I have been thinking about taking some “Chicagohenge” photographs ever since saw it several springs ago. It worked out well yesterday falling on a Saturday when I had some time to prepare and got downtown.
The first issue was when to be ready to take the photos. My iPhone weather app said sunset was at 7:03 p.m. Frankly, I did not know how long the effect lasts. I hear all the You Tube photographers talk about “golden hour.” An hour didn’t seem like too much time to wait so I thought I would be ready at 6:00.
Next was where to take the photos from. I wanted to get some El tracks in the foreground. From the Vashon Jordon’s photos I saw on Friday, I thought perhaps the Aon Building looking west down Stetson. The El tracks looked cool.
I wanted a little more of a canyon effect. So I was thinking an El station on Wabash. Turns out that the Washington and Wabash station is in the middle of the block so that wouldn’t work. Adams and Wabash was it.
There is a nice west facing walkway below the platform that works nicely, even a railing to attach my GoPro. I arrived about an hour early. When I got there, it was just me and a woman with her son. See was determined to photograph the event with her iPhone.
I set up my GoPro for a time lapse. GoPros are so easy, practically run themselves.
I figured the 70-200mm on my 5D Mark IV pretty much my best camera, especially for something like this.
Guess who shows up. Vashon Jordon himself. I met Vashon several years ago when we were both shooting a basketball game at Brooks. He was still in high school then. I have happened into him several times since then at various things. Wonderful young man and talented photographer. He quickly set up his stuff.
Not long thereafter the catwalk filled up with photographers and spectators. Show time.
What surprised me most was how quickly the effect comes and goes. It is just a few minutes. The sun doesn’t come straight down. It moves from about 11:00 on a clock face to 5:00.
I had never done this before and I did no research on camera settings (which I obviously should have). I figured light would not be an issue so I set the ISO on 100.
A fast shutter speed would be a must. I tried from 1/500 to 1/8000. Turns out that between 1/600 and 1/4000 work best. The sun itself is blown out anyway. I was afraid to go any slower fearing damaging the sensor.
I did not know what to do about f-stop. I figured it would have to be high. I tried f/22 and f/11. With a high shutter speed, even taking pictures of the sun at f/11, the photos were dark. I settled on f/8. Probably, could have gone lower. I will work on this part in the Fall—Autumnal Equinox.
It was all I could do to frame up the photo, snap off a few and then cycle through settings. Then it was over. Everyone disappeared.
Vashon and I snapped a few selfies and it’s time to go.
I included both color and black and white photos so one can see the difference and which look better.
I like the photos that reveal some of the street traffic. I will have to frame that up better and work on enough exposure for that next time. To do that right it would probably require putting together a composite photo. I don’t know if I have the patience for that. My photoshop skills are rudimentary.
Not for everyone I suppose but very much fun for me. I am pleased that I got usable photos out of it. Nothing too crisp but that will take a little practice.
See you September 22.
