The Chicago Athletic Association building on Michigan Avenue across from Millennium Park
Brandee Younger, Jazz Harpist
Listening to Brandee Younger now on WBGO brought back memories of her from 8/29/18 when Dana Hall’s band performed MCoy Tyner’s “Extensions” at Chris Anderson’s Jazz Record Art Collective, JRAC, in Chicago.
Street Fair in the Spring
Here is a city street fair with whirling rides seen through the leaves and branches of a tree in early Spring.
Life Is Great, Be Cool To Each Other
The news is so extreme, divisive and tense that I had to pull this memory out from a pleasant bicycle ride through the city. “Life Is Great Be Cool To Each Other” is a graffiti artist’s mural in a quiet Pilsen neighborhood.
Patricia Barber at the Green Mill
12/23/19 – The Patricia Barber Trio performed at Chicago’s Green Mill during their regular Monday night residency. Songs from her highly praised latest album, “Higher”, were featured. Barber on piano, Larry Kohut on bass, and Jon Deitemyer on drums.
Kelly Sill At The Green Mill
To quote National Jazz Critic Neil Tesser, Sill’s “… oceanic tone carries on a Chicago bass tradition that starts with Milt Hinton and runs through such artists as Wilbur Ware and Rufus Reid”… Here he accompanied Mike Jones on piano and Eric Montzka on drums at a recent Green Mill gig.
The Masters
Kirk Brown on piano and Yosef Ben Israel quietly, brilliantly solo during a set with the Ari Brown Quintet at The Promontory in Chicago.
Smiley Plays The Blues
Smiley Tillmon played the blues with his band recently at SPACE in Evanston, IL as part of their Blue Monday series.
Just Chairs
Chairs stacked in the corner of a music club. Soon they would be spread around the room for guests arriving that evening.
Maggie Burrell!
Maggie Burrell, performing at the Fulton Street Collective, was the perfect singer for this great band, The Chicago Yestet.
Caroline Davis & Rob Clearfield at the Green Mill
Caroline Davis & Rob Clearfield performed their new album, “Persona” at a CD release party at Chicago’s Green Mill.
Stu Mindeman at the Jazz Record Art Collective
Stu Mindeman played with the Artie Black Quintet as they performed Eddie Harris’ “THE IN SOUND” at Chris Anderson’s Jazz Record Art Collective, JRAC, in Chicago.
Victor Goines at the Hyde Park Jazz Society
Victor Goines performed at The Promontory in Chicago for the Hyde Park Jazz Society’s Sunday night series.
Bridal Shop At Dusk On 26th Street, Chicago
Bridal Shop At Dusk On 26thStreet in Little Village, La Villita, a Mexican neighborhood in Chicago.
1558 N Damen, Chicago
1558 N Damen in Chicago is one of the busiest elevated “L” train stations in the city after rush hour. Commuters walk or bicycle here, then train to and from their next destination.
Rocking Chair on the Porch of a Hyde Park Chicago Home
Rocking Chair on the Porch of a Hyde Park Chicago Home.
Slideshow – 2019 Chicago Jazz Festival – Thursday
A slideshow with some of the great musicians at the 41st Annual Chicago Jazz Festival on Thursday, 8/29/19.
Used To Be Used To Be
A used to be grand old home from more than a century ago on what used to be Grand Boulevard in Chicago.
Two Doors To Doors
Entry to the elevated “L” platform to catch a Green Line rapid transit train at Ashland Avenue and Lake Street in Chicago.
Choppers In The Sun
Choppers fast food restaurant at Ashland Ave and Wabansia in Chicago on a sunny day.
Green Line Stop At Ashland
Waiting area on the elevated “L” platform to catch a Green Line rapid transit train at Ashland Avenue and Lake Street in Chicago.
Bud Billikan Parade 2019
A scene at the Bud Billikan Parade 2019, “Celebrating 90 Years of Excellence”.
Umbrellas Waiting
The full title of this image is, “Umbrellas On A Deck Late Friday Summer Afternoon Waiting For The Weekend To Begin.” This is a straight photograph. Available in Urban Landscapes at Prints For Sale.
The Lookout
The Lookout is ornamentation I saw on an old elementary school while bicycle riding through a Humboldt Park neighborhood.
2019 Chicago Blues Festival Performers
Slideshow – Click on the photo above to view a few of the performers at the 2019 Chicago Blues Festival, the world’s largest free blues festival.
Dressed For Summer
A huge crowd basked in the sun at a neighborhood art fair. I saw this woman relaxing in the sun while she listed to a rock band on stage. Just taking it all in on an easy summer Sunday.
Front Porch Stage at Blues Fest
Summer is here for sure when the Blues Festival kicks into gear. Here is how things looked in the park along Michigan Avenue. Sounded great. Looked great. Only got better after that.
Beginning And End Of A Bus Line
Many buses end and begin their routes at this Navy Pier location in Chicago. Crowds jump on and off, then ride north, west or south to all parts of the city.
Music Series in the Gallery
Andrew Spear plays music from The Beatles’ Abbey Road album as Aaron Wooten paintings look on at Chris Anderson’s Jazz Record Art Collective in Chicago.
Wires On A Cloudy Day
“Wires On A Cloudy Day” Sometimes the gift is right in front of you. Simple. Obvious. I think this is a gift.
Linda’s Flower Shop
“Linda’s Flower Shop” Here is my spin on a photo made to look like a painting. This scene helped me out when I wanted to do something thoughtful and fun for a friend in the hospital
Lake Street Corner
“Lake Street Corner” … the curving shadows that the elevated tracks made on the street… lead me to eliminate all color. When I did I discovered new possibilities about what to include and how to crop this image making it look like a lithograph or etching.
Integrating Industrial Design With Nature
“Integrating Industrial Design With Nature” I shoot what I see and when I see something that is beautiful to me I have to capture it, then explore why. Here are lines and colors that could easily be dismissed unless I isolated them and experimented with colors and textures to arrive at a pleasing result.
Howard Street Underpass
“Howard Street Underpass” This is a color photograph of a section of Howard Street in Chicago at night. All the elements seemed to be positioned just right. Processing for details and color was my exploration.
Grand To Howard Blur
This is the Grand Avenue Subway Stop for trains going north to Howard Street. I captured it while exploring the use of blurs in projects.
Evening Dance – Winter
“Evening Dance – Winter” Traffic patters make some interesting designs. Here is one captured from the 27th floor of a downtown Chicago building in winter toward the end of an evening rush hour. Buses, taxis, and commuters going every which way.
Duks At Night
“Duks At Night” A special place to find greasy salted French fries, char-broiled hot dogs, chili, and a beverage late on a cold rainy night. Proof that man is not rational. Yum!
Crossing State and Adams
“Crossing State and Adams” The challenge here was to change the scene so that people could not be identified. In the process I tweaked colors and made the architecture look like it had been painted. Shadows were fun to play with too. I like how they help frame the image.
Cozy Noodles & Rice, Evanston 2011
If ever there was a scene begging to be photographed it was this one. My mind saw a finished print before I even snapped the shutter. Had to be a toned black and white with wet pavement and warmth radiating from the noodle shop.
View Thru The Bus Stop Window
A good street photography exercise for me is to find, frame and shoot quickly as I explore the city. Here is an image found while the bus I was riding on stopped to pick up passengers.
Chicago Fire Escape
As I waited in an old Chicago neighborhood on a warm sunny day for my client to arrive the buildings and doorways came alive with their stories of lives over the years. Here is a section of the kind of fire escape that once was seen everywhere. Now they are rare. I wondered if it has ever been used.
Building Window With Chairs
This scene was screaming to me to be captured. More color, more detail, more lines. I had to force myself to stop.
Cityscape #104275. Bitter Cold But Still A Beauty
“Cityscape #104275. Bitter Cold But Still A Beauty” was photographed from the 15th floor of a hospital campus building in downtown Chicago. A peak of Lake Michigan can be seen in the distance.
Couple At The Clipper In Another World
“Couple At The Clipper In Another World” is a late night scene at the California Clipper in Chicago.