(All images ©Lauri Novak)
A Sampling of The Views
There is certainly no shortage of windows or balconies in Chicago. They give photographers seemingly unending opportunities for unique images.
Either on their own or interacting with neighboring buildings, the lines, shapes and even color combos help to create unique and interesting images.
If you wander along the river at all you’ll notice interesting reflections. They might be from the building on the other side of the river or from the river itself. Wherever they originate from they always create unique shapes in windows.
I highly recommend the Chicago Architecture Center’s architectural river cruise. When you are photography from the river you experience angles and compositions you’ll never see anywhere else.
The reflections make you consider and question what it is you’re seeing. What is that a reflection of? You look across the river or street to try to figure out which building is captured in the windows of another.
The reflections appear in front you you at every turn. Once you start seeing them, you can’t stop. They add another level of movement to architectural images.
Oh, the clouds! Talk about endless opportunities. As long as there is even one cloud in the sky, you’ll find a reflection of it somewhere in the city.
Using cloud reflections is a great way to create an illusion. Depending on the building, windows, and angles it can appear the clouds are part of the architecture.
This particular building is a favorite to photograph and it almost always gets the high contrast treatment. It just works that way in my opinion.
The shapes and angles the balconies here make as you change your point of view and walk around are incredible.
So many of the recent additions to the river architecture are fascinating. I love how they mimic or reflect the fact that they are built with river views. By using color and shapes the architects made deliberate choices to add nature to the architecture.
Some of the reflections are mind-bending or mind-blowing or both. Heading down the river and seeing this appear in front of you, just wow!
For me, it never gets old. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the architectural river cruise. There is always a new way to see what is there. Different light, different weather and everything changes.
(All images ©Lauri Novak)
I am a photographer, educator, mentor & photo tour guide.
If I have to classify my work it’s mostly fine art photography. Based outside of Chicago, I enjoy photographing architecture, traveling as much as possible and just wandering in nature with my camera are my favorite things to do.
You can find more of my work in my galleries.
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