Week 4

For this week, I am posting the final installation of my Capture My Chicago submissions.

Reflections

Shutter: 1/40"
F-Stop: 13.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 18.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

333 W. Wacker is one of my favorite buildings in Chicago. The clouds were making a particularly beautiful display on this day. I had just gotten off of work and was meeting someone at Merch Mart for a night out on the town when I saw this.

Chicago Skyline

Shutter: 1/100"
F-Stop: 5.6
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This was the preliminary test of picture I have always wanted to assemble, hopefully after this spring I will finally finish it and be able to post it!

Spring Drops

Shutter: 1/30"
F-Stop: 9.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 52.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

I was out during a light spring shower, where the rain drops tend to get stuck on the plants instead just plowing right past them. This sprout was the perfect delicate green of a baby plant, getting ready to grow.

The Calendar

Shutter: 1/125"
F-Stop: 29.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is a replication of sorts of Stonehenge. It's obviously structurally very different, but it functions as a calendar with the shadows created by the sun, as well as marking the equinoxes. I'm not sure if the tree was there first, or second, but it was perfect.

The Wreath

Shutter: 1/30"
F-Stop: 4.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 30.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is, as of now, my favorite house in Chicago. It's a precious old home that has been around WAY longer than the apartments that they squeezed the old house as they were built. The man who lives here puts out wreathes on his doors for Christmas every year, and then they stay there the rest of the year, and die and wither and life explodes around them.

Week 3

Here are some more shots I submitted to the Capture My Chicago competition.

Lake Shore Sculptures

Shutter: 1/125"
F-Stop: 29.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 25.0 mm
Lens: Nikkor

These sculptures are near old Miggs Field, just south of the Adler Planitarium. They are gorgeous and play off the landscape beautifully. I recommend going to see them in person if you can. There is another single sculpture from the series at Michigan and Congress (I think - if it's not there it's really close).

Crown Fountain

Shutter: 1/30"
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 19.0 mm
Lens: Nikkor

This was so perfect, a whole family was standing at the back of the north fountain marveling at it. I especially like how the little girl was standing off to the side. Crown Fountain has quickly become an icon of Chicago, and I hope people stop to really enjoy it for decades to come.

Night View from the Clinton Stop

Shutter: 6.0"
F-Stop: 25.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 26.0 mm
Lens: Nikkor

I have shot at this location more times than I can count, but this was one of my favorites. The train came into the shot for last half and the shutter closed just before it made it all the way through. Gotta love being in the right place at the right time!

Woodstock Prairie

Shutter: 1/4000"
F-Stop: 6.3
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 28.0 mm
Lens: Nikkor

I'm not sure of the actual name of this conservation area, but it has the feel of a classic Illinois prarie. It's nice to see such expansive nature after spending a lot of time in the city.

Queen Anne's Lace

Shutter: 1/4000"
F-Stop: 8.0
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 48.0 mm
Lens: Nikkor

Queen Anne's Lace is a really beautiful flower, and I wanted to capture the delicate details of getting a closer look.

Advanced Digital Photography: Week 1

CBS channel 2 Chicago held a competition this winter season called Capture My Chicago. This was open to any and all people who had original photos somehow related to Chicago. I submitted a handful of photos to this competition, however, unfortunately I got in the game a little too late and did not get enough votes behind my pictures to be published in the book. But, I now proudly publish them on my blog for your viewing pleasure.

Bean Abstract

Shutter: 1/60"
F-Stop: 4.8
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 35.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

It seems like I always see the same couple pictures whenever I see pictures of the bean, which is actually called "Cloud Gate." My intention here was to capture a unique image of the sculpture. I happened to be lucky enough on this day to be out there by myself, so I didn't have anyone in the way of the shot. If you look though, you can find me in the reflections. :)

Butterfly

Shutter: 1/100"
F-Stop: 5.6
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

I nearly stepped on this poor guy while I was walking in River North one day. I whipped out the camera thinking he was going to fly away any second and that I probably would never get the time to get the shot I wanted, but it was unusually cold that day, and I guess he was a little sluggish from it, because he never moved the entire time I was taking pictures of him, except to stretch his wings.

Fountain

Shutter: 1/60"
F-Stop: 6.3
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 43.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is in the loop, near our school's dorms. I love capturing water in motion, it's always a nice result.

Globes

Shutter: 1/13"
F-Stop: 22.0
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 18.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

These are two of many globes that were created by artists in the Chicago chapter of a huge project across the nation. The project is called Cool Globes and the project can be found at www.coolglobes.com. This is at old Miggs Field, which is now owned by the Park District.

Repitition

Shutter: 1/20"
F-Stop: 7.1
ISO: 1600
Focal Length: 27.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

I went to the Water Tower Mall with my family one cold, rainy day. I loved the repetition of shapes, lines and color from this view, and I only got it because I could lean on the railing so the shot wasn't blurry.

Photography Week 2 Exercises

For week 2, we have to complete exercises relating to capturing motion. First, we captured the same subject three times - once frozen in motion, once completely blurred, and once in between the two. For the second part of the assignment, we captured a moving object, moving the camera along with the object so that the moving object was in sharp focus, and the background blurred out.

Below are the examples of the the moving object captured in motion, which after many attempts in various ways I finally found the only method that I was happy with.

Exercise 2: Panning Motion
Subject: Toys
Photo 1: Simba

Shutter: 10.0"
F-Stop: 22
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 22.0 mm
Lens: 18-55 mm

I tried many times to follow a moving object with the camera, either by panning with the object, or turning the camera, and I wasn't happy with any of them. So, I duct taped a compact hole puncher to the camera and duct taped Simba here to the other end and spun around.

Photo 2: Batman

Shutter: 10.0"
F-Stop: 22
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 22.0 mm
Lens: 18-55 mm

Same thing with Batman as I did with Simba, but for some reason the camera was being stubborn and wouldn't necessarily take the picture every time I pushed the shutter release, so when it finally did go off, I wasn't ready and the camera was still for a moment. That's why you can see the Grateful Dead poster and the lamp in the corner.

Photo 3: Power Ranger

Shutter: 10.0"
F-Stop: 22
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 22.0 mm
Lens: 18-55 mm

This guy is my favorite, I loved that he was missing a leg, and the angle I put him at made him look closer to a flying position.

For my next two shots, which are admittedly unrelated, I chose some cute animal shots of two puppies named Kona and Zoey.

Kona

Shutter: 1/60"
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 320
Focal Length: 18.0 mm
Lens: 18-55 mm

Kona loves the camera, but she was so excited it was hard to get her to sit still for even a second.

Kona & Zoey

Shutter: 1/60"
F-Stop: 4.8
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 35.0 mm
Lens: 18-55 mm

These ladies are sisters and they really give the phrase Puppy-Dog Eyes true meaning.

Photography

Photography is how we capture our world, our lives and our expressions. Photography can be documentary, abstract, for aesthetics, for a statement, or a myriad of other purposes. My personal photography has had several purposes as I have had different intentions. I have shot for pure aesthetic value, to capture a moment in my life I wanted to remember forever, to fulfill assignments, to capture a subject in an innovative way, and experimentally. I have especially enjoyed shooting in Chicago, and capturing nature.

Since I was young my father was always a source of inspiration in artistic expression, photography being one of the most predominant. He is a practiced and experienced photographer, and passed along this desire to me. Various classes through high school and college have nurtured my interest in the art form. In working at the David Weinberg Gallery I have also been exposed to photographers and their work that has been tremendously inspiring.

Photographers I have been inspired by include my dad, Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Ms. Aniela, Doug & Mike Starn, Jay Wolke, David Burdeny, Michael Parker, Amanda Friedman, James Griffieon, Elizabeth Opalenik, Dylan Vitone, & Vivian Maier.