Photographing the Windy City!

I just returned from my scouting trip to Chicago for my upcoming photography workshop. I am excited about the images I returned with and the places we will photograph. I also enjoyed doing this with my nineteen-year-old nephew, showing him how to use my Sony camera and compose images. We had a blast as I went to some of my old favorite locations, and I had a list of new places I wanted to capture.

Whenever I have a new workshop, I always want to go ahead of time and check out the locations if I haven't been to them before, and as my brother lives in Chicago, I have been to many of them. As I did my research, I found many new locations I had never shot from before and wanted to check them out. I have always loved the architecture of Chicago, from the old historic buildings to new modern buildings like the St. Regis Hotel. Most places are within walking distance, with a few needing a car, but they were worth the drive.

One building was not on my list, but I am sure glad I found it at the last moment and photographed it twice. The Bahá'í House of Worship was a little drive outside the downtown area, and I went early one morning and was blown away by the architecture. I was able to photograph the exterior with extreme caution, as the Red-Winded Blackbirds were nesting there and did not like my presence. I was attacked a few times but got the image without any injuries to me or the birds. I returned the next day in the evening and captured a few great Twilight photos.

I have always been fascinated with Chicago's-L (elevated transit system) and had a few locations I wanted to check out and take photos from. Two places were from parking ramps with great vantage points for the trains coming by. In one location, you are almost looking straight down at an intersection where many trains enter the downtown Loop. We were there early in the day, and the images did not look great, so we returned later in the day. I am happy we did, as the image is one of my favorites from that day.

I was informed by a friend that I needed to visit the University of Chicago campus, a place I had never been to before, and I am so glad I did. The university has all kinds of architecture in a tiny place. There was Frank Lloyd Wright's "Robie House, Brutalist style library, Modern Gothic style Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, and many other modern and old buildings that you could spend a day here photographing.

I just had a couple of days to photograph this great city, and I can't wait to go back and do it again. If you would like to join me on my "Art of Architecture" in Chicago from September 5th to 8th, please visit my website for more information at www.randyvanduinen.com. There are a few spots left, and it is limited to 7 participants. I hope to see you there for a great learning experience and for you to come home with fantastic images.