...my trip to Chicago would definitely have crossed a bunch of things off of said list. The biggest thing was taking the train. I'm definitely an air travel person, but it was still an experience.
I wanted to document my trip to Chicago, but I think that would bore most of you. Besides, I have a love for the city that only slightly pales in comparison to my love of the Pacific Ocean, and I want to just express that for a bit.
Many people would look at Chicago as one of the most dangerous places to live in the US. I won't disagree with you. The emergency vehicles never seemed to stop blaring through the streets, and there was one night that I thought I heard gunshots. But setting all that aside, Chicago is a wealth of American history and pride as well.
In 1891, Chicago beat out New York City to host the world fair, a direct challenge to Paris, France in their recent world exposé. It was home of the first Ferris wheel--which was designed by an American Engineer by the way--that beat out the Eiffel tower for grandeur, modern technology, elegance, and thrill. (The wheel unfortunately no longer exists thanks to St. Louis blowing it up)
Chicago is home to all types of industry. It provides hundreds of thousands of people with jobs and a comfortable lifestyle. Did you know that if you live in Michigan, you have an 18% chance of settling in Chicago? Learned that from a fantastic Uber driver while I was there.
The people in Chicago are friendlier and more welcoming than people in New York or LA. In typical midwestern style, people in Chicago were more likely to talk to Emma and I than anywhere else I've been. They all said "excuse me" when passing in close quarters, they held doors open and smiled at each other. But I'll tell you, once they all get into cars, ALL the manners go away and they are the angriest, most aggressive people I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. There were definitely times I thought some driver making a right turn was going to plow right over all the pedestrians crossing the street.
There's no where to build but up! The skyscrapers are truly breathtaking for someone who has never actually seen one. It amazed me to walk into your average retailer on Michigan Ave. and be welcomed into a 4-7 story facility where every floor was bustling and buzzing with activity. We went to the harbor on Lake Michigan near Buckingham Fountain and looked back on the city. Seeing the skyline was breathtaking. I took a lot of pictures but not one captures the beauty of the Chicago skyline. Everyone should visit Chicago just to experience that for themselves. Pictures don't do it justice.
I think most of my love and appreciation for Chicago comes from an artist's standpoint. I view Chicago as a place that great art can be made. I believe that a good photographer can recognize and capture what is already beautiful, but a great one can recognize and capture what is ordinary, and show the beauty that is hidden in it. That was my goal when shooting in Chicago. And so I look at the city that many people view as the armpit of the midwest--a place of crime, depravity, and corruption--as a beautiful place that deserves to be shown in a better light. There is a lot of darkness in Chicago, but sometimes dark places are beautiful. You just have to choose to see the beauty in it.
Tucker loves to remind me that he will never live in or near Chicago, but I think it will be a place I visit regularly. And by the way, the pizza is incredible, just as an added bonus. I don't think I'll write any more about Chicago today, but watch my Instagram for pictures!
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