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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

Reflecting on 2010

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man."-Benjamin Franklin

This is it, the end of the year. It's time for us to reflect upon the last year. More importantly it's time for us to look forward to the beginning of a new year. Unfortunately, most of us will probably start the new year suffering from an epic hangover as a result of that crumpled up receipt from a $200 bar tab you'll find in your pocket . . . for the 8th year in a row. Regardless of how you spend your New Year's Eve may you reflect upon your life and be thankful for what you have and not dwell on what you have not. Tomorrow is a new day and a new year. Make the best of it.


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

Zoo Day

Strolling through the Lincoln Park Zoo at 6 a.m. will get you stared at.

"Zoo: An excellent place to study the habits of human beings."-Evan Esar


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

Winter Splendor

“We want that center, we yearn for it, we need it. It shouldn't look like New York or Paris, it should look like us.”-Frank Gehry.

I'm not sure what city that quote was in reference to. It could have been any number of national or international cities.  I don't think it really matters which city he was talking about because the quote applies to every city (except New York and Paris of course). A walk through Millennium Park is a walk through Chicago. Yes it can be touristy and no it's not the Chicago of old, whatever that is, but it does capture a very special part of Chicago's character . . . civic pride. Chicagoans are an incredibly proud bunch and with very good right. Millennium Park blends the best Chicago's offerings: world class architecture, diverse outdoor space, epic performance space, public accessibility and an intimate, in your face view of the skyline among other things. Like many of my posts I encourage you to experience this place in the middle of winter. You'll get to explore the space without crowds and you'll get to experience the park in a way 90% of tourists never will . . . and there is something about that that makes it all your own.


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

Grant Statue, Lincoln Park?

Taken inside Lincoln Park just west of Lakeshore Drive, 6:41 a.m.

If you ever end up taking one of those double decker tours or any other tourist-oriented guide you will most certainly come across this statue. It is a statue of Ulysses Grant and yet you won't find it in Grant Park ironically. Instead it resides on the eastern edge of Lincoln Park just south of the zoo. Oddly enough there is a famous statue of Abraham Lincoln that can be found in the heart of Grant Park. Hmmm? There's a story that has both statues being delivered and installed in the wrong park. After they were installed and the mistake was discovered it was decided to let them remain in opposite parks. As interesting as that may sound it isn't what really happened. The city of Chicago's website explains the real story . . . "It's a Chicago curiosity, but can easily be explained by knowing the history of Chicago's prominent lakefront parks. Lincoln Park was Chicago's first park, well established at the time of Grant's death. The mud-covered remains of the Great Chicago Fire would be developed as a series of formal gardens after the turn of the century and named for Grant, another honor for this great Civil War hero."


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

Warm & Cool

Taken just before sunrise on a walk through Montrose Park.

The biggest challenge for any photographer (pro or rookie) is lighting. Not only do you have to worry about how much or how little light is available, you also have to think about what quality of light you have to work with. This means identifying the different sources of light and accounting for them: is it natural or artificial? a single source or multiple sources? Not to mention you've got to have a basic understanding of how that quality of light will affect your subject. Fortunately there are many settings that come with digital cameras that allow you to account for many different light sources. The above scene caught my eye because of the harmonious contrast provided by the mixed lighting. The cold blue sky is natural early morning sunlight while the glow of the artificial street light splashes a warm orange across the white snow. Lucky timing. 


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

Anticipation

As we get closer and closer to the Christmas holiday it seems as if time gets further and further away from us. Take a moment or two to intentionally slow things down and appreciate the now. 

"I like to go to Marshall Field's in Chicago just to see how many things there are in the world that I do not want."

Mother Mary Madeleva


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

Baha'i Temple II

As promised several months ago I will continue to post photographs of the this amazing piece of architecture. The Baha'i Temple is worth the short drive out of the city and especially attractive during the winter months. The play of light on this building is beautiful and especially when the light is reflected from the snow. This photograph was taken across the street at the harbor near the Coast Guard station. 


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

Winter?

"People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy."-Anton Chekhov

If you are ever around the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum there is a great little dock that extends out onto a pond. It's a fantastic place to take a book or just sit and relax. The photograph above was taken from that dock as winter begins to leave its mark on the pond.


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

Ice Waves

Despite the crappy composition, I think this photograph does a lot in representing the textures of winter here in Chicago.
Let's start at the top and work our way down:
cloudy, grey skies = check
bare branches = check
icy Lake Michigan = check
snow covered beach = check
ice glazed rocks = check
icicles = check
Anyone up for the Polar Plunge this year?


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

Pondering Chicago

One wouldn't imagine winter to be the mot opportune season to photograph in and around Chicago. I happen to find it ideal. Not only does it give you access to tourist attractions without hoards of people it also allows you to see things in entirely new ways. Few cities are linked so strongly to their weather. Los Angeles most certainly conjures up thoughts of sunny days and warm weather. Seattle makes us think of wet and rainy days. Chicago brings to mind blustery snow and a cold that is just brutal. What better time of the year to explore the true identity of Chicago than winter? The above photograph was taken near Diversey and Stockton, it shows Alexander Hamilton looking upon the city of Chicago.


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

Urban Abstract

Chicagoans know this scene from the color alone. The bright orange beams (technically vermillion colored) that occupy the Federal Plaza downtown are iconic for the city and have been since they were installed in 1974. Some may not know the origins of the work or the inspiration. I found a great blog to help give some background. 


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

End of the Line

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

Cab Rides

I think of cab drivers in the same way I do senior citizens: they are either rude, negative and gross or they are insightful, inspirational and humble. After four years of living in Chicago I can honestly say that my cab driver after the Bulls game on Monday was the tops. Not only did he go out of his way to pick me up in sub zero temps, he was also incredibly friendly, honest and efficient. Didn't get his name or cab number but I did walk away feeling grateful for having come into contact with this man. The odds of getting a cab driver like that are about the same as getting a cashier at Jewel who speaks to you. Good luck with your next cabbie.


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