Category Archives: Chicago Commercial Photography

Lakeshore Recycling Opens New Facility

Last month Lakeshore Recycling opened a state-of-the-art single stream recycling facility in Forest View IL, and I was there to document the ribbon cutting, speeches, facility tour, and buffet lunch. The 40,000 sq. ft. facility was amazingly clean, quiet and well-organized, but what impressed me the most was the buffet lunch: great sandwiches, pasta, hors d’oeuvres, salad, and warm chocolate chip cookies. Plus, all our plastic silverware and paper plates were recycled!  It was a fun day and I felt like I did my part for the environment by shrinking my carbon footprint.

Ballyea Jewelry Designs

I have been photographing the unique handmade Irish-inspired jewelry of Ballyea Jewelry Designs for the past two years. Founded by Bernadette Moore Gibson in 1991, the designs in the Ballyea collection celebrate Gibson’s Irish heritage, and many of the pieces are based on designs from the ancient Book of Kells. I try to bring out the intricate artistry in the rings, pendants, bracelets, and traditional crosses that I photograph.

Spiaggia food and wine pairings for Wine & Spirits magazine

Last January I had the delicious pleasure of photographing food and wine pairings at renown Spiaggia restaurant on North Michigan Avenue for Wine & Spirits magazine. Since its inception, Spiaggia has garnered a smorgasbord of awards for its food, wine selection, and chefs, including James Beard awards and a Michelin star. In addition to the food and wine pairings, I photographed the interior space, Chef Chris Marchino, and Sommelier and Beverage Director Rachel Lowe.

The Joys of Industrial Photography

It’s cold, it’s dirty, it’s loud, and it’s often dangerous.  No, I’m not talking about fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, rather I’m referring to doing industrial photography. To most people, factory floors are grey and boring and to be avoided whenever possible, but I find them to be a vibrant source of creative photography. The mix of complex machinery and workers engaged in a variety of activities get my creative juices flowing, and it’s such a refreshing change from the typical white-walled suburban corporate headquarters. I recently completed a series of assignments for Vapor Power, a manufacturer of industrial boilers; while my clothes and equipment always came back dirty, and I needed to be constantly alert to potentially dangerous situations, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Wicker Park Collage

 

 

An apartment rental agency located in the trendy/funky/arty neighborhood of Wicker Park needed a visual representation of the high points of the immediate area to assist them in renting local properties.  They contacted me to produce a 20-foot wide mural of the nearby attractions.  The dozens of images in this collage include churches, school, restaurants, clubs, signage, nightlife, public spaces, and people simply enjoying the vibrant neighborhood.

Physical Therapy Clinic

The University of Illinois Chicago and Rush Hospital recently combined forces and opened a state of the art physical therapy clinic.  With abundant space and several treatment rooms, they are much better able to accommodate their large and diverse patient base. I was hired to shoot images of the therapists working so large prints could be displayed around the clinic.

Revival Social Club

 

 

In the late fall 2014, the Revival Social Club opened in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood.  The owners wanted to bring a retro environment to the neighborhood where people could hang out comfortably in a warm and inviting setting.  The interior was conceived by Platinum Interior Design of Chicago.  The menu features an abundance of breakfast and brunch options, but also an array of enticing comfort food for lunch and dinner.  Come hang out for coffee or a drink and you will feel like it’s your own private club. Update: Unfortunately, like so many restaurants in Chicago, this lovely place has closed down.

Fulton Street Market

For the past dozen years, Randolph Street just west of the Loop became the de facto Restaurant Row, fueled by Oprah’s Harpo Studio, the United Center, and a boom in residential development.  Now that expansion is exploding onto the nearby Fulton Street Market area making awkward neighbors of the upscale restaurants and the historic meat packing plants and produce markets.  With the advent of new restaurants and galleries, rents are rising and the meat and produce companies are feeling the pinch.  They provide so much of the character that brought the new tenants to the area in the first place, it would be a shame to have them chased from the neighborhood.  Adding to this mix is the soon-to-be-completed Google headquarters and the showplace Morgan Street transit station; growth is inevitable and change is in the air.

Transwestern Commercial Real Estate

Over the past two months I have been photographing commercial real estate for Transwestern.  I had the opportunity to shoot office complexes, shopping centers and strip malls in some of the lesser-known Midwest vacation meccas.  These include Schaumburg IL, Blaine MN, Columbus IN, and Southfield and Farmington Hills MI.

ShamROCK Chicago Going Green

In the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, about two dozen Chicago buildings and icons were illuminated green to showcase Chicago’s Irish pride.  This Global GREENing project (locally called ShamROCK Chicago) also saw famous landmarks around the world also lit green, such as the Sydney Opera House and the Eiffel Tower.  I was commissioned by Tourism Ireland to document all the local buildings glowing green; an amazing project except that the Chicago winter was cruel that week and my fingers were turning green from frostbite. That might be a lot of Blarney, but these photos are colorful evidence that Chicago is the most Irish city this side of Dublin.