Rachel Foster
New member
We're spending Christmas in Chicago. It will depend a great deal on the weather, of course, but what would people suggest as photo fodder?
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Chicago! Requesting ideas for photos this Christmas!
- Thread starter Rachel Foster
- Start date
nicolas claris
OPF Co-founder/Administrator
Millenium park!
but be aware that very good photogs (aka KT) went there already…
but be aware that very good photogs (aka KT) went there already…
Rachel Foster
New member
Think I'll take my snow pants.
Ken Tanaka
pro member
Good for you! Like visiting any city, a good answer depends on how long you'll be in town, where you'll be, whether you'll be toting others with you, your existing obligations, etc.
The downtown area (including Millennium Park) is pretty much standard fare. Given the rural nature of your typical scenes, however, you might also like to visit the Lincoln Park area. This is an enormous park along the lakefront just north of downtown.
Winter in any city, and especially Chicago, holds tremendous promise but can be hard to capture when you're on a tight schedule.
The downtown area (including Millennium Park) is pretty much standard fare. Given the rural nature of your typical scenes, however, you might also like to visit the Lincoln Park area. This is an enormous park along the lakefront just north of downtown.
Winter in any city, and especially Chicago, holds tremendous promise but can be hard to capture when you're on a tight schedule.
Rachel Foster
New member
We'll be there (with children and a friend) from 24th to the 27th. I suspect I'll have much of the 25th for shooting (gifts in the morning, dinner only obligations). The 26th is the Nutcracker (NOBODY does it better than the Joffrey). Weather will make a huge difference, of course. Lincoln park sounds good. I'd like to shoot architecture better but as yet don't have a wide-angle lens.
The friend is an art professor..I'm hyperventilating at the thought of the Art Institute with her along!
The friend is an art professor..I'm hyperventilating at the thought of the Art Institute with her along!
Ken Tanaka
pro member
The Art Institute could easily be a day (or two) in itself. (Remember that Christmas Day is one of the two days each year that the museum is closed.) Be sure to take in the new Modern Wing. Re: photography in the Museum, you can photograph anywhere in the permanent collections (sans flash) but not in any of the visiting exhibits.
Rachel Foster
New member
The Monets are permanent aren't they?
Ken Tanaka
pro member
Yes, although the answer depends on which Monets you mean.
You can browse the collections online, in preparation for your visit.
The Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago
Architect: Renzo Piano
Opened: May, 2009
You can browse the collections online, in preparation for your visit.
The Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago
Architect: Renzo Piano
Opened: May, 2009
Rachel Foster
New member
Thanks! I do love art museums. There are few near me.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Rachel,
I knew what to answer, but was going to wait until Ken might reply. After all, he's our artistic connoisseur from Chicago. Likely, if he does not know about a place there, it's not worth paying the most attention to on your short visit. If you look at Ken's website you'll see his pictures of Millennium park!
Asher
I knew what to answer, but was going to wait until Ken might reply. After all, he's our artistic connoisseur from Chicago. Likely, if he does not know about a place there, it's not worth paying the most attention to on your short visit. If you look at Ken's website you'll see his pictures of Millennium park!
Asher
Rachel Foster
New member
I've seen them. Enough said.
Ken Tanaka
pro member
Other sights in the downtown area to consider:
The Museum of Contemporary Photography is part of COlumbia College and located just south of Mill Park on Michigan Avenue. It's perhaps a 10-15 minute walk towards the south end of Grant Park. It's the city's only museum devoted to photography...free admission (donations encouraged but not required).
If you happen to visit the MOCP walk just a bit farther south along Michigan Avenue to visit Magdalena Abakonowicz's Agora installation at the southwest corner of Grant Park. It's a surreal experience.
To the north is the Museum of Contemporary Art. This is in the Streeterville area of northeast downtown, a very short cab ride from Mill Park.
The Museum of Contemporary Photography is part of COlumbia College and located just south of Mill Park on Michigan Avenue. It's perhaps a 10-15 minute walk towards the south end of Grant Park. It's the city's only museum devoted to photography...free admission (donations encouraged but not required).
If you happen to visit the MOCP walk just a bit farther south along Michigan Avenue to visit Magdalena Abakonowicz's Agora installation at the southwest corner of Grant Park. It's a surreal experience.
To the north is the Museum of Contemporary Art. This is in the Streeterville area of northeast downtown, a very short cab ride from Mill Park.
Rachel Foster
New member
Thanks, Ken. Never enough time in Chicago, is there?
Ken Tanaka
pro member
Of course there are three museums on the Museum Campus at the south end of Grant Park along the lakefront and within walking distance of Mill Park:
The Shedd Aquarium,
The Field Museum, and
The Adler Planetarium.
Any one of these is guaranteed to exhaust any child, particularly the first two. If I had to recommend just one I'd recommend the Shedd Aquarium for kids. Plenty to amaze them (and you). They've just overhauled the Oceanarium and are rightly proud. (Last week they also had a Beluga whale birth.) Plenty of food facilities at any of these places, which are each easily foot-accessible to each other.
The Shedd Aquarium,
The Field Museum, and
The Adler Planetarium.
Any one of these is guaranteed to exhaust any child, particularly the first two. If I had to recommend just one I'd recommend the Shedd Aquarium for kids. Plenty to amaze them (and you). They've just overhauled the Oceanarium and are rightly proud. (Last week they also had a Beluga whale birth.) Plenty of food facilities at any of these places, which are each easily foot-accessible to each other.
Rachel Foster
New member
The children have been to all three and will want to try to do all of them...even if we only have a half day!
Ken, can you make recommendations for Christmas dinner (in the reasonable range)?
Ken, can you make recommendations for Christmas dinner (in the reasonable range)?
Ken Tanaka
pro member
Rachel,
I cannot make Christmas dinner recommendations based on my personal experience. But here are some recommendations made by the About.com Chicago fellow. They seen like good picks to me, based largely on some non-holiday experiences with some of these places.
Of course the Signature Room would probably be the most memorable, given its location at the top of the Hancock Building. Aria, in the Fairmont Hotel, is an elegant room with good food. But I don't know how cheesed-up kids will be.
The Four Seasons Hotel would also be a wonderfully elegant dinner, more scenic than Aria...but probably somewhat costly.
I cannot make Christmas dinner recommendations based on my personal experience. But here are some recommendations made by the About.com Chicago fellow. They seen like good picks to me, based largely on some non-holiday experiences with some of these places.
Of course the Signature Room would probably be the most memorable, given its location at the top of the Hancock Building. Aria, in the Fairmont Hotel, is an elegant room with good food. But I don't know how cheesed-up kids will be.
The Four Seasons Hotel would also be a wonderfully elegant dinner, more scenic than Aria...but probably somewhat costly.