Rodney Campbell's Blog

Completed in 1916, Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s top and most visited attractions. Stretching 1km into Lake Michigan it encompasses more than fifty acres of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, family attractions and exhibition facilities

Navy Pier

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1.6 sec at f/7.1, ISO 64 x 3 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

My wife would be at all day training for pretty much the rest of our time in Chicago. This enabled me to go off and do my normal slow paced photography at more appropriate times of day

I’d seen some images online taken from this location (it’s at the top of Navy Pier Parking deck behind the Centennial Wheel, fairground and theatre

I decided to head here for sunset, twilight and night to capture some images. These images were from just prior to and then on sunset

Navy Pier Twilight

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 2.5 sec at f/7.1, ISO 64 x 5 Frames

All the images I’d seen online were single captures of mostly the wheel with the city behind. I wanted to capture more of the cityscape in the background so opted for wider stitched panoramas of the view

The top image is comprised of three (3) horizontal frames and the bottom images is from five (5) vertical images stitched

The Fourth Presbyterian Church is diagonally across the intersection from our accomodation on Chicago’s magnificent mile

4th

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/6 sec at f/8, ISO 64

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

It’s a 1912 landmark church with neo-Gothic styling and lovely stained glass windows

I love shooting inside churches with their amazing and varied architecture so here’s another to add to my list…

Fourth

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/4 sec at f/11, ISO 64

After our architecture tour my wife headed off to her training course. This pretty much left me to my own devices for the rest of our time in Chicago

It was time to explore the city and photograph the various locations I’d researched in the best conditions I could at the time

Waiting at Hancock

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 308 sec at f/8, ISO 64

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Letting time flow during some long exposures using some heavy ND filters with some fast moving clouds. These taken just over the road from our accommodation at the John Hancock Center

Streaked

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 30 sec at f/8, ISO 64

There was actually too much cloud and it was moving extremely quickly. Pretty soon it became 100% overcast so it was time to do something different

This is the view from just into Lake Michigan looking back towards the city of Chicago

This was a handheld stitched panorama taken from our cruise vessel as it was turning around

Lake View

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/125 sec at f/8, ISO 64 x 7 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

One of the things that Chicago is famous for is it’s architecture. We were keen to go on one of the architecture tours whilst we were here

We’d booked to head out on one of the architecture cruises for the next morning

The Wrigley Building

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/100 sec at f/8, ISO 64

Heading down to near the Wrigley Building, we joined Shoreline Sightseeing for their 75 minute cruise on the canals past many famous landmarks and varied styles of building

Architecture Tour

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/30 sec at f/8, ISO 64

Our tour was excellent (if a little chilly out on the water :)) and our guide in particular was very engaging

I’d say well worth the time and cost if you’re ever in Chicago

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Trump

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 70 mm, 1/125 sec at f/8, ISO 64