Tag Archives: Chicago

Cabs are Shrinking

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wpid5569-IMG_1451.jpgWhen we arrived in Chicago nearly ten years ago, the cab fleet was almost totally homogenous. If you got in one, it was almost definitely going to be a Crown Vic. Over the years, a few Prius (should that be Prii) started to show up. Now the a Crown Vics are becoming a minority as newer vehicles that are predominantly hybrid take over the fleet. Having slightly smaller vehicles makes a lot of sense given that there are often few occupants. However, as I walked home the other day, I passed the lone of taxis outside the IBM building and the car at the front of the line caught my eye. A Ford Fiesta! Now that really is a shrink!

O’Hare Excursion

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wpid5634-AU0E7883.jpgAnother benefit of the recent trip to O’Hare was getting into a conversation with some guys who know the area better than I.  One of them suggested a location I hadn’t tried before.  It is on the west side of the field so gets better light as the day wears on.  Moreover, the departure routes were favorable on this day and the sun was proving very cooperative so I decided to check it out.

The location is very good.  If the aircraft turn out towards you, the angles are very good.  Some of the local crews are quite aggressive on their turns and come very close overhead.  Even the aircraft heading out or turning away look good.  You do have a view of them on the runway but the combination of power lines and foreground junk mean these shots are not too valuable.  All of this got better and better as the sun went lower and the light got warmer.  Then, to top it all off, the moon rose in the background.  What a great end to the shoot.  Thanks guys.

Trump Tower

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wpid5552-AU0E5496-Edit.jpgWalking back from Navy Pier, I came back along the river towards home. Since it was getting late in the afternoon, I was effectively heading into the sun. Not ideal for taking pictures but the reflective nature of the Trump Tower ahead of me seemed to be picking up light from all sorts of directions. It seemed like a good shot to take. Shooting the Trump is something that requires some thought. It is rather tall and fitting it in the frame without making it distort too much means being quite far away. I also played with a little HDR to see if that helped and it turns out it did!

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Getting up someone’s nose

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wpid5616-AU0E6429.jpgI have shot many times at O’Hare over the years.  There are a few locations that provide opportunities but they do depend on the time of day and the approaches the jets are making.  I was out there recently and wanted to try something different.  I didn’t know how well it would work out but wanted to experiment.  I checked out what was due in and found a time in the schedule when nothing unusual was coming in.  Without the need to make sure I got something that was uncommon, I could risk not getting anything at all for a while.

wpid5618-AU0E6481.jpgwpid5620-C59F4692.jpgI wanted to get more directly under the approach path.  This is something that I have done before at Washington National but I have had less success at O’Hare.  I went out a little further on the approach.  The jets were a little higher but I wanted to see what I could get.  You end up with both a slightly more head on shot and also get to look right up as they pass overhead.  I like the view which is slightly less conventional.  Winter is probably a good time to do this since the sun is lower in the sky and the snow on the ground provides a bit more light on the underside avoiding the silhouettes more common in the summer.

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Navy Pier

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wpid5549-AU0E5426.jpgOne of the nice things about winter in Chicago is enjoying the days when it is cold but clear and sunny. The combination of clear skies and the gentle light of winter is very attractive and when it happens during the weekend, it is a good idea to get out and have a walk around. Navy Pier is a very popular tourist destination so it is a place I rarely go. Winter, though, is a quieter time and it is worth wandering out since you won’t be fighting the crowds. You can also see how much ice has built up in the lake.

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The pier has a lot of touristy stuff to attract people. This isn’t really my thing. However, the Ferris wheel is something that makes me look for a little longer. Also, the end of the pier is the location for a large hall. I’m not sure what the hall is used for. It was locked up while I was there. However, it is a nice looking structure. It is also a nice spot to look out into the lake. The water culverts our outside the harbor wall and there is a lighthouse on the wall itself. A few things to take a look at while enjoying a good stroll.wpid5554-AU0E5436-Edit.jpg

 

New American Livery – Not That Bad

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wpid5626-AU0E7638.jpgHaving heard a lot of comments about people’s views of the new livery American Airlines has adopted, I was reserving judgement until I had seen it myself. When I first saw images online, I was not bowled over with it but I was not appalled as some people seem to have been. Given the boring nature of many liveries these days, I thought it was a little different from the norm and certainly not cause for offense. Of course, there were plenty who thought the exact opposite.

I have now had my first chance to see it for myself and I have to say my opinion is much the same. I was lucky in this instance that I got to photograph it just before the sun went down so it was bathed in some very favorable light. Even so, I think it looked okay. You will make your own decision of course. In time, we will forget this discussion ever took place!

Back at the Hyatt

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wpid5523-AU0E4830.jpgI wrote previously of a lift that took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago. Erickson undertook this lift with the massively powerful S-64. However, they did not manage to finish off all aspects of the lift and a follow up job was required. Since the largest items had already been dealt with and the remaining items were either light enough for a smaller helicopter or could be broken down into parts that were light enough, the remainder was contracted to Midwest Helicopter with an S-58T.

wpid5525-C59F4047.jpgwpid5537-C59F4279.jpgI was planning to join them on the roof but it turned out that the team contracting the lift had already got one of their guys on a neighboring roof taking some shots and I could join him. This roof was higher and up sun from the majority of the action so a great spot. I gratefully accepted their offer. (I should note that I also tried something new this time. However, it didn’t work out as planned. I should write about it here but I think I will get it working properly before I tell the full story. Everyone prefers a happy ending and I am no exception.)

wpid5532-C59F4248.jpgThe lift went well and I got a lot of shots (and some video of which more another day). The same problem as the previous lift affected things with the wind meaning the helicopter was tail on to me most of the time. However, this time it was more than compensated for by the scenic background and chance for some nice wider shots. I was happy with the outcome.

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