Chicago Helicopter Tour - Photo Shoot

Over the weekend I had the chance to fulfill a dream of mine and take a tour of Chicago via helicopter. Almost every location is cooler via helicopter and this was no different. Chicago is an amazing city to begin with but once you get up in the air and see it up close and personal it is a truly unbelievable experience. I've been planning this trip for about 3 years but every year the summer gets away from me and I end up scratching the trip for the year. This year was almost the same story until I finally just booked the trip. I did some research and I found a highly respected and reviewed tour service. I had looked at some of the Groupon deals but they all got pretty bad reviews and I wasn't going to trust my life and experience to a questionable company.

My initial thought was that I would tell the pilot exactly where I wanted him to go but once I saw the tours available the standard downtown tour got me to all the locations I was looking to photograph. When I called to book I told them I wanted to leave between 6:30-7 am they were I bit surprised. I explained to them that I was a photographer and wanted to take pictures in the best light. They warned me that there can be pretty bad haze in the morning but I decided to take the risk and go up anyway.

AM Air Service was the tour service I decided to go with. Pilot Fitz was great and I got to the air field about 6:30 am. The air field was about 30 miles outside of Chicago but he insured me that we will be downtown in minutes. It's been a long time since I've been in a helicopter so the takeoff was a little weird. We headed up off the ground and then tilted forward to get moving. The sensation of flying in a helicopter is so different and foreign from a plane that you have to get readjusted to it if you don't fly often.

Once we were in the air we started cruising downtown at about 130 MPH. We covered the 30 miles in just about 10 minutes. On our way downtown I could see the rising sun. Sunrise was about 6:45 that morning and there were only a few clouds in the sky so I got great light the entire trip. When we got downtown we headed south to fly over McCormick Place and Northerly Island. This is probably the best view of Chicago and I got some photos of Soldier Field along with the skyline and Burnham Harbor.

After passing Soldier Field we headed north along Lake Shore Drive. We passed Grant Park, Millenium Park and got to see the skyline from a unique angle. We flew right over Lake Point Tower and up the lake shore to Wrigley Field. Looking back at the city I was able to get some good shots of the Hancock tower with the Willis Tower in the background. These photos are only available in a helicopter because they can fly so low and get so close to the buildings. I've been up in a small plane before which is also amazing but I felt that we were able to get even closer with the helicopter.

After circling Wrigley Field we headed back to the Loop and went over the Chicago River and pretty close to the Willis Tower. We were so close that I could see in to the glass cubes that hang off the building. After we passed the Willis tower we headed back to the air field in Schaumburg. The entire ride was 45 minutes and was a perfectly comfortable ride around the city. After we got on the ground Fitz told me that they have a night flight that is equally amazing if not more spectacular. AM Air Service will even take the doors off the helicopter in the summer so I'm thinking that I might want to try the night tour next summer. If you get the chance to experience Chicago from a helicopter I you should definitely try it. It's an experience you will never forget.

Jacqueline and Fernando

This past weekend I had the joy of celebrating the beautiful engagement of Jacqueline and Fernando. Now a days I feel like it is more typical than not to get engagement photos done before the official nuptials are said but this was unique because I was present during the actual engagement and the two families were secretly there as well.

About a month ago Fernando reached out to me and asked me to shoot his surprise engagement. He gave me the details and said that he wanted to do dress rehearsal before the actual engagement He decided to propose at Osaka Garden which is the site of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 aka the World's Fair. The park is on the Wooded Island on the south side of Chicago and is a small perfectly manicured Japanese garden. The plan was to pretend that the two were going to a fund raiser at the Museum of Science and Industry and to take a walk through the park on their way to the event. They were going to make their way through the park to the end of the path where a table was set up with champaign and a box.

Both Fernando and Jacqueline's families arrived at the park about 4:30 to help set up the table and the rose petals. Both families were so excited and helpful in setting up. Once the time got closer they headed off to hide behind the fence and wait. When Jacqueline and Fernando got to the Osaka Garden you can tell he was excited to propose. The two made their way down the path and I tried to set up to get the best shots. I was shooting with my Nikon 80-200 f2.8 so I could shoot them from across the park. As they made it down the path they crossed a small Japanese bridge which had a beautiful backdrop of the dome of the Museum of Science and Industry.

Shortly after they crossed the bridge they were up the path to the gazebo and the table. I had to sprint to get back in place to get the proposal and the reaction. It was magical to be in the presence of these two during such an emotional and special day. After the proposal was finished and she said yes (of course) the couple took a walk through the rest of the park where their families had clipped some pictures that they had taken while they were dating to the surrounding plants. As the couple turned the corner to come back the families had come out of hiding to embrace and to celebrate. It was such a special day with 2 special families.

Loyola Academy vs Simeon - August 25, 2012

This past Saturday I was in attendance at the Loyola Academy versus Simeon high school football game. For anyone who doesn't subscribed to my monthly newsletter, I'm adopting the Loyola Ramblers this season and plan on photographing all of their games. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge football fan and this is a great way for me to get closer to the sport and practice my sports photography.

I shot the Chicago Bears training camp a few weeks ago and got some incredible images of Brandon Marshall but with pro sports you need all kinds of press passes to shoot at the games. High school is great because I can get up close to the players and take some "Pro" style images of high school athletes. This past Saturday was hot, like 90+ degrees hot and humid. I remember those days of suiting up when the weather was blistering but today I only had my camera and hat and I was still uncomfortable.

The game was close all throughout the first quarter with a halftime score of 7-0 in favor of Loyola Academy. Loyola dominated the first half with time of possession and yardage but they had a few fumbles and mistakes that kept them from getting in the end zone. Both teams looked great and it was fun to capture a few of the more spectacular plays of the day.

Early in the fourth quarter Loyola Academy scored another touchdown and a few field goals to finish the game with a 20-0 victory. It was my game with the Ramblers and I had a blast taking pictures and routing them on to victory. Check back weekly to see the images I take from each game and to find out about how the season is progressing.

2012 Chicago Air and Water Show

On Saturday August 18th I had the opportunity to experience the Chicago Air and Water Show from the deck of the High Life with Captain Justin and the Just Sailing crew. The Chicago Air and Water Show is a spectacle from any angle but being on the water might get you the best view of the city and the show. We got to North Avenue Beach around 11:30 and got a great spot just a little ways away from the restricted area. We were on an 8 person sailboat so we were able to get nice and close and drop anchor in a great spot.

The Chicago Air and Water show features all sorts of planes and arial acrobatics. The planes range from small trick planes and bi-wings up to the Navy's Blue Angels and cargo planes. All the performers are great but seeing the raw power and agility of the Blue Angels is truly amazing. We were located in a spot where the planes would come directly over us as they made their loops. This gave us an amazing up close view of the planes.

As you can see by the pictures, the weather was crystal clear which made for an excellent show. Last year I watched the show from the John Hancock Observatory which was a totally different experience but an awesome one. Both locations are very different but both are equally amazing. If you are looking for an amazing location for next year's Air and Water show I suggest you give Captain Justin a call at Just Sailing and reserve him and his boat.

2012 Chicago Bears Training Camp

On Friday I decided to take a short road trip down to the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL to watch the Chicago Bears training camp and to practice my Football photography in anticipation of this upcoming fall. In the fall I'm planning on adopting a local high school football team and I'm going to shoot at each of their games. I love sports (especially football) and I think this will be a fun way to help build up my sports portfolio and have some fun at the same time.

I couldn't have gotten a better day to watch football. I believe this was the 2nd practice of training camp and there were a few thousand people that had the same idea. The sidelines were jammed with people with all their Chicago Bears gear on scouting to see how the team will fare this year. There were people that you could tell have been to training camp for the past 20 years and kids that were there for the first time. I got to practice about 20 minutes after it started so there were a lot of people in the prime real estate right along the sidelines. After a few minutes I was able to find a decent spot to stand and with my Nikon 80-200 f2.8 I just needed an unobstructed view to grab a few shots.

It's hard to remember how big these NFL stars are when you watch the games on TV. In person these guys are huge and are really fast. Not too surprising given they are NFL players but on TV everything feels slower and the players look smaller.

I focused my Nikon D90 on the offense most of the afternoon because they were closer to me and I had more opportunities for good photographs. The wide receivers were working on a lot of interesting drills and so there were good opportunities for action shots. I also played wide receiver in high school so I'm a little biased when it comes to the position. Our guys looked really good at practice and I think between Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Earl Bennett, and Devin Hester we could have a great receiving core this year.

It was great to see Brandon Marshall in a Chicago Bears jersey. This guy is the real deal. I was looking for him with all the other wide receivers and I turned to the guy next to me and asked him which number he was and he responded with "he's the biggest one of the group". The statement was very true. Brandon is probably a head taller than most of the wide receivers on the Bears and he is built like a tank. I can't wait to see Jay Cutler throwing the ball to him.

It was a fun day to get out and experience the energy of the Chicago Bears training camp. The facilities at Olivet Nazarene University are very nice and the students from the college working at the training camp were very helpful. It was a lot of fun to see these NFL athletes up close and in person. This was also a great warm up for this fall's football season. It's easy to shoot outside in the middle of the day but at night under the lights might be a different story. I'll have to wait and see.

2012 Chicago Rock and Roll Half Marathon

Today I set out to capture shots of the 2012 Chicago Rock and Roll Half Marathon as runners made their way around Chicago and through the South Loop. This has become a fun Chicago tradition where the organizers set up stages at various locations along the course and up and coming bands show off their talent. This year's headliner was Cobra Starship and there were plenty of other bands that helped keep the runners motivated throughout the 13.1 mile race. I was made aware that the race was underway when the bands started playing at 7:15 AM and my windows started rattling. The course winds all around the city and shows some of the best views of Chicago. Below is a picture I took of the runners heading onto Lake Shore Drive and down the home stretch with Trump Tower in the distance.

I had a few friends running the race so I spent a good amount of time trying to look for them but as you can see below it was a sea of sneakers and running bibs. I managed to locate one of my friends thanks to Google Latitude but when I was searching for him at a later point in the race I missed him in the sea of runners. I was quite impressed by the diversity of the runners. I'm pretty sure every age group was well represented in the race and since the temperature was supposed to hit 85 degrees, I hope everyone crossed the finish line safely.

The Chicago Firefighters never cease to amaze me with their courage and commitment but watching this firefighter run 13.1 miles with all his gear on is down right impressive. Fighting 85 degree heat with multiple layers of clothing on and a full blown oxygen tank on his back, this firefighter made good time heading through the course.

And of course it's not the Rock and Roll Half Marathon without live music. Here is one of the bands at 18th Street right across from Soldier Field. I didn't catch their name but they were providing the runners with high energy music to keep them going from mile 12 to the finish line.

Even though I wasn't running in the 2012 Rock and Roll Half Marathon, it was good to be out in the crowd cheering on my friends and all the runners. I've been to a few of the races in Chicago and it's really great to see the community come out to support all the people running for their favorite causes. Who knows, maybe next year I'll put down my camera and pick up my running shoes.

John Hancock Observatory - Lightning Photography Attempt #1

Lately I've been searching for fun places to experience these prairie storms that roll through Chicago and try to get some more lightning pictures. There are plenty of amazing rooftops and I have a few friends that are on some pretty high floors but I figured I would start with one of the biggest buildings in Chicago. Saturday was starting to look like one of those stormy days. It was a very hot day and the weather forecast was calling for a large storm most of the afternoon. As I headed out to catch the bus I could see a storm brewing just south of Chicago. Of course the Taste of Chicago was going on and this mixed with the normal Saturday traffic kept my bus crawling at a slow pace on Michigan avenue. I had my trusty iPhone out with my Weather Channel app launched and refreshing constantly. The red blob (a highly technical meteorological term) was moving way faster than my bus! And then the rain started. Slowly at first and then a full downpour. I was hoping to get some shots of the storm rolling in but that was out the window at this point. I was just hoping to get a lightning storm like we saw the day before.

When I finally got off the bus the rain was still coming down but I had yet to see one flash of lightning. At this point I wasn't as upset at missing the rainstorm since there was not a single strike of lightning. I finally got up to the John Hancock Observatory and I think the rain had deterred most of the tourists from staying because they were all heading downstairs by the dozens. What I saw in the observatory was a pretty hazy view of the city. But since I was playing weatherman for the day, I knew that the storm was getting ready to clear and I might get some interesting clouds. This was not what I was originally planning but whenever you are out shooting you just have to roll with the punches.

Luckily my wife was kind enough to hang out with me for a little while to see what I could capture. We sat through another passing storm and then the clouds began to part. To be honest, I lucked out that it didn't storm that day because I wouldn't have focused on some of the other shots that I ended up with. Instead of focusing on lightning, I was able to work with my Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and see what patterns and interesting details I could pick up from the city. I was able to get a pretty fun shot of the Allerton Hotel as well as the boats over in the playpen near Ohio Street beach. I also took one of my favorite shots of the city with the Willis Tower, Trump Tower, and Aon Center all in the frame (taken with my Tokina 11-16). I'm strongly considering blowing the shot up to a 30x45 inch print and hanging it in my living room.

Happy Birthday America!

Ahh the Fourth of July is upon us again. Time to fire up that grill, throw on some hot dogs and crack open a beer. What a great time of year with hot weather, sun, and people laying by the pool. It's also our favorite Lady Liberty's birthday today which is why it's such a great holiday to celebrate. I took the picture below on the 4th of July last year so I thought it fitting to share it today. The picture was taken with a 45mm Nikon tilt shift lens. This was my first time shooting with a tilt shift lens and I managed to get the shot below for my portfolio. Usually tilt shift lenses are used to shoot architecture so that you can keep all the lines from converging, but they also have the ability to make objects look miniature. For more details see this link.

If you have the luxury of being on a boat today I'm jealous. It's hot here in Chicago and the weather looks like it is going to be amazing. Unfortunately, I won't be on a boat today but I will be at some point this weekend. The shot below was taken at dawn while the sun was rising and an early bird boater was out on the water. It's one of those "classic summer" shots that makes you think of all the things that you do on the 4th of July.

It's not the 4th of July without Fireworks. Below is a shot I took from the Adler Planetarium of the Chicago fireworks. The weekly shows are great but something tells me that tonight's show will be even better. I'm looking forward to seeing the show tonight. I'm sure Navy Pier will be packed and there will be plenty of boats out in Lake Michigan.

Chicago Zombie March 2012

I finally had a chance to check out the annual Chicago Zombie March a few weeks ago and I was impressed by the creativity, organization, and downright playfulness of the zombies. I talked with a few of the participants and apparently there were more than 2,000 people that RSVPd for the event.

The event had all kinds of zombies and the amount of time and thought that went into the costumes was really cool. The zombies started at The Bean at Millenium Park and marched through the city. I only stayed for the main congregation and saw off the crowd. For some reason I love everything to do with zombies and this was a fun way for me to live out my own Walking Dead without worrying about being bitten or ambushed by a bunch of infected dead. Kind of fun if you ask me.

The zombies weren't just kids either. There were whole zombie families, zombie husbands and wives, and even naughty zombies. I'm thinking that next year I might have to participate :). I'm not sure that I have the time or patience to put on all that blood and to get dressed up. Maybe I'll just photograph it again. :)

Of course this whole march took place in the middle of one of the busiest places in Chicago for tourists and weddings. While the zombies were congregating, a wedding party showed up to take pictures by The Bean. I'm not sure if the bride was amused or horrified but they took a few pictures with the zombies and The Bean in the background. Pretty funny if you ask me. I'm sure those pictures are going to go right on the cover of the wedding album.

It was a lot of fun to see the excitement and all the people who came out to participate in the event. Apparently there is group that puts on more than a few events per year (who knew). You can visit http://chicagozombie.com/ for more information. If you get a chance to check out the 2013 march I highly recommend it. It's one of those things that you only get to experience in a big city.

Chicago Fireworks from the Adler Planetarium

About 3 years ago I headed over to Navy Pier to shoot the Saturday night fireworks. The shots came out good, but since that night I've been thinking of other interesting locations where I can shoot the weekly fireworks show. One of the places that came to mind was shooting from the Adler Planetarium. If you are not familiar with this location it provides one of the best views of the Chicago skyline and it's right on the lake. From this vantage point I was able to capture the skyline and the fireworks from Navy Pier using my Tokina 11-16 lens.

We drove over to the Adler Planetarium about 9:00 PM in anticipation for the 9:30 start and apparently I wasn't the only photographer that wanted to get this shot. There were a handful of people already set up there with their tripods and everything from point and shoots to DSLRs. It took me a few minutes to find the spot I wanted to shoot from but I finally stopped pretty far east near the side of the Planetarium. From this angle I was able to keep the Willis Tower in the left hand side of the frame and still get the fireworks.

Overall I'm happy with the shots that I got. The weather was beautiful and the fireworks show as always was amazing. I have a few more locations that I'm looking into that also provide unique perspectives of the fireworks and the city. I'm trying to find access to some balconies or roof tops on high floors so that I can look down or be at the same level of the fireworks. More to come soon.