Halloween 2010

It's been an incredibly busy week and I have yet to get out and get any photographs of Halloween anything. As much as it looks like the entrance to Vlad the Impalers' castle, it's really just a staircase leading to a beach on the North Shore of Chicago. 


I was just reminiscing about the old days of trick or treating when we had to have all of our candy inspected thoroughly by our parents. I distinctly remember police stations offering to scan the candy for razor blades and needles. Oh, to be a kid again.


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

Metaphor for Life?

"The future is big with every possibility of achievement and of tragedy."-Alfred North Whitehead


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

Vietnam Service Memorial Panorama

Last Spring I was regularly reading another daily photo blog based in Chicago called The Windy Pixel. It was a fantastic blog that showcased beautiful HDR (high dynamic range) photographs and offered tips on photography and processing. Unfortunately the blog is no longer continuing its run. However, it is still there to view and read for anyone who hasn't experienced it. I highly recommend it. The photos on the blog are mainly HDR photos and they also incorporate the use of an amazing piece of FREE photo processing software called Hugin. Hugin is a photo stitching software that allows you to create vertoramas and panoramas. Rather than offer an incredibly poor explanation/tutorial for you, I'll link the original tutorial offered at TWP. The photograph above was my first attempt at using the Hugin software. Chicago's Vietnam Service Memorial sits along the Chicago River near Wabash and Wacker. It's a dedication to all the men from Illinois who died serving their country during the Vietnam War. Outside of Washington D.C. this is one of the largest Vietnam Memorials in the county. 


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

Montrose Beach Sunrise and a Zen Moment

Getting up early is never easy, at least not for me anyway. However, it is greatly rewarded with scenes like the one above. Peace and solitude aren't bad byproducts of getting up early either. You can have this entire city nearly all to yourself if you plan accordingly. Set the alarm, grab your coffee and get out. If you need a little more help planning then allow me to help.


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

Morning Exercises

The Lincoln Park Zoo is smack dab in the middle of Lincoln Park. It's nestled between Lake Michigan and the city. It's also free. But what a lot of people don't know is that the Lincoln Park Zoo is open at 6 am. They advertise that they open at 10am but I've been there as early as 5:30 am and the gates are open. It's probably one of the most unique visits to a zoo you will ever experience (without being a zookeeper). You get the whole place to yourself, there are no screaming children throwing things at the animals and the best part is that most of the animals are out and about.

Chicago Light

Paris is known as the City of Light, and rightfully so. San Francisco's sun has been praised for its ability to drastically change colors within minutes. Chicago is far more likely to receive accolades for its culinary heritage rather than its inspirational quality of light. That being said, there are some parts of town that consistently provide some wonderful moments. Specifically the areas along the Chicago River from Lake to Van Buren. This is where the sun will reflect off of the water and the many tall buildings creating a warm, soft glow over much of the surrounding area. 

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

Monday Morning Train

MONDAY.

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