Chicago from Above the Clouds

I think most people that aren't photographers think that we just show up to a location one time and snap a photo and there you have it a portfolio shot. Truth be told in order to capture amazing images sometimes it takes you dozens of attempts. I've been trying to get a shot from the top of the Willis Tower looking back at the John Hancock and the Trump tower poking up through the clouds. On this particular night a few weeks ago I thought I was going to finally get the shot but as the clouds continued to roll through and the sun set, I realized that I would have to keep chasing this image. At least it wasn't a total loss. I got a great timelapse and got to watch an amazing cloud show.

If you like my images and want to find out how to create similar images, check out my store for Lightroom, Snapseed and soon to be coming Luminar presets.

Morton Aboretum

Every year I find myself returning to Morton Aboretum inevitably in the fall. There aren't a lot of areas to hike around Chicago and in the fall I find it nice to spend a few hours in nature walking and talking with a good friend. It always helps if they are a photographer too. This time I had the pleasure of spending time with one of my budding photographer friends Alex.

Alex and I spent almost 3 hours walking, talking and trying to capture some morning light in the Aboretum. It was perfect timing because the trees were already shedding their leaves and many were covered with red and orange leaves.

We got there around 7 am so we had over an hour with nice soft light. It was a relaxing and fun time out with a great old friend. I look forward to my next adventure with him and my camera.

Surprise Engagement!

Surprise engagement shoots are a lot of fun because of the energy and excitement of the soon to be engaged couple. I had the pleasure of shooting the engagement of Vince and Aarti in the fall.

The setting was classic; Millennium Park. Their closest friends were invited and the weather couldn't have been better. Since it was a public venue, I was able to blend into the surroundings as if I was just another photographer in the park.

As the moment approached I could tell Vince was excited and a little nervous. He had a box on a bench waiting for her with a card and a fake ring box. She was sent on a scavenger hunt all day so she was looking for the next clue when she came upon the box.

Vince was hiding around the corner and after she had a chance to read everything he came out and got down on one knee. It was a magical moment and one I was glad to capture for them. Of course she said yes and is now soon to be a Mrs.

If you or your friends are getting engaged and would like to capture the moment, give me a call and let's talk through the details. I'd love to help make your day that much more magical.

Street Photography with an 85mm Lens

For a long time I shot with zoom lenses. The good ones are versatile, easy to shoot with, you can zoom without moving and numerous other reasons. But more recently I've switched to all prime lenses and I'm loving it.

A prime lens is a fixed length lens. It does not zoom at all unlike many other types of lenses (including your iPhone). The advantage of prime lenses is that they are lighter, faster (lower f-stop) and are sharper than zoom lenses. The other factor I love about only owning zoom lenses is that they force me to be more creative.

On this particular shoot I decided to leave the house with nothing but an 85mm Zeiss Batis 1.8 to shoot street photography. 85mm is traditionally a portrait lens so this was a challenge. What I found by bringing only one prime lens with me was that my brain shifted and I started thinking about the types of shots I could create.

The limitations of the lens actually helped me to think more creatively instead of zooming out and shooting a shot wide or using my zoom to get in close. It actually limited what I could do therefore made me think harder on the types of shots I could achieve and how to execute those shots.

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I find that since I've moved to all prime lenses I'm having more fun shooting and my abilities are growing by leaps and bounds. I also am in love with the Zeiss lenses I've bought. I never really believed that Zeiss had a look until I started shooting with them. I hate to say it but now I'm a believer.

Brookfield Zoo

I've lived in Chicago for a very long time and for some reason I've never been over to Brookfield Zoo. It may have been because Lincoln Park Zoo is free and it has always given me my zoo fix or it may have been that I didn't have kids and didn't need something to keep them engaged 24/7. Either way, over the summer I spent some time at Brookfield Zoo and was very impressed with the attractions and the animals they have.

The longest lens currently in my bag is a manual focus 135mm f2.0 lens. It's great for portraits but it was a little short for zoo animals. Luckily I have enough resolution on my camera to crop in without loosing too much detail. I would love to buy a 300mm lens to shoot animals and sports but I don't shoot those subjects too often right now. One day I will definitely take the plunge. In the meantime enjoy the shots from the zoo.

North Avenue Drone Flight

I still get butterflies when I fire up my DJI Phantom. It may be because I like to fly in locations where the drone is at danger and may result in a expensive piece of machinery in a lake or ocean. Either way, what fun is it to fly if you aren't going to go to cool locations? This Saturday was no exception. A windy overcast sunrise and I've got this badboy way out over the water. I've been to the location a lot of times but I'm still trying to capture the image I have in my head. The footage is fun to watch so enjoy.

Chicago Botanic Gardens

The Chicago Botanic Garden is a hidden gem on the north side of the city. It's a 385 acre plant sanctuary that is brimming with life all year round. The garden is a favorite place of mine that I like to visit yearly. Each visit is very different and I like to explore a different part of the park. They have everything from vegetable gardens to bonsai trees. I love how they plant the vegetation in patterns so that it's as much an art installation as it is a botanic garden.

On my recent trip they had a bonsai exhibit on display that was very interesting. I've dabbled in the art of bonsai growing in my past so I was very impressed seeing all the mature bonsai trees. The park is worth a visit at least once a year just to relax and stroll through the park. They also have a photography society that meets once a month to explore the garden.

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/photography/garden_photo_society

Bill and Lauren's Chicago Engagement

When I got the call from my friend Bill telling me that he "might need my photography skills for something". I knew something was up. Bill and Lauren were dating for quite a while and I had the suspicious feeling where our conversation would go.

During our lunch he laid out this extravagant plan which involved a borrowed yacht and a twisting and turning story to keep Lauren off the scent. I could tell he was nervous but super excited as well. We agreed that the plan was solid and he let me know the date for the magical event.

When I arrived at the boat it was just me, Bill and the captain. We figured out the layout of the boat and the most effective way for me to capture the ride without looking too suspicious. Lauren was lead to believe that we were using the boat only as a shuttle to an event. "Isn't it going to be odd that it's just me and the two of you" I asked Bill. Bill shot back "she has no idea". So I went with it.

When Lauren got there I realized that she really didn't know what was about to happen. She was more concerned with the "event" they were going too and didn't notice too much about me. I had the GoPro set suction cupped to the top of the boat and as we took off I excused myself to the hull of the boat.

As I headed down there Bill and Lauren headed out to the deck to sit down and enjoy the sunset and the water view. I quickly got my camera gear ready and headed back by the captain. I was glad to see that they were sitting on the deck looking out and no one was paying attention to me. I was able to get a bunch of great shots heading out of the boat slip and shots as we headed toward the lake.

Once we got near the lake the captain turned the ship around right as the water gun was being fired and Bill got down on one knee. It was a sight to be seen. The Chicago skyline, the water gun and the sunset behind the couple. It all came together beautifully into an incredible moment.

After she put on the ring I captured a few more candid moments of the two celebrating together. The captain then hit the throttle and we zipped off to a restaurant on the river where Bill and Lauren's family was waiting to celebrate with them.

It was a truly incredible day and an incredible shoot with an incredible couple. I hope my images help them remember it for years to come.

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Having a kid is a great excuse to revisit all the sights of Chicago that I haven't made time for in the past. One of my favorite sights is the Shedd Aquarium. This past visit we found everything from turtles to monkeys and all the fish you can imagine. Below are some of my favorite shots from the day.

My favorite exhibit was the jellyfish tank. The Shedd had 3 aquariums of around a dozen jellyfish in each. Above the tanks were changing lights that helped accentuate the jellyfish and turn them all different colors. The lights made the jellyfish pop and gave them a surreal look.

Because the jellyfish move in a slow loose fashion it was very relaxing to watch them as they gently made their way around the tank. The softly changing lights added to the relaxing effect. The only challenge was getting good shots! :) Although taking photos of the jellyfish was challenging it was also very enjoyable. See my Instagram feed for more photos.

Trey Ratcliff's Photo Walk Across The USA (Chicago)

On August 10th I had the pleasure of joining Trey Ratcliff's Photo Walk Across The USA Chicago stop. The event was a great success with what appeared to be 150-200 people attending. We started with a pre-walk reception with Trey taking the time to talk with everyone and take photos. I had a few minutes with him and expressed my gratitude for his work. He has been an inspiration to me for the past 5+ years. His work has inspired me and his story has inspired me to know that we all have the ability to find a passion and turn it into a career.

After the pre-walk reception Trey got us started with a few words about his travels and his time in Chicago. They had this traveling PA system setup so that everyone could hear. They also had plenty of cameramen to document the event including a pilot for their DJI Inspire 1.

Once we got moving we headed west from the Adler Planetarium down the lakefront. Every 10 minutes or so Trey would stop and talk a few minutes about what he was seeing and trying to shoot. We headed west to the Shedd Aquarium and then north west to along the lake to Buckingham Fountain. At that point I decided I had enough and headed home.

You can see the highlight video of the event below. I was impressed that they had the guts to fly the Inspire One around Buckingham Fountain in the dark with people around but maybe they had a permit :).