Along the Lakeshore

Winters in Chicago can be brutal. Actually, they are brutal. Sadly that keeps a lot of us inside including us photographers. But when the weather starts to get nice again, we come out to play.

It was a foggy morning on March 10. I decided to go out to the lakeshore which is an always changing landscape. There was still snow piled up along the shoreline. I really couldn't tell if I was walking on the beach or on a buildup of ice over the water. 

The fog pretty much obstructed the view of anything within half a mile. Massive skyscrapers on the skyline that you can see from anywhere in the city were completely cloaked. It appeared like the shore of the beach of some pirate adventure movie. I would've expected haunted ship to sail out of the fog.

The only thing of color, however, was the water.

Lake Michigan has an aquamarine color to it. As the sun starts to warm up the water and the days become longer, March and April bring an even deeper richer color to the water.

It was the perfect day to take some photos of something few people get out to see because the weather was so miserable but the lakeshore was so haunting and beautiful.

Gear

Some people ask me what I shoot my photos with. I really will shoot with any equipment. I don't believe that gear makes you a good photographer. A good photographer can shoot something great no matter what the equipment in his hands is.

Never has someone asked me what camera I used to shoot a photo until after they say, "wow, that's a great photo." But the curious do want to know and I'm happy to talk gear because I enjoy it.

The photos on my site are from a few cameras. They are all mixed together. Some things were shot with iPhones (iPhone 4, 5 or 6). I also shoot with a Nikon FX (digital 35mm) and an Olympus Micro Four Thirds (m43) setup.

My Nikon gear is big and powerful; my favorite is my D700. The gear tends to be heavy so I don't do a lot of personal work with it. My Olympus gear is much lighter but really powerful. The lenses are small, the image stabilization is really impressive and the quality is superb. I shoot with it a lot because I can carry it with me everywhere. I find it to be a more fun system because it isn't the anchor that the Nikon gear is.

Some photos you see, however, are also shot with Canon DSLRs. I have been on shoots where I do not use my own equipment; it is provided for me. I'll shoot with any camera in my hands. I enjoy experiencing and experimenting with different cameras (both photography and cinema). 

I can give a million reasons why this gear is best for me but they best gear for you is what you like. I definitely recommend Nikon or Olympus (or any m43). Specifically I use an E-M5. But go out and finds the equipment that works best for you. Most importantly, don't worry too much about it; go out and shoot!

iPhone 6

Sea Oats in the Sky

I am on the beach visiting my mom in Florida. I have my Olympus with me but when I change the battery this morning I apparently put in a dead one. I have my iPhone 6 with me and while many photographers would say you can't be a real photographer, apparently, with an iPhone (or anything not costing thousands) I have always pushed myself to make that completely false. The best camera is the one you have with you. The camera just captures what you want. You make the photo.

Shot on iPhone 6