Hey You Chicagoans - Gimme Some Ideas

[mabas9395]

Everyone knows about all there is to photograph in downtown Chicago, but we're about 99% sure that we are moving there this fall and and I would really like to know what people take pictures of outside the Loop.

Being from the Seattle area, I'm most interested in where to take outdoor/nature/landscape shots. Since I've already taken plenty of pictures of the Bean and Navy Pier, I'm worried that Chicagoland can't offer me the same photographic diversity that I've loved here in the Pacific Northwest.

Any suggestions? And samples are always great too.

Thanks

 

[CastMemberJean]

If your looking for nature type photos, all you have to do is go to the burbs. We have Morton Arboretum, Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos, Cantigny, and beautiful forest preserves all over. Drop me a line when you get out this way. I'd be happy to help you out.
Jean in Willowbrook

Everyone knows about all there is to photograph in downtown Chicago, but we're about 99% sure that we are moving there this fall and and I would really like to know what people take pictures of outside the Loop.

Being from the Seattle area, I'm most interested in where to take outdoor/nature/landscape shots. Since I've already taken plenty of pictures of the Bean and Navy Pier, I'm worried that Chicagoland can't offer me the same photographic diversity that I've loved here in the Pacific Northwest.

Any suggestions? And samples are always great too.

Thanks

 

[elizke]

My favorite thing to photograph (after family) is architecture. For that Chicago is top notch. As for nature, it cannot compare to where you come from, but there are pockets of nature, and finding them can be an enjoyable challenge.

The Lincoln Park Zoo, and the botanical gardens next door, are truly wonderful places to be and to photograph. And there are many preserves in and around Chicagoland. This is a good site to explore...

http://www.chicagowilderness.org/index.cfm

And any searches for preserves in the area will find you plenty.

 

[mordux]

I'm going to vote for the Chicago Botanical Garden

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/

Beauty

 

[chelbell]

If your looking for nature type photos, all you have to do is go to the burbs. We have Morton Arboretum, Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos, Cantigny, and beautiful forest preserves all over. Drop me a line when you get out this way. I'd be happy to help you out.
Jean in Willowbrook

The suburbs do have a great offering of places. I'm from the western burbs (OT: Hey Jean from Willowbrook. I'm from Westmont! Never knew anyone from this area was on here...) so I'd recommend Frank Lloyd Wrights house in Oak Park for architecture. It's a really cool place. Plus just wandering around the city gives you come cool architecture. If you are moving to the western suburbs there is the really cool estate called the Peabody Estate. It's in Oak Brook on the Mayslake Forest Preserve. It has great architecture there. I'm shooting there on a private tour hopefully soon or at least shooting there during a public tour. It is private property so you can't just go and shoot, but still its really cool Gothic (I think) style Tudor mansion. In the city, Grant Square will give you this kind of nature with a urban background too (one of my favorites). All of this in addition to those places above...
Just look around where you move too also. I'm always finding new places to shoot.

 

[CastMemberJean]

We are neighbors. Do you scrapbook?
Jean

The suburbs do have a great offering of places. I'm from the western burbs (OT: Hey Jean from Willowbrook. I'm from Westmont! Never knew anyone from this area was on here...) so I'd recommend Frank Lloyd Wrights house in Oak Park for architecture. It's a really cool place. Plus just wandering around the city gives you come cool architecture. If you are moving to the western suburbs there is the really cool estate called the Peabody Estate. It's in Oak Brook on the Mayslake Forest Preserve. It has great architecture there. I'm shooting there on a private tour hopefully soon or at least shooting there during a public tour. It is private property so you can't just go and shoot, but still its really cool Gothic (I think) style Tudor mansion. In the city, Grant Square will give you this kind of nature with a urban background too (one of my favorites). All of this in addition to those places above...
Just look around where you move too also. I'm always finding new places to shoot.

 

[mabas9395]

Any waterfalls anywhere?

How about animals out in nature/not in zoos (eagles, deer, etc)?

 

[Boo Bear]

I agree about architecture. There are so many structurally interesting things to photograph in the city. I also am a black and white fine art photographer, and enjoy street photography very much. I shoot from the hip mostly.

 

[chelbell]

Any waterfalls anywhere?

How about animals out in nature/not in zoos (eagles, deer, etc)?

There's Waterfall Glen. But it isn't a big 'waterfall' more of a small little drop of water. Still, in the early morning or late evening with the right lighting or the cool mist pictures can come out very cool!
Deers you want? =) Forest preserves. There are tons of deer in this area... I've never seen an eagle, but sometimes you can see large prey birds (I'm not a bird person so I have no clue what kind of bird I saw ).

We are neighbors. Do you scrapbook?
Jean

Yeah we are!! A little, more digitally. I'm 16 (did I meantion that yet...?) so I'm just getting into photography and scrapbooking. It's mostly stuff from middle school that I did for my friends, but I'm starting to use my mom and my photos from Disney to make Disney books.

 

[woody64]

From the Chicago area you can always go to Wisconsin, the Indiana Dunes or Michigan for some great shots. Depending on where you settle they can be as close as an hour drive or so.

As others have said there is plenty of wildlife in the forest preserves. I live west in Aurora and along the Fox River last year they had some bald eagles. During the middle of winter the bald eagles migrate about an 1.5 hours south of here along the Illinois river near Ottawa. Also down there is Starved Rock state park which has some great hiking and land formations carved out of the sandstone.

GO CUBS an WHITE SOX!

 

[CastMemberJean]

We actually have Perigrin Falcons here. There are also pretty large Hawks. I live a few blocks from Waterfall Glen and lately we have been seeing turkeys and coyote. The white deer seem to be a thing of the past though.

There's Waterfall Glen. But it isn't a big 'waterfall' more of a small little drop of water. Still, in the early morning or late evening with the right lighting or the cool mist pictures can come out very cool!
Deers you want? =) Forest preserves. There are tons of deer in this area... I've never seen an eagle, but sometimes you can see large prey birds (I'm not a bird person so I have no clue what kind of bird I saw ).

 

[CastMemberJean]

We should meet some time at Memorie and Beyond on 75th & Lemont. A group of us Disney people from the Mouse For Less meet about once a month to scrapbook and talk about our trips. Bring your mom too. Sounds like shes a scrapbooker too



Yeah we are!! A little, more digitally. I'm 16 (did I meantion that yet...?) so I'm just getting into photography and scrapbooking. It's mostly stuff from middle school that I did for my friends, but I'm starting to use my mom and my photos from Disney to make Disney books.[/QUOTE]

 

[CastMemberJean]

We go out to the Fox River pretty frequently to St Charles. Its such a beautiful area. We cant wait for the Scarecrow Fest this year.

As others have said there is plenty of wildlife in the forest preserves. I live west in Aurora and along the Fox River last year they had some bald eagles. During the middle of winter the bald eagles migrate about an 1.5 hours south of here along the Illinois river near Ottawa. Also down there is Starved Rock state park which has some great hiking and land formations carved out of the sandstone.

GO CUBS an WHITE SOX![/QUOTE]

 

[GabbyMom]

for waterfalls I go to the botanic gardens or starved rock state park. another hidden gem is the wooded island behind the museum of science and industry. Thew museum and the island where part of the 1893 worlds faire. downtown and the museum campus are fun to shoot too

 

[11290]

When my daughter lived up there I used to enjoy just walking the neighborhoods in Lincoln Park area, Wrigleyville and around the marinas between Lincoln Park and the Lake. Great older homes and buildings to enjoy.

Makes for some great black/white photography subjects.