Rodney Campbell's Blog

Our hotel in Chicago was directly opposite the John Hancock Center. It’s one of the tallest buildings in Chicago. The 360 Chicago observation deck is on the 94th floor of the building with amazing views over the city

Spiral Park

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/200 to 1/3 sec at f/8, ISO 64

I was planning on heading up there one evening during our stay and photographing the city during twilight

As it was literally next door to where we were staying I figured I’d have ample opportunity during our weeklong stay

For now however I took some shots from down on the street looking up at the John Hancock building

John Hancock

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 20 mm, 1/640 to 1/10 sec at f/8, ISO 64

This spot over the road where the building is framed by this alleyway when looking up worked particularly well

With such high contrast lighting conditions these shots are all exposure blends of seven (7) exposures bracketed at 1EV increments

Alleyway

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/200 to 1/3 sec at f/8, ISO 64

The Footbridge

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/320 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.

One of the places I’d researched before coming to the US was this spot which overlooks the elevated trains at Wells Kinzie Garage

Elevated

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 36 mm, 1/100 sec at f/8, ISO 64

There’s this lovely S-Curve of track below when you head to the top floor of the Wells Kinzie public carpark

I was planning to come here one night and shoot some log exposures with the lights at some stage. However I figured if I was in the area I’d recce the area so I knew where I was going in the dark 🙂

The Line

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 43 mm, 1/50 sec at f/8, ISO 80

Located on the south side of the Chicago Cultural Center is the world’s largest stained glass Tiffany dome

The magnificent translucent dome, 11.5m (38 feet) in diameter and made of Tiffany Favrile glass, is cut in the shape of fish scales

Tiffany Dome

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

At the top of the dome are the signs of the zodiac. At the base of the dome is a quotation from the British author Joseph Addison. The dome glass, lighting fixtures, wall sconces and chandeliers were made by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company of New York

The dome spans more than 90sqm (1,000 square feet). It contains some 30,000 pieces of glass in 243 sections held within an ornate cast iron frame

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.

1896

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 360

Completed in 1897 as Chicago’s first central public library, the Chicago Cultural Center was designed to impress and to prove that Chicago had grown into a sophisticated metropolis. The country’s top architects and craftsmen used the most sumptuous materials. Rare imported marbles, polished brass, fine hardwoods, and mosaics of Favrile glass, mother-of-pearl and coloured stone, to create an architectural showplace

Quad

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 220

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.

The inlaid marble staircases at the southern (Washington Street) end of the cultural centre are particularly spectacular. Perhaps moreso with the famous Tiffany dome beyond the end of the stairs

An arched portal, bronze-framed doors, and a 3-story, vaulted lobby with walls of white Carrara marble and mosaics. The staircase is also of white Carrara marble, set with medallions of green marble from Connemara, Ireland, and intricate mosaics of Favrile glass, stone, and mother of pearl. The stairway to the 5th floor was inspired by Venice’s Bridge of Sighs

Tiffany Approaches

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 180

In 1991, the building was established as the Chicago Cultural Center by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Becoming the nation’s first and most comprehensive free municipal cultural venue

Zag

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 200

Before coming to Chicago I’d done some research online for both:

1. places to photograph
2. places to visit (tourist destinations)

Sometimes a place could be one and the same but not always 🙂

One of those places was the Chicago Cultural Center. So whilst my wife was free we decided to visit

The stunning landmark building is home to two magnificent stained–glass domes. The slightly larger but in my opinion less spectacular is here at the northern end of the building

Domed

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 100

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.

The building also has an abundance of very interesting staircases. Always a drawcard for a budding photographer like me

Crossing the Threshold

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 500

Escher

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S @ 14 mm, 1/15 sec at f/8, ISO 320