Steven's Blog

Creative Challenge - Part II

2009-04-20T07:31:00.005-06:00

EARTHY

CELEBRATION

SOOTHING

Chicago Digital Photography Meetup - Creative Challenge, Part I

2009-04-19T14:48:00.009-06:00

The Chicago Digital Photography Meetup Group meets regularly around the city to take pictures. It is a great way to learn more about Chicago and to socalize with others who enjoy photography.

April 18 was a Creative Challenge on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. We were given a list of 12 words and we set loose to capture those words in pictures.

Here is a sample of words and my photographs from the Meetup.

COLORFUL - Flowers

COLORFUL - Redwing Blackbird
COLORFUL - Rocks

VOID

Northshore Sculpture Park - Shadow

2009-03-22T19:17:00.003-06:00

Shadow
Lucy Slivinski

Made of steel chains

Northshore Sculpture Park - Second Breath

2009-03-17T06:41:00.002-06:00

Second Breath
Ted Gall

The Northshore Sculpture Park is located along McCormick Blvd in Skokie (a northwest suburb of Chicago). This 2 mile long park contains over 60 large scale sculptures. Some are part of a permanent collection, others are for sale. The diversity of style and materials is amazing.

Click on the title of the piece to see additional pictures.

Northshore Sculpture Park - Sun Worshiper

2009-03-16T18:27:00.005-06:00

Sun Worshiper
Ted Gall

Northshore Sculpture Park - The Fairie Circle

2009-03-16T07:50:00.005-06:00

The Northshore Sculpture Park is located in Skokie along the north channel of the Chicago River. There are over 60 pieces of sculpture located in the 2 mile long park.

The Fairie Circle
Mark Chatterley

Sunday Morning - Alfred Caldwell Lily Pools & Gardens

2008-08-24T19:19:00.002-06:00

A quiet surprise greeted me early Sunday morning at the lily pools in Lincoln Park. A graceful blue heron searching for a relaxing breakfast.

The Alfred Caldwell Lily Pools & Gardens are part of the Lincoln Park Conservancy located in Lincoln Park located along the shore of Lake Michigan.

For more about the Lily Pools & Gardens, click here.

NAPP Photo Walk 2008 - Lincoln Park, Chicago

2008-08-23T18:37:00.003-06:00

The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) sponsored Photo Walk 2008, a world wide event on Saturday, August 23.

For more information about the Photo Walk, click here.

Black & White Day at the Zoo

2008-08-19T05:21:00.002-06:00

Lincoln Park Zoo lies in the heart of Chicago's northside along the shore of Lake Michigan. It is one of the last free zoos in the United States.

I needed more practice with my new telephoto lens and the zoo is the perfect place to get "up close and personal".

Garfield Park Conservatory

2008-08-15T17:50:00.003-06:00

The Garfield Park Conservatory is 100 years old. It opened in April 1908. There are eight show houses in the conversatory as well as outdoor gardens. It is one of my favorite spots in Chicago for taking pictures.

The Aroid House - A spectacular new feature is the 'Persian Pool', sixteen yellow lily pads surrounding a serene lagoon, which was created by the world acclaimed glass artist Chihuly expressly for the Aroid House.

The Desert House - The Desert House holds one of the region's most varied collections of cacti and succulents.

The Show House -

The Palm House - Designed as an idealized tropical landscape, it's where graceful palms, interspersed with a variety of other tropicals, soar up to a vaulted ceiling. This room features a rare Double Coconut Palm which is probably the largest of its kind in any conservatory in the country. In 2003 the Palm House underwent a restoration of its structure and plant collection.

The Sweet House -

The Fern House - Jens Jensen, who designed the Conservatory in 1906, wanted to give visitors a glimpse of what Illinois might have looked like millions of years ago. Lush ferns, rocky outcroppings and an indoor lagoon evoke the swampy landscape of prehistoric Chicago. The Fern Room is home to the palm-like cycad; one of the oldest species of plants on earth.

The Monet Gardens - The Monet Garden is an adaptation of impressionist painter Claude Monet’s well known garden at Giverney, France. Originally created as an indoor display for the 2000 Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier, the award-winning garden was subsequently transplanted to the conservatory grounds at the close of the show.

Buckingham Fountain from Twilight to Evening

2008-08-14T20:33:00.001-06:00

Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park is impressive during the day. But at twilight, the fountain becomes magic - the lights, the water and the music all add to a majical evening.
For more pictures, click here.

Dragon Boat Races - ChinaTown, Chicago

2008-08-12T12:25:00.001-06:00

The 8th Annual Dragon Boat Race for Literacy is presented by the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce in Partnership with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District. The proceeds of the race will go to the Chicago Public School system, Office of Culture and Diversity in the Chicago Board of Education to help promote culture and diverstiy in the CPS system.

Click the links below to see pictures of the park and the races.
Ping Tom Memorial Park
Dragon Boat Race (1) (Suggestion: sent to the timer to 1 or 2 seconds)
Dragon Boat Race (2) (Suggestion: sent to the timer to 1 or 2 seconds)

Trans Express

2008-07-12T22:34:00.002-06:00

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the French phenomenon Transe Express. Imagine a beautiful human carillon suspended 200 feet in the air at the front of Navy Pier and set against the backdrop of Chicago's magnificent skyline. A musical chandelier adorned with performers ringing bells, beating drums and swinging on trapezes rises above the heads of thousands of awestruck visitors.

Click here to view the more information about Maudits Sonnants!

For photos of this event, click here.

The Museum of Modern Ice

2008-02-18T05:59:00.002-07:00

This art installation in Millennium Park is very interesting. Created by Gordon Halloran, it is pieces of colored ice attached to this large refrigerated aluminum plates and because of the weather, the installation is always changing.

To see pictures of this facscinating piece of art, click here.

The Museum of Modern Ice at Night.

The "Migratory" Birds of Chicago

2007-09-18T05:28:00.000-06:00

If there was any doubt things are booming Chicago, look to the skyline and the cranes are here.

The local CBS Station is building a new street level studio.

The Trump Tower on the Chicago River.

Buckingham Fountain - Chicago's Grant Park

2007-09-15T10:05:00.000-06:00

360 degree view of the one of Chicago's famous landmarks.

Lincoln Park Conservatory

2007-09-09T08:05:00.001-06:00

The Lincoln Park Conservatory is located in the heart of Lincoln Park. The conservatory was designed by a well known architect of the Victorian era, Joespeh L. Silsbee. There are four rooms in the conservatory - the Palm House, the Fern Room, the Orchid House and the Show House.

For detailed information about the convservatory, check our their website.

Chicago

2007-09-08T05:01:00.001-06:00

Exploring cities has been a passion of mine as I travelled around the world for the last 4 years with work and for fun.

Now I call Chicago home and I do not travel for work. And because of that I have lots of time to explore my new hometown - Chicago.

In the heart of downtown Chicago is Millennium Park, the northern part of Grant Park. Millennium Park is home to unique architecture (Jay Prizter Pavillion), creative landscaping (Lurie Garden) and The Bean.