DANCE OF THE GENERATIONS

One of the things that I love about Chicago is that it serves as a foundation for both old and new structures. The older structures have the beauty of another time, when the rhythm of life was slower, and the attention to detail was impressive. The post modern steel and glass structures have a bit of a cold, sterile vibe, but the way they mingle with light is incredible. There is much to love about these new structures.

When the early fall light touches the Civic Opera House, it’s one of my favorite places to photograph. The second largest opera house in North America is a hybrid of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. From the stone walls that touch the sidewalk to the 45 stories that flirt with the sky, this building is epic.

In the above images, I preferred the reflected light coming from the steel and glass structures to illuminate the scene. When it bounces off the glass, direct light becomes softer and easier on the eyes, creating interesting patterns that can have a ‘mottling’ effect that I love to look at. 

While walking around the building I discovered some direct light, and thought a more graphic composition was possible. I wanted to get closer to everyone walking down the sidewalk yet keep enough distance to capture a few more details in the Opera House walls. 

Huge walls of glass. Monster slabs of concrete. If these buildings could speak, I wonder what they would say to each other?