receive a free print of their choice from any Chicageaux photograph, past or present.


Photo by Michael Patrick Perry-Feel free to use images with links and credit – no commercial use without permission