Night Shots

Over the past two days, I got back to shooting at night, something that until recently has been quite unbearable in the Chicagoland area. The first night I got yelled at by a CTA employee at the El station and the second night, since I was literally in the middle of the train tracks (don't worry - I'm very familiar with the train times), I was worried about the cops showing up... but it was all worth it for the shot!

Lunar Path

Exploration

Christmas Wine Glasses

For Christmas, I wanted to give my parents something unique, so I went wandering around department stores looking for something I could paint on. I eventually ended up at Pier One Imports and found some sweet wine glasses that I knew were exactly what I was looking for as soon as I saw them. I bought 4 glasses and I ended up painting the flowers of the month that were of significance to our family on them. I hope to one day have a full set of all 12 months, but until then, the flowers I painted are as follows:

February: Violet
July: Water Lily
November: Chrysanthemum
December: Narcissus

Water Lily

Violet

Narcissus

Chrysanthemum

The Series

(better picture coming soon)

Chess

I did a study of the chess board mid game. I especially like the contrast of the clear pieces to the frosted pieces.

The Knight

The King

The Bishop

The Game 1

The Game 2

An Objective Self Portrait

A self portrait by definition is a representation of an artist, drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted by the artist. I was attracted to the idea of a self portrait, since my photography usually focuses on objects, not people, especially myself since I'm always on the other side of the lens. I thought this version of a self portrait would be perfect for my final project, as it is figuratively and literally a closer look at myself.

A call it an Objective Self Portrait because I took pictures of objects that in one way or another make me who I am. Also, the objective element of a camera is the optical element that gathers light from the object being observed and focuses the light rays to produce a real image. Each one of these images is a stitching of 6 - 13 individual photographs.

It's All About the Jefferson's

Shutter: 1/15
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

I have a collection of $2 bills - one of them (the top one in the image) is a 1953 series with red ink used for the serial number and a different design on the back than the rest of them. I came into possession of it by chance from a delivery tip! I can't believe somebody just gave it away, but I guess I'm glad they did.

Decorations

Shutter: 1/15
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

I used to work at Bead Boss, a bead and jewelry store in high school, and made a bunch of jewelry for myself while I was there. I made most of the ones I used for this shot while I was there, but others came different memories.

Eye of the Tiger

Shutter: 1/8
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

This is Joshes eye, and he was able to keep his eye perfectly open and still for a couple seconds so I could get this shot. I think it's one of my favorites.

My Tools

Shutter: 1/4
F-Stop: 3.2
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

Although I am passionate photographer and designer, I am also a painter at heart. These come from a collection that has been building since the beginning of high school.

Brush Work

Shutter: .3
F-Stop: 4.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

This is a detail from one of my favorite paintings I have done. I wanted to get close enough to see the individual brush strokes. I wanted to see the motions I used to create it.

The Ring

Shutter: .3
F-Stop: 4.8
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

I wear this ring everyday. I remember the first time I put it on, and it felt a little out of place since I never wore rings consistently. Now I feel weird without it, and I love it every time I look at it.

Chicago Native

Shutter: 1/15
F-Stop: 3.2
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

I have lived in the Chicago suburbs my entire life, and that has given me a million memories playing (or suffering) in the snow. Within the past couple years I've helped build a BA igloo and an 8ft snowman! But I have also grown to loath snow, as I helped push someone out of our driveway (one of many) one cold, snowy night for this shot.

Sea Turtle

Shutter: 1/15
F-Stop: 3.5
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm f/2.8

I made a sea turtle out of clay the first time I ever put my hands on the stuff. I'm not sure why at a young age I was drawn to them, but I am drawn to them still for many reasons. This turtle took me several weeks to finish, and I wasn't planning on the shell being separate from the body, but they separated during the firing and after that it made a pretty sweet container.

Week 9

This week it snowed some more, and was really cold, so I though I would capture the snowy scenes on the El.

Clinton Stop 3

F-Stop: 22.0
Shutter: 1/80
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 23 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is another version of one of my favorite views I get the pleasure of seeing all the time, although if you're ever at the Clinton Stop, you have to walk all the way to the end of the platform to really enjoy it.

Clinton Stop 4

F-Stop: 22.0
Shutter: 1/80
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 18 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

Same shot, landscape style. I can never decide which one I like better. I always like capturing architecture, especially if there is interesting repetition going on, so this one draws me, but the path down the tracks through all the buildings is so much more prominent in the portrait version...

The Junction

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

We were going relatively slow this time, so I was able to get a pretty crisp shot. Of course I would love for the CTA to let me walk out onto the tracks and take the shot without all the complications, but I doubt that will ever happen, so I'll just keep trying. :)

Clark & Lake

F-Stop: 14.0
Shutter: 1/50
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 22 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is at Clark and Lake looking to the West.

Clark & Lake 2

F-Stop: 14.0
Shutter: 1/50
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 18 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

This is at Clark and Lake looking East. I like the reflections from the building to the north on the building to the south.

Week 8

For this week I did an exercise in shooting the same subject in different ways. I used a mosaic glass vase and a tea light candle.

F-Stop: 11.0
Shutter: 13"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8

F-Stop: 5.6
Shutter: 3"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8


F-Stop: 6.3
Shutter: 2"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8

F-Stop: 14.0
Shutter: 13"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8


F-Stop: 9.0
Shutter: 6"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8

F-Stop: 4.5
Shutter: 2.5"
ISO: 200
Focal Length: 105 mm
Lens: 105 mm F/2.8

Week 7

For this week, I documented my trip to work Saturday morning. Every Saturday for over a year now, I have gotten up and made the trip into Chicago to work at the David Weinberg Gallery. Although it has been rough pulling myself out of bed, especially in the single-digit mornings, I have loved these Saturdays, and they have changed my life in a way. Thus I documented what I see everyday on the way there, over the course of approx. an hour & a half.

The Tracks

Shutter: 1/250
F-Stop: 4.8
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 38.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

8:00 am: First I walk to the Metra train station by my house. It was lightly snowing this morning and there was a dust of snow on the tracks that hadn't been disrupted by the train yet.

Clinton Stop 1

Shutter: 1/60
F-Stop: 18.0
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 22.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:30 am: After a long train ride, on which I usually choose to catch up on some sleep, I leave Ogilvie Train Station and head over to the Clinton stop on the El. I have photographed from this platform many times, and I never get sick of the view. Today I was lucky enough to have a train come through as I was shooting.

Clinton Stop 2

Shutter: 1/60
F-Stop: 18.0
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 34.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:31 am: I wait here and catch either the Pink or Green line to Clark and Lake where I transfer to the Brown Line and head out to the Gallery. The view from this platform of 333 W. Wacker is always beautiful, but the way it was catching the clouds, and the morning sun hitting Merchandise Mart on the other side of the river was really nice this morning.

Pigeons

Shutter: 1/60
F-Stop: 18.0
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 38.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:32 am: Ahh the pigeons... I hate these dirty birds! They're everywhere, pooping on everything, flying in your face, making no contribution to this world at all except maybe a small effort at garbage eating. Whenever I see one on the sidewalk I always want to punt them like little feathered footballs! haha

Financial District

Shutter: 1/200
F-Stop: 5.6
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 55.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:35 am: As I travel from Clinton to Clark and Lake, I always stand in the doorway so I can see this view. As far as I know, it's the only street in downtown Chicago that is abruptly ended by a building. I also love the statue on top, like an overseer or some kind of protector, appropriately in the heart of the financial district.

Leaving Merchandise Mart

Shutter: 1/200
F-Stop: 4.0
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 18.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:42 am: After waiting only a couple minutes today for the Brown line, I was on my final leg of the trip. This view is shortly after the train leaves the Merchandise Mart stop.

Arrival

Shutter: 1/40
F-Stop: 4.0
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 23.0 mm
Lens: 18 - 55 mm

9:47 am: I finally arrive at the gallery. There are actually several galleries in our building: ZG and Catherine Edelman on the lower level, Judy Saslow on the first floor, and us, David Weinberg, on the second floor. The post card next to our name is for our current show, Structure and Space, featuring the painter Daniel Kim and photographer Michael Parker. The show runs through February 20 so come check it out!