I debated writing up a post from my outing on Friday since it was a pretty underwhelming day. Once again, I haven’t been out in weeks and it was another rainy, gloomy, flat gray sky kind of day. But I was determined to find something to photograph.
There are these two curvaceous structures that I want to photograph for my Nature & Man/Past & Present series, one is part of a parking structure on Wells and the other is a stairwell near Aqua. So I scouted the Wells location on Friday, I’m waiting for the right conditions, most notably completely bare trees, to remain consistent with the story of this series. And I really need to rent a wide angle lens to get the images I envision from these two locations.
Anyhow, right next to the parking structure on Wells is this building that always catches my eye when I walk by, it has this modern, light-filled, airy lobby that seems like a little oasis in the heart of the loop. I started photographing outside because I noticed a nicely bare tree that complimented the architecture of Madison Plaza and thought it might be a potential addition to the Nature & Man/Past & Present series I’m continually working on. Then I wandered inside the lobby and began composing a shot, as I pressed the shutter the security guard was yelling from across the lobby to stop taking pictures…oops! In all honesty I didn’t think photographing in here would be a problem, but I guess it is. Too bad because I really would have liked to spend more time coming up with different compositions.
At least I managed this one image and security didn’t make me delete it. Maybe not exactly how I would have preferred composing the scene but there’s something about it that made it a keeper. And it seems to be resonating well on social media, it’s generated more likes and comments than I would have ever imagined. Must be those raindrops!

A little architectural history for those interested—Madison Plaza is the 36th tallest building in Chicago and was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the same firm that designed the Sears Tower, John Hancock Building at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is on my bucket list.  I so want to go to Dubai, so much amazing architecture!  My two younger brothers beat me to it and didn’t even take one photo of it!!!! What is wrong with them?!?