Pathways

I set about over the holiday break to scan in all my photos that I have taken over the years on print film. It became quite an obsession and the photos brought back a flood of memories.  But what I started to think about most are the pathways we walk down in our lives and the choices we make for ourselves.  Back in 1998 I moved to Warsaw, Poland as part of my job.  I was really looking forward to a change in my life but when the plane landed and the taxi took me to my hotel and I looked down on the city from my hotel window I asked myself out loud several times; John-what have you done?  It was March and the city was a shade of doomy gray.  I had to sleep.  When I woke up I decided to take a walk and look at the city up close.  That was the beginning of something amazing and a choice I shall never regret.

Merry Christmas

In the spirit of a White Christmas, I am posting some shots taken one year ago in Stockholm. We got dumped on for several days straight at Christmas and had the best time sledding and walking in the forest.  I wish everyone a peaceful holiday and a prosperous New Year.

The People's Pavilion

It's really called the People's Gas Pavilion but I prefer my title better because this structure, in the still free Lincoln Park Zoo, is for the people.  It is part of the newly renovated South Pond area and was another unexpected discovery.  The new pavilion is brilliant but I do not know the architect or designer.  If you do, please let me know.  My wife asked me the other night; what is it with you and structures? Why are you so captivated by them?  The Peoples Pavilion is a perfect example of why.  It is simple in its materials, complex in its design and fits in perfectly with its surroundings.  Just like a bee's honeycomb.

Backyard Beauty

There is nothing better than discovering beauty in your own backyard.  And while Jackson Park is not exactly in my backyard it is an area of Chicago I thought I was fairly familiar with.  It just goes to show  what you can find when you wander a little further down the path than intended.  I took these photos several weeks ago as the weather in Chicago was changing from Fall to Winter. Something in me gravitates to flora when the leaves are gone and you can really see the color and structure of the trees and  plants.  These photos were taken in and around the Osaka Gardens.  Worth a visit anytime of year.

Trespassing

I shot these images several weeks ago on the south side of Chicago. They are familiar sites I often see from the Skyway as I zoom by on my way to Michigan or Indiana. I have always been curious what these areas were like up close, so as I wandered around this day I definitely felt like a trespasser.  A silver Volvo doesn't blend in very well in the land of tractor trailers and pickup trucks. The images remind me of a by-gone era when this part of the country was the hub of a nation.  For me they evoke a dreamy, romantic quality but also a feeling of isolation and despair. Tell me what you think...

The Maiden Post

This being the maiden post on my new blog; On Photography... it only seems fitting that my first favorite photo is one of my most recent.  OJ and I were at Garfield Park Conservatory having a snow hike around the back property which was a new discovery for both of us.  I looked back as we were descending this hill and quickly snapped this photo.  I love the angles, vantage point and composition of the shot but mostly love the determination of OJ to keep up with his camera toting Pappa.