Chicago, Illinois
Interesting places in Chicago, Illinois:
Chicago, Illinois is part of Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Interesting places in Chicago, Illinois:
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Chicago, Illinois is part of Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Interesting places in Chicago, Illinois:
Location is derived from the great work of WikiMapia
Check this place on Socialmapia
Top photos chosen by u all:
Luc and Emma
Made by kern.justin
Hey all! Head over to tWp to see more portraits and to view Large on Black at www.thewindypixel.com! We here at tWp are thrilled to announce the start of our Chicagoans portrait project! This project will feature portraits and statements of Chicago citizens from all walks of life. The inspiration for this project has to do with the work of countless inspiring photographers who tell peoples’ stories with magnificent portraits. We not only want to introduce you to these people but also to give them a voice on this website to say what they will, hopefully stimulating conversation. Have a read and leave a comment or two! Today’s Chicagoan is Luc Rodgers (and his doggie Emma): cafe manager (at my favorite coffee house!), dog-owner, metal fanatic/DJ …. What do you love and hate about the city? One of the aspects I love most about Chicago is the enormous geographical size yet small, midwestern feel and attitude of its citizens. While it may take a while to get somewhere it is almost a sure bet that you are gonna see someone you know along the way. Also, the varying neighborhoods and what each of them has to offer. For instance one can travel from my neighborhood, Uptown, which is extremely diverse (and violent) a few blocks north to Andersonville where the local businesses of various types are all lined up for your perusal. Of course, the best part about Andersonville are the Hopleaf, for the greatest beer selection and food (the first gastropub in the midwest, 15 years and running strong), and Simon’s, which has the greatest juke box and bartenders. I absolutely hate Lincoln Park and the general attitude it has spawned. Being populated by mostly people that grew up in small towns, most of them walk around with a snooty attitude for the sole reason of living in a large metropolitan area. Living here does not make one “metropolitan” or demure, as some might think. When you are jogging with make up on, you’re an ass, plain and simple. What is Chicago’s best kept secret? If you asked me this a few years ago I would’ve said Kuma’s, but that has long since spoiled. (No fault of Kuma’s…the place is still great, it is just most of the clientele (read: Lincoln Park) that unfortunately have the ability to ruin anything good. I would have to say Metal Haven is definitely one secret that remains a real gift. It is a record store on Montrose and Damen (just down the street from my place) that carries strictly metal. The categories include Doom, Brutal Shit, and the like. While the vinyl selection is relatively small, it is forever changing so repeat visits are mandatory if you are to find that long lost Exodus record or a re-issue of some good Norwegian black metal stuff. SImply walking around also provides some insight into the little gems hidden away in this great city. For instance there is a great tunnel a few blocks away from my house that goes underneath Lake Shore Drive and opens up to a beautiful multi-teired fountain set below the surrounding area, making it invisible to passers-by on the trail and LSD. Another is my metal night at Jerry’s…yes, shameless self-promotion. Situated in the heart of Wicker Park on Damen and Division, Jerry’s is an upscale sandwich restaurant with a great beer selection and live music or DJs a few nights a week. It is the last place one would expect a night of metal, but it is there nonetheless. What could be better than a delicious hummus sandwich, Thai pasta salad, and Bell’s Two-Hearted coupled set to the relaxing sounds of Gorgoroth’s Twilight of the Idols (in Conspiracy With Satan)? Obviously nothing. What is Chicago’s biggest problem? The public transit system continues to dumbfound and rile me. Standing at a bus stop in the dead of winter with frozen snot stuck to your cheeks and witnessing four buses go by, all of them not the one you’re waiting for, can put a damper on anyone’s day. The fact that it cost $2.25 per ride with no free transfers makes one wonder, “Where in the hell is all of this money going?” Well, obviously some of it is going to the useless sacks of shit sitting in the “customer service” booths in the train stations. One in ten are helpful and the rest of them always get testy when you interrupt their cell phone conversations to tell them that the fare card machine ate your money. The taxes here are unreal as well. In the loop alone the sales tax is 11.25%, the highest in the country. Don’t even get me started on the double-taxed cigarettes (one from Illinois and the other from the city itself). $10.25 for a pack of smokes is far too common. Sum up Chicago in one word. Extraordinary. How these images were made. I’m going to make a bit of an effort to include some information about how we make these images, especially for the Chicagoans project. Any photogs who find them interesting may be curious - so here are the details: 1st image: Taken with a Sigma 14mm f/3.5 on a Nikon D700, f/8, 1/200, ISO 800, tungsten WB. One large softbox camera left (held by Mike) powered by an Nikon SB-26 at full power with one full CTO filter, triggered by a Pocket Wizard Plus. One Nikon SB-26 at half power with one full CTO filter, triggered by setting to “slave.” The idea here is to underexpose the last bit of eastern twilight by 2 full stops, lighting the subject from the left with soft light and with hard light from the right. The CTO filters turn the neutral strobe light orange, which is turned neutral again by setting the camera white balance to tungsten (do this to turn the sky a fully saturated and very deep blue). How to get that awesome lens flare sprayed across the frame. I decided to break every rule about portrait photography (to compensate for my lack of portrait photography experience) by shooting with a very wide angle lens, getting really close to the subject. The lens flare comes from the hard, bare flash on the right - the 14mm has a bulbous front element - place a hard light *just* out of frame and you’ll get some dramatic flare - it’s the ultimate twist on catch light.
Rainy, Twilight Drive - repost
Made by bossbob50
One of 10 of my images chosen to be in a six artists, Art Gallery Exhibit/Show in April/May. My second gallery show in 41 years. My first was 1971. Narrative: Some of you know, I’ve got a thing for rainy evenings and nights, mostly especially experienced when I’m in a car. I love driving in the rain - the harder the better; hearing it, feeling it, smelling it, seeing it come down in any form and splash around. The air is mist-humidifier thick and lingers in the nose, a combination of spring-freshness and city-grit. ~ (click large for the details) I like the way buildings of concrete or brick change colors as their stone facades get made wet by the rain. I also like the multiple light sources you find come dusk; bright and pretty lights shining here and there, all with differing color temps. So, in the rain, in the car, at night, on city streets, I’m kinda’ in photo heaven. I call this my dash-cam :-) I’ll put the camera on the dashboard and capture images as go. Sometimes it’s the little point-and-shoot camera, the Canon 880IS, or the Mamiya 2 ¼ (a little too heavy to control on the turns), or sometimes the D300. This was the D300 with the 12-24mm lens (which is really sharp at f/8). I’ve gotten fairly comfortable with the Dashboard process (iso settings, f-stops, shutter speeds, zoom setting) and I get a lot of fun and, I hope, interesting images and points-of-view doing this. No fender-benders….yet. :-) This is North Michigan Avenue, the high-priced shopping district, just north of the Chicago River, late rush hour. A storm had moved in with these luscious, low, heavy, slate-gray, leaden-looking clouds. In-between the “soak-you-to-your-undies” sheets of downpour these kinds of clouds can deliver, pedestrians will take their chances on crossing the street. Naturally, people act as if they’ve never driven in the rain before, and traffic slows to a crawl; except for the cabbies. Cabbies: love them and hate them. Cross in front of them at your own risk, even if you have the light. Or at least, do like this pedestrian is doing; wear bright colors so at least Cabman can’t tell the Judge you blended in with the dark and he didn’t see you. “I was wearin’ fluorescent, banana, canary yellow, ya’honna. He couldn’t help but see me! He jus’ runned me over, was all.” But, you sure do appreciate their “reckless cabbie hustle” as your viewpoint changes; from driver to customer. It’s quite different when it's you in the back seat watching those $.50-cent by the minute or by the quarter-mile fees, rolling up on the taxi-meter while you sit in traffic. “Five dollars already, and we ain’t movin’” , you think. “Go through the light, I don’t mind, please driver.” “Oh, yes, didn’t you know - you can turn on red here. Left even; from any lane!” “Let’s go down this alley, it looks open.” “I see the sidewalk is kinda’ clear…just a thought.” Then you don’t mind if they even run over some silver-haired Grandmother and her “precious widdle puppy”; just get me there while I’ve still got some change in my pocket. KaThump!!! “Ooops. Oh, naw, you only winged her, Driver. She's OK, she’s getting’ up. Hey, she’s givin’ you the finger! Two-of-‘em! Damn, she’s shootin’ ‘em in the air, like she just don’t care! Grandmother picks up one of her dark-gray, thick-heeled orthopedic shoes, and with the speed and accuracy of an NFL quarterback, puts it right against the rear window, cracking the glass with a sharp, Kalomp - Keer-rack! Wha' the, you think. What's this? Weapons-grade, Rosa Klebb footwear for Seniors? Don'chu' worry 'bout it, Driver. She’s alright, You say, giving her one last glance. What about the pooch?, the driver inquires, glancing at his side mirror. Aah, poodles are a dime a dozen. texture: homemade
Make no little plans.
Made by kern.justin
Update: Thank you all for so many wonderful comments and faves - I'm working my way back through to get to know your work as well! Thanks for pushing this up to Explore!! - new photos up on the blog today --- Check out the new blog at www.thewindypixel.com! Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not themselves be realized. -Daniel Burnham It is my distinct honor to welcome you all to The Windy Pixel and it's inaugural post! Consider this a photographic conversation with the city - an excuse to get out and experience a city we too often taken for granted. We take the words of that great Chicagoan Daniel Burnham to heart and we have big plans for this website - we aim to document this hulking metropolis in a new and interesting way and collect an engaged and photo-hungry audience along the way. Come here every day to see a new photograph and read our musings. Like what you see? Grab a free desktop wallpaper (below) or buy a print! Know a great piece of Chicago? Send us a mail or leave a comment and share your secrets. Most importantly, stop by every day and leave a comment - we'd love to hear from you! That rare and long-awaited moment of capitulation being just around the corner, when the springtime sun graces us with warmer temps and the promise of the verdant season to come, and with no intention of rekindling any bad memories of this bitterly cold winter, I post the following photo. When I was an undergraduate, I used to ride the 6 along Lake Shore Drive very early in the morning. My interest in photography was on the upswing and I wanted to capture the feeling of looking over the ice at the city beyond. But alas, I was a sleepy college student and I didn't miss many meals back then. The image I had in mind bears little if any resemblance to the one below, but like all things in life, it is the result of fortuitous distraction on the road from point A to points unknown. Early January had seen plummeting temperatures and the lake was solid ice behind the breakers. We'd left hoping for a sunrise, but instead we got these gorgeous blue and pink hues through the overcast skies and the early morning lights of the city burning to the south. Michigan's blue waters rolled in gentle swells. The slushy waves nibbled at the ice sheets, slowly cracking and breaking away little bits as deeper waters surged to replenish the shelf. I stepped out onto the seawall to capture the city twinkling over Lake Michigan's icy grasp. Sublime, perilous, frigid and colorful - Chicago in a nutshell.
good morning Chicago!
Made by ifotog, Queen of Manhattan Street Photography
Millennium Park. view with B l a c k M a g i c Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park within the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The sculpture and AT&T Plaza are located on top of Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed The Bean because of its legume-like shape. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It is 33 feet by 66 feet by 42 feet (10 m × 20 m × 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (99.8 t; 98.2 long tons). Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the omphalos, a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, although many tourists simply view the sculpture and its unique reflective properties as a photo-taking opportunity. The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.
I wish I know what you're thinking ... Posing for a Portrait
Made by Flipped Out
This male silverback lowland gorilla at Chicago's Regenstein Center for African Apes at Lincoln Park Zoo poses everytime he sees a camera. It's hilarious. Don't you wonder sometimes what he is thinking? From the Lincoln Park Zoo website (lpzoo.org): The state-of-the-art Regenstein Center for Africa Apes, which opened in July 2004, is unlike any other in the country – maybe the world. Twenty-nine-thousand square feet of living space, indoors and out. Bamboo stands real and simulated. Dozens of trees and 5,000 feet of artificial vines for climbing. Skylights. Termite mounds for chimpanzee “fishing.” A waterfall. A moat. Heated logs. Fresh air. Sunshine. A major element of the new building is the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes. The center engages zoo visitors, members and students in science and conservation initiatives through an integrated program of research, science education and the conservation of wild populations. About the gorilla (from lpzoo.org) Description Largest of the living primates; males up to 6 feet tall and 400 pounds, females up to 5 feet and 200 pounds. Greater weights occur in captivity. Coat black to brown-gray, turning gray with age. Adult males with broad, silvery-white “saddle” on back, extending to rump and thighs. Small ears, nostrils bordered by broad ridges, which extend to the upper lip. Young have a white tuft of hair on the rump. Range Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea Status The gorilla is listed as endangered, and commercial trade of this species is prohibited by international law. Principal causes of population decline are habitat destruction and hunting. Poachers prize adult males and disrupt troops by killing leaders. Lincoln Park Zoo participates in the Gorilla Species Survival Plan® and is world-famous famous for its success in breeding captive western lowland gorillas.
Cloud Gate Chicago (Explore)
Made by Bert Kaufmann
Highest position on Explore: #134 on Saturday, August 7, 2010 Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park within the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The sculpture and AT&T Plaza are located on top of Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed The Bean because of its bean-like shape. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It is 33 feet by 66 feet by 42 feet (10 m × 20 m × 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the omphalos (Greek for navel), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties. The sculpture was selected during a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.
Mini-Frosted Fence Posts!
Made by pixelmama
A massive snowstorm is heading our way so I obviously have snow on my brain! I thought everyone would enjoy some snow from an earlier storm! I fell in love with this frosty fence ... looks like frosted wheat cereal or maybe a scrumptious sugar coated dessert doesn't it? So ... it is being predicted that this blizzard may surpass the blizzard of 1967; the benchmark for all major snowstorms in Chicago. I just happen to remember that blizzard ... but on the other side of the lake. Chicago received 23 inches, and my hometown of Kalamazoo reported 28 inches. After the snowfall, I remember vividly this story: our dog Fluffy was in her doghouse throughout the storm. I have no idea why my parents didn't bring her inside!! Looking out into the yard, it was a smooth plane of snow over the entire backyard ... and I vividly recall that we located her by the steam vent she made through the snow! We had to forge our way through the snow and dig her out. Isn't that crazy? Poor Fluffy! But she did survive it!! And the snow was very deep, the 50 mph winds had whipped up some mountainous snow drifts ... some up to 15 feet tall! Jackie will be stuck downtown for the storm and I wish I was with her. It would be very cool to see the city under a blanket of snow. The strong winds will definitely whip that lake up over Lake Shore Drive. I'd love to be down there with my camera!! I bet I won't be able to talk Jackie into going out for some photos with her P&S!! I apologize for being a poor contact my Flickr peeps but I have been enjoying the down time and the time spent with Rachel. Since we'll most likely be snowed in, I'll have time tonight and tomorrow to catch up!! A little bit of purple/mauve in my texture makes this perfect for Purple Tuesday & Texture Tuesday: Happy Totally Texture Tuesday!
Fewer Than Twenty
Made by Flipped Out
The Bali Mynah (Leucopsar rothschildi) is one of the world's most critically endangered birds. Native to the island of Bali in Indonesia, according to the Honolulu Zoo website, there are about 13-14 remaining in the wild. Female and male Bali mynahs look alike, having beautiful white feathers, black tipped wings and tails, and a bright powder blue crescent of skin around the eyes. Their heads are topped off by a lacy white crest of feathers. They are about the size of cardinals. Originally inhabiting some 30,000 hectares of dry monsoon forest along northern Bali, the species is now restricted to 4000 hectares within the Prabat Agung Peninsula located in the extreme northwest. Poaching and timber harvesting are among the greatest threat to the survival of the Bali mynah in the wild. Conservation initiatives enacted over the past two decades to have been ineffective in increasing this species numbers in the wild. Fortunately, Bali mynahs breed readily in captivity, with more than 800 birds managed in breeding programs globally. However, behavioral incompatibility, low fertility, and high nestling mortality have resulted in substantial variation in breeding success among genetically-desirable pairings. This bird was photographed at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago which participates in the Species Survival Plans (SSPs) established by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). SSPs are cooperative management programs designed to ensure the continued genetic diversity of animals in captivity including the Bali mynah. About 230 of the more than 750 Bali mynahs hatched in captivity live in North America. This photo won the Feathery Friday Majestic Bird Week! Thanks to all who voted!! It's an honor and a good way to spread the message for conservation.
Last act of a robber baron.
Made by kern.justin
View large and black on tWp! In 1892, The University of Chicago was established by John D. Rockefeller under the watchful eye of William Rainey Harper. Prior to its opening, the university was originally to be a Baptist institution - The Baptist Harvard. The school never officially had a religious affiliation, however. Instead it has acquired a number of theological seminaries, in addition to its own Divinity School, which take an academic approach to faith. I once overheard a tour guide refer to Rockefeller Chapel as the last act of a robber baron. I have to disagree - Rockefeller was no fool and the chapel is not an attempt at redemption. Though he profited from his business unlike any one else has since (or likely will) his name lives on primarily as a philanthropist - the founder of two universities and a continual force in scientific and cultural funding. I took this photograph early one morning when the light outside was flat and boring. The only other soul in the church was a very nice older lady who was tidying up. I should mention that this image is stitched together from four different images using panorama tools. I used a 16mm rectilinear fisheye - generating something close to a 180º view in all directions. When you do this kind of thing from a standard tripod and then line the images up you get something called parallax error (put your finger in front of your nose and look at it with only your left eye open, then with only your right eye open - see how it moves) and it adds up, so you need to take frames that overlap by about half the frame. (There are special tripod heads that overcome this error - and be looking to tWp in the future for the design and construction of just such a thing!)
Gnarled Redbud, University of Chicago, USA
Made by Rana Pipiens
A flowering 'Forest Pansy' - for that is what the Redbud, the Cercis canadensis, is sometimes called - in the city. And a gnarled one at that. (Ah! How Oscar Wilde would have smiled at that juxtaposition!) After blossoming, its green, heart-shaped leaves turn almost purple: hence the 'pansy'. It also goes by the name of spicewood because in southern Appalachia it was used to season venison and opossum. Pehr (or Pietari or Peter) Kalm (1716-1779), the famous Swedish-Finnish botanist and friend of Benjamin Franklin's, called it the Sallod Tree because its flowers were often used in salads. Others have called it the Judas Tree, because it is from a member of this species - the siliquastrum - that Judas Iscariot is said to have hanged himself after betraying Jesus with a kiss. Whatever... the beautiful magenta flowers of this exquisite tree lighten up every Spring, and there can be no-one who doesn't love a Redbud. Walking into the Redbud Forests of the campus of the University of Chicago near Swift Hall and the language schools, I was reminded of the bitter fight over the language and nationality of Pehr Kalm about a hundred years after his death: he was claimed as one of their own both by the Finns and by the Swedes. It is wonderful that in the tradition of the liberal arts of this university (from 1890 onwards) such strife is a matter of humanist discourse and no longer a case of viciously sought-after national identity. The Redbud was first depicted by that untiring English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683-1749) in his Natural Historyof 1731, but I rather prefer the real Flowering Tree. (By the way, I'm told it's a member of the bean family... Curious, no?)
Leader of the Gang. Suricata suricatta in Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, USA
Made by Rana Pipiens
A must for any zoo, of course, these Meerkats. Native to southern Africa, especially the Kalahari Desert, their name in Afrikaans is apparently a misnomer derived from that of a monkey (maquac). And the derivation of its Latin name Suricata suricatta is unclear (so-called derivations from the Swahili are plain nonsense; that language was not spoken in southern Africa, and the '-cat(t)a' is clearly a Western root; the problem lies in the 'suri-', which can hardly derive from 'Syria'; remotely possible from 'sur', that is to say 'south''. Regardless, a Gold Star to the solver of this little puzzle!)). Whatever their name, they are, of course, enchanting little creatures; related to the mongoose, part of their diet is poisonous snakes, and they are indifferent to the bite of South-African desert scorpions. Suricates were first described in 1777 by Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben (1744-1777), a German veterinarian and naturalist, the son of the first woman to receive a medical doctor's license in Germany (Dorothea Christiane Erxleben, 1715-1762). Maybe she once called her son her 'little monkey'... The name 'suricata' gained more currency through the efforts of the French biologist Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest (1784-1838), who described these fascinating, cute animals in his Dictionary of Natural History (1804). This photo was taken in the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, USA. A fine place to visit, it was founded in 1868 when a pair of swans was presented to the commissioners of the newly established Lincoln Park. My favorite is the obvious leader, third from the left.
Chicago Skyline: northwest from AON Center
Made by spudart
It's like a celebrity lineup of famous Chicago architecture. In the middle is the twin towers Marina City. Moving right is Mies Van der Rohe's IBM Building of pure black boxy delight. Then you got new kid on the block Trump Tower under construction--these days nowadays grow so fast--and tall! Moving down is the London Insurance Building. Which i have to admit is one of the WEIRDEST perspectives I've ever seen of this building. Look at how it's got such an odd shape. Goodness, was the architect drunk? Snap-a-licious what is the name of that tall spirey building? It's always been that no-name tower. To the left of mr. mysterious is the blue Hotel 71. Normally I would never mention Hotel 71 as a celebrity, but it just has the most amazing view on its top floor. I <3 you Hotel 71. The golden spire of the Hard Rock Hotel apparantly has a red dot on the top. Ummm, I think Google Maps accidentally left behind one of its markers. You'll have to buy one of the 20x30 prints to see it. BaAaAaAaAa! BaAaAaAaAa-dooooomp! In comes marching the ever-robotic, the ever-transformerarific, the Prudential 2 Center. Just don't get impaled by its spire. Happily sitting to the left to this spear is the Jewelers building with its cute little dome. Moving back up the river, you can see the Greek-influenced teal roof of the R.R. Donnelley Building. OH wow, speaking of teal roofs the Merchandise Mart across the street is sporting this fashion as well. A higher-resolution photo is available at: www.deviantart.com/print/3141678
'neath the shroud of the foggy dew
Made by pixelmama
I haven't posted any photos from our Bike the Drive adventure yet because ... well ... I don't have very many! Our plan was to see the sunrise over the lake and get photos like the one from last year (in comments). Sadly, we were denied!! We arrived at 5:00 AM and were greeted with a solid wall of dense fog! Considering the weather, however; there was a huge turnout. Of course we didn't let the weather stop us!! We laughed at each other as we rode, looking at the water droplets hanging from each others' eyebrows and eyelashes ... at the hair on our arms and face, and the fabric of our clothes ... covered with a fine silvery mist. Needless to say, we never did see the sun. We rode for three hours; finally returning to our car soaking wet. We immediately left the city and drove for three hours to the Wisconsin Dells. As soon as we arrived, my nephew dragged us on a three-hour hike at Devils Lake. It was a very, very, very long day ... ending with a fabulous night of sleep in our tent under the moon & stars. During the night, I could hear the owls hooting and the coyotes howling ... we awoke to the sounds of morning, the birds singing! -----> Ahhhhhhhhhh .... wish we were back there right now! ♫ Sinead O'Connor & the Chieftains – The Foggy Dew ♫ Back to writing cover letters and filling out job applications!! Happy Foggy Blue Thursday!
311/365: The Red Line
Made by pixelmama
Project 365 Sunday • November 7, 2010 I had an awesome time in the city with Jackie yesterday! She wanted to take me on the El Train. So we boarded the Red Line at Lake Street and disembarked at the Addison stop. Oh hey! There's Wrigley Field and Harry Caray's Tavern! She took me to a quaint restaurant she had discovered with her new school chums: The Cozy Noodle. What a fun little hole in the wall diner! The Crispy Pad Thai was sinfully delicious. Jackie said, Mom, you HAVE to go use the restroom ... and take your camera! Just please; don't KNOCK anything off the wall in there! Strange request, right? So I went ... and to my total amazement; the walls were plastered with PEZ dispensers! Take a little peek at the image in the comments! The room was not much larger than a phone booth so her warning made sense! So today's fun image has the worm crawling around on the El Train Platform (funny looks you say? not in Chicago)! Loved her orange Converse against the brilliant cyan and yellow border of the platform. The lighting was horrendous so all the highlights were blown but with some SLIDER magic, I recovered the highlights and brought out some wild urban color! And finally, we have some Bokeh People huddled in the background!! Happy Slider Sunday! Happy Worms-Eye View Sunday! Happy Bokeh People Any Day of the Week! *This would also make a perfect Cliche Saturday too with the Converse!!
Sunrise at the Gate
Made by John Rav
I been thinking about this shot for a while now. Since DST is coming this weekend and sunrise will be even earlier, it was now or not for another long while... Had to get on a train about 30 minutes earlier then normal, I also jumped in a cab thinking I might miss something. Was really hoping for one of those really colorful pink-orange-red sun-cloud mornings and got just a little. An extra treat was that the courtyard is mostly empty of others at this time of morning. Really adds to the atmosphere up there, to be alone. As well its not common. The Bean is a major people magnet. I have been on a saturation kick lately, once you start it's really hard to drop. I have really tried to keep it in check, as there is an edge where to much is really not helpful. I will open Fair game on anyone to let me know when it gets close to that edge... I have a full series in mind for the Bean + Sunrise, so I am really taking todays 30 minutes as a case study for that. i.e. more to come later in the year... (I am really a big fan of this sculpture, just check my favorites. I think about 1/3 are of the Cloud gate.) Nov. 3rd this made Explorer FRONT PAGE! (#9) Thanks to all of you! This is now available for purchase in my Imagekind Gallery.
Chicago Blues
Made by iCamPix.Net
Many of my popular photo prints are now available on my website at the following link www.icampix.net/ FRONT PAGE EXPLORE July 22, 2009 Large View so here i am walking in downtown Chicago and see dark and cloudy skies early in the morning. i knew weather forecast said it will be mostly sunny and pleasant. Does not look sunny at all. oh well maybe it will clear up later. My experience says none of the web site are actually forecasting the weather right or at least it is not foretasted for photographers. if anyone knows a better way to find out about most accurate forecast please let me know. I spent all day walking around in downtown dreaming maybe it will clear up and i would shoot a few photos. and here comes the sunset time and i was amazed to see some spectacular colors on the sky and it turned out to be a wonderful evening for night shooting. This shot was taken from Shed's aquarium and i love how Sears tower, America's tallest building is standing tall with all its glory. btw this photo is not HDR. just my homemade processing with a single JPEG file
Cloud Gate, Chicago
Made by iCamPix.Net
FRONT PAGE EXPLORE July 31, 2009 Click here to have a closer look at the Chicago Bean Cloud Gate aka the bean , is a public sculpture and is the centerpiece in Millennium Park within the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The Bean because of its legume-like shape. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It is 33 feet by 66 feet by 42 feet , and weighs 110 tons. Its design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot high arch. On the underside is the omphalos, a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The only problem while taking a picture of this beauty is those hundreds of people glued to it trying to take self portraits in its reflecting surface. No Group Invites/ Graphics Please, Invita a ningún Grupo / Gráficos Por favor, N. gruppo invita / Grafica prega, No Group Invite / Graphics S'il vous plaît, Nr. Fraktion bittet / Grafik Bitte
Navy Pier Panorama - Mark your seat on the ferris wheel with a note!
Made by kern.justin
Hey flickr friends - add a note and reserve your spot on the Ferris wheel! Check out the blog at www.thewindypixel.com! --- “…I bought an N70 and ran a few dozen rolls of film through it when I was in college. This was before I bought a D100 and before I realized that I connected with digital photography in a way I never could with film. I bought my girlfriend (now my wife) a camera as well and we took a day to walk around downtown Chicago snapping away. I remember going to Navy Pier and seeing the setting sun light up the lighthouses at the end of the breakers. It was a magical day and was one of the last times I went to Chicago’s version of Pinocchio’s Pleasure Island. I recently returned to capture the following image. It was just before sunrise and the place was deserted, no tourists and no churros. The swings were turning very slowly and most of the lights were put out, generating a rather creepy atmosphere. I connected with the place in a way I hadn’t since way back when … listen to Annie - don’t discount this place - pick your time and make it your own Chicago.” — Justin
346/365: "Understand She's a Force of Nature"
Made by pixelmama
Project 365 Sunday • December 12, 2010 After I dropped Jackie off at her dorm this afternoon, I decided to drive down to the lake since I was already downtown. I had heard that the winds would be gusting up to 55 MPH today ... but I was not prepared for the sight that met me down on the lake! The normal walking path for this scene is on the other side of this fence! I had to scramble to this side due to the force of nature! In my experience; this just isn't normal for Lake Michigan! Operative word being that this is a 'lake!' But I had a strong feeling there would be some action on the lakefront because when I was cruising down Lake Shore Drive; the waves were crashing over the road!! Pearl Jam — Force of Nature I so LOVE ♥ this song ... and I've been listening to it on 'repeat' since I got home! Happy Slider Sunday! -- Slidin' in a bit late this Sunday Eve! As a side note for those that care; the Chicago Bears are gettin' whooped in this weather! About 9 miles south of where I was standing at this exact moment!! :D
flower painting 1
Made by doug.siefken
photo to flower painting in high definition - stillism with audio track - a Fluid Stills(r) video production - Chicago MagMile tulip festival April 1 — May 31, 2009 Celebrating Architecture in the Windy City, Chicago - City Beautiful Art Installations from Chicago's Architects Celebrate spring with an architectural spin during the sixth annual Tulips on The Magnificent Mile. The Magnificent Mile comes alive with color as hundreds-of-thousands of vibrant tulips bloom on One of the Great Avenues of the World. See below for special springtime offers and events. CELEBRATING ARCHITECTURE Renowned architecture firms have designed a one-of-a-kind public art installation highlighting architecture and celebrating Burnham's City Beautiful plan for Chicago. The exhibit features City Beautiful sculptures along North Michigan Avenue each varying in size and function. These sculptures will reflect and embody Burham's City Beautiful ideals of beauty, harmony and symmetry. www.themagnificentmile.com/SeasonalEvents/Spring/default.cfm
Nearest places of interest:
| 333 Wacker Drive 191 North Wacker Drive Hotel Allegro Chicago Cook County Building | Wells Street Bridge 300 North LaSalle Franklin St/Orleans Bridge Merchandise Mart |
