First outing

We had our first "official" outing of the Chicago Misfit Photographic Society and Punk Rock Social Club this weekend. Eight of us met downtown and explored the holiday festivities. We stopped at the Christkindlemarket in Daley Plaza, which is an annual German holiday "village". There's arts & crafts from Germany (and all over), food, marzipan, and Gluug. It was jam packed though, so we didn't really stay long. That reminded me why, in years past, I've always gone to Christkindlemarket either right after work or at lunch.







Then we wandered down State Street to see the windows at Macy's. Macy's ruined the Chicago icon of Marshall Fields. Ever since Macy's bought Fields, the store has gone downhill and even the windows are pretty boring. They used to have some really cool windows. Not anymore. Ahhh, another corporate giant ruining something that was perfectly fine.





Then we meandered over to Millennium Park to watch the ice skaters for a while. I want to go ice skating this year. Maybe I can find someone to go with me this year.



Then, to warm up, we went into the Chicago Cultural Center. This is an historic building that used to house the Chicago Public Library before the Harold Washington branch took its place. It is an architectural landmark and has the largest Tiffany glass dome in the world. It is stunning. Pictures do not do it justice.







That concluded the Chicago Misfit Photographic Society part of the evening. Then we went and had dinner and a couple of drinks - entering the Punk Rock Social Club phase.

This is going to be a fun group.

Kinetics

So the Digital Photography School (linked to the right) has a great blog with tips and how-to's, but it also has a "weekly challenge" that gives ideas for creative photography projects. The new group I've founded with some friends, called the "Chicago Misfit Photographic Society and Punk Rock Social Club" (credit to CilliC for the groovy name) has decided to take on some of these as inspiration.

This week's challenge: Kinetics. Using long exposure times and small apertures and the motion of the camera, either by moving the camera or zooming in and out while the shutter is open, to create the effect of movement around stationary objects.

I was skeptical at first, trying to figure out how to do this effectively. Once I got it down, though, it was hella fun. Here's some examples:

Getting back in the habit

I've starting taking my new camera with me almost everywhere, and when I don't have it with me, I find myself wishing I had it because I've started seeing photo opportunities everywhere. Some friends of mine who are also into photography are interested in starting a group to go places together and share photo tips. So hopefully that pans out.

I definitely want to go downtown during the holiday season and take photos of the decorations, store windows, etc. So hopefully that will be coming soon.

Around Chicago

I feel so lucky that, with the exception of the Navy Pier shot, which I'll likely never get to replicate, that on any given lunch break, I can shoot such magnificent sights.


Looking down Monroe Street from Millennium Park


Cloud Gate ("The Bean")


One of the coolest buildings I've ever seen


Curves & Sky


Art Institute & Michigan Avenue


Navy Pier & Lake Michigan from a Streeterville Rooftop

Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta: May 2009

Garfield Park Conservatory

One of my favorite "off the beaten path" places in Chicago. The largest indoor conservatory in North America and it is over 100 years old. These were all taken with the little Canon powershot, but I plan to go back soon... It's a nice place to go in winter when it's cold and bleak outside and nice and warm and bright inside.

Settings

I just realized I had this blog set to not allow anonymous comments. I've fixed that.

Brookfield Zoo

A trip with mom & my sister to the Brookfield Zoo yesterday yielded a fun photo opportunity. Here's a few of the better shots.

The polar bears basking in the unseasonably warm 70 degree November sun.


An Orangutan peering off at the crowd.


Giraffes are such strange creatures...


Fun with depth of field



OK, no, this isn't at the zoo. I was playing around with what kind of picture I could get of a stained glass window hanging in my parent's living room.

Gorgeous Fall Sunset

I totally lucked out catching this sky on my way to a Halloween party on 10/30

Chicago in the Fall

These are some of the first pictures I've taken with the Nikon.

Rainy Morning


Morning Commute


Many Shades of Uptown

DeLonde

Taken with a Minolta X370, ~1996
Developed by hand - which explains the yellowing



I went to college with DeLonde who is now a musician in Oregon, and ironically, wrote a song about me with the words "sees the world through lens-cap photo eyes"...

Fire of the Hearth

The burning cauldron at an Imbolc ritual in February, 2009.

Baha'i Temple

Baha'i Temple in Wilmette, IL
August 2009

Coming soon