HELP Going to Chicago, What Gear to Bring? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

im2smrt4u · 07-09-2010, 06:16 PM

As many of you already know, I'm heading to Chicago next week and I'm not sure how much gear to bring along...

Gear I have:
Canon T1i
Battery Grip
18-55mm IS Kit Lens
50mm f/1.8
28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
Quantaray 100-300mm (a POS, but quite a bit of reach with the crop body

)
580EX-II Flash
Tripod
Monopod

I have two bags, a Lowepro Slingshot 200AW and Toploader Pro 70AW. The Slingshot can hold most everything (aside from the tripod/monopod) while the toploader would hold the gripped camera and the 28-135mm with hood reversed, plus a few small items.

I'm flying, so if I take the slingshot that would be considered my carry-on item. We'll have to pay for checked bags, so consuming a carry on item will cost me a bit in bag fees. However, taking the toploader and just the 28-135mm lens might limit me quite a bit with the crop-body. I could pack the kit lens in the luggage but I wouldn't have much of a way to carry it around town...

Any thoughts? Any must see places? I'm looking forward to taking pictures of "the bean" but I'm sure there are many more places for great photos. I'm not sure I'll be able to get many good building photos without a full frame body and a wide angle lens.

SecretMethod70 · 07-09-2010, 07:46 PM

Good thing you're coming now and not 5 years ago: Chicago's Bean sculpture is free to photograph, at last - Boing Boing

I have no suggestions for gear, but there are so many things to photograph I wouldn't know where to start! That is, if you're interested in architecture.

A quick Google search yielded these results...

Flickr: Discussing Best Places To Visit/Photograph in Chicago...
Chicago Photo Ops - Chicago Photography - Popular Chicago Photo Spots

You could pay to go up the Sears - er, Willis - Tower and get a shot from above, but you can also go to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock building. The view is just as good (though no glass balconies!) and there's no entry fee. You might want to get a drink or two out of respect though.

I know Star is interested in the museums too, so you should probably consider a CityPass, in which case you wouldn't have to worry about the entrance fee for the Willis Tower SkyDeck. If you do this, I'd choose the SkyDeck over the Hancock observatory, because as mentioned above you can go to the Signature Lounge or Signature Room instead. In fact, the very first time I ever met a TFPer in real life it was for drinks at the Signature Lounge. If you do this, I'd do the SkyDeck for shots during the day time, and then get drinks at the Signature Lounge and take shots there during the night time.

Obviously there are a bunch of photo opportunities in the museums, Sue at the Field Museum being the most well-known. You can get pretty good shots of the skyline from there too. And, of course, there's the Art Institute.

Marina City is another fairly iconic image of Chicago, and the Chicago Riverwalk is nearby too.

Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory is free to enter, and while it's not the best zoo ever it's pretty decent and it's kind of cool to see the animals with the urban backdrop.

Navy Pier is a tourist trap, but people seem to really like the ferris wheel. I imagine there are probably some good shots from there, though it obviously costs money to ride. I think Navy Pier itself is free to enter, so at the very least you could try for some skyline shots from there if you want.

One of the better spots to get a shot of the skyline - unless you're on a Lake Michigan boat ride - is from right around the Shedd Aquarium and/or Adler Planetarium. Again, there are good shots here during both daytime and nighttime. Belmont and Diversey Harbors or North Avenue Beach are also decent spots for skyline shots from a different angle.

Buckingham Fountain and Grant Park are good places to go, and the Hyde Park neighborhood has some great older architecture (including the University of Chicago and President Barack Obama's house) and I think it's totally worth a visit if you like that sort of thing. It's right near the Museum of Science and Industry if you're interested in that. Also nearby is Promontory Point, which is a popular spot for photographs. Since you know about "The Bean," you've got Millennium Park covered.

There is, of course, a trail to walk down pretty much anywhere you go along the lake, so there are plenty of opportunities there.

Not too far from Amy's neighborhood - but a bit of a trek from where you two will be staying - is Baha'i Temple, which is another landmark of the area.

By now you're probably getting the idea... there are just too many good spots to list! And I've pretty much only named the more popular places. Best thing to do is just grab your camera and explore!

Starkizzer · 07-09-2010, 07:58 PM

We are gonna get mugged!

im2smrt4u · 07-09-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkizzer

We are gonna get mugged!

You make it sound like nobody takes pictures in major cities! :P

Thanks for the info smeth!

Craven Morehead · 07-09-2010, 08:15 PM

the newly installed and slightly bizarre Chicago EYE

SecretMethod70 · 07-09-2010, 08:32 PM

Whoa, hadn't heard about that one.

Manic_Skafe · 07-09-2010, 11:07 PM

Once you start acquiring light stands, flashes, umbrellas, snoots and gobos, monoblocks, etc. you'll eventually come to the same realization I was faced with: having all of this shit for the mere possibility that you may need it is only going to act as a hindrance to how much you'll be able to experience and shoot while there.

Smeth has offered one hell of a post (just by sheer linkage) but the sad truth is you'd be hard pressed to find a single suggestion that hasn't already been shot to death. A simple Google search will reveal a wealth of images created by tourists with similar intentions. You're not going to break the mold with your images while you're there so you might as well go there with the intention of enjoying your experience of being there while keeping all of the camera stuff secondary.

Pack what won't weigh you down and be sure to have a damned good time while you're there. The best images will be burned into your memory.

That's my two cents.

snowy · 07-10-2010, 05:49 PM

I second Smeth's recommendation of a CityPass, if you have time to use all of your tickets. It was worth every penny. Note: You can probably squeeze Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium into the same day (if you feel like going to the Planetarium at all, it's meh at best). We did brunch at the Signature Room. It's spendy, but they don't rush you, and the buffet is as impressive as the view. We liked doing that because then we were able to get the views form the Hancock and the views from the Sears (Willis, whatever) Tower, which are different.

And getting the shot from the glass balconies at the Willis Tower--good luck squeezing into one, although I certainly hope they've finished the others they were working on when we were there.

Smeth also mentioned where I got my shots of the skyline that I like best--around Shedd Aquarium--as well as the place I liked to photograph most when we were there--Lincoln Conservatory. That place was spectacular.

I think we ended up in Millennium Park like three or four different times on our trip, we liked it so much.

SecretMethod70 · 07-10-2010, 06:15 PM

Manic_Skafe: Excellent advice. You'll notice that almost all my links go to one of those "done before" shots too

---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ----------

There are now 4 glass balconies, but I doubt that makes it much easier to get in. The Signature Room is a great view and great food, but if you only go up the Hancock once (AND go up the Willis Tower), I've got to recommend the Signature Lounge at night instead, this way you can maximize the difference between the two locations

07-09-2010, 06:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
im2smrt4u Beer Aficionado Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA	Going to Chicago, What Gear to Bring? As many of you already know, I'm heading to Chicago next week and I'm not sure how much gear to bring along... Gear I have: Canon T1i Battery Grip 18-55mm IS Kit Lens 50mm f/1.8 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Quantaray 100-300mm (a POS, but quite a bit of reach with the crop body ) 580EX-II Flash Tripod Monopod I have two bags, a Lowepro Slingshot 200AW and Toploader Pro 70AW. The Slingshot can hold most everything (aside from the tripod/monopod) while the toploader would hold the gripped camera and the 28-135mm with hood reversed, plus a few small items. I'm flying, so if I take the slingshot that would be considered my carry-on item. We'll have to pay for checked bags, so consuming a carry on item will cost me a bit in bag fees. However, taking the toploader and just the 28-135mm lens might limit me quite a bit with the crop-body. I could pack the kit lens in the luggage but I wouldn't have much of a way to carry it around town... Any thoughts? Any must see places? I'm looking forward to taking pictures of "the bean" but I'm sure there are many more places for great photos. I'm not sure I'll be able to get many good building photos without a full frame body and a wide angle lens. __________________ Starkizzer Fan Club - President & Founder

07-09-2010, 07:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Good thing you're coming now and not 5 years ago: Chicago's Bean sculpture is free to photograph, at last - Boing Boing I have no suggestions for gear, but there are so many things to photograph I wouldn't know where to start! That is, if you're interested in architecture. A quick Google search yielded these results... Flickr: Discussing Best Places To Visit/Photograph in Chicago... Chicago Photo Ops - Chicago Photography - Popular Chicago Photo Spots You could pay to go up the Sears - er, Willis - Tower and get a shot from above, but you can also go to the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock building. The view is just as good (though no glass balconies!) and there's no entry fee. You might want to get a drink or two out of respect though. I know Star is interested in the museums too, so you should probably consider a CityPass, in which case you wouldn't have to worry about the entrance fee for the Willis Tower SkyDeck. If you do this, I'd choose the SkyDeck over the Hancock observatory, because as mentioned above you can go to the Signature Lounge or Signature Room instead. In fact, the very first time I ever met a TFPer in real life it was for drinks at the Signature Lounge. If you do this, I'd do the SkyDeck for shots during the day time, and then get drinks at the Signature Lounge and take shots there during the night time. Obviously there are a bunch of photo opportunities in the museums, Sue at the Field Museum being the most well-known. You can get pretty good shots of the skyline from there too. And, of course, there's the Art Institute. Marina City is another fairly iconic image of Chicago, and the Chicago Riverwalk is nearby too. Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory is free to enter, and while it's not the best zoo ever it's pretty decent and it's kind of cool to see the animals with the urban backdrop. Navy Pier is a tourist trap, but people seem to really like the ferris wheel. I imagine there are probably some good shots from there, though it obviously costs money to ride. I think Navy Pier itself is free to enter, so at the very least you could try for some skyline shots from there if you want. One of the better spots to get a shot of the skyline - unless you're on a Lake Michigan boat ride - is from right around the Shedd Aquarium and/or Adler Planetarium. Again, there are good shots here during both daytime and nighttime. Belmont and Diversey Harbors or North Avenue Beach are also decent spots for skyline shots from a different angle. Buckingham Fountain and Grant Park are good places to go, and the Hyde Park neighborhood has some great older architecture (including the University of Chicago and President Barack Obama's house) and I think it's totally worth a visit if you like that sort of thing. It's right near the Museum of Science and Industry if you're interested in that. Also nearby is Promontory Point, which is a popular spot for photographs. Since you know about "The Bean," you've got Millennium Park covered. There is, of course, a trail to walk down pretty much anywhere you go along the lake, so there are plenty of opportunities there. Not too far from Amy's neighborhood - but a bit of a trek from where you two will be staying - is Baha'i Temple, which is another landmark of the area. By now you're probably getting the idea... there are just too many good spots to list! And I've pretty much only named the more popular places. Best thing to do is just grab your camera and explore! __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling Last edited by SecretMethod70; 07-10-2010 at 07:20 PM..

07-09-2010, 07:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Starkizzer Hi floor! Make me a samwich. Location: Ontario (in the stray cat complex)	We are gonna get mugged! __________________ Frivolity, at the edge of a Moral Swamp, hears Hymn-Singing in the Distance and dons the Galoshes of Remorse. ~Edward Gorey

07-09-2010, 08:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Whoa, hadn't heard about that one. __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling

07-09-2010, 11:07 PM	#7 (permalink)
Manic_Skafe More Than You Expect Location: Queens	Once you start acquiring light stands, flashes, umbrellas, snoots and gobos, monoblocks, etc. you'll eventually come to the same realization I was faced with: having all of this shit for the mere possibility that you may need it is only going to act as a hindrance to how much you'll be able to experience and shoot while there. Smeth has offered one hell of a post (just by sheer linkage) but the sad truth is you'd be hard pressed to find a single suggestion that hasn't already been shot to death. A simple Google search will reveal a wealth of images created by tourists with similar intentions. You're not going to break the mold with your images while you're there so you might as well go there with the intention of enjoying your experience of being there while keeping all of the camera stuff secondary. Pack what won't weigh you down and be sure to have a damned good time while you're there. The best images will be burned into your memory. That's my two cents. __________________ "Porn is a zoo of exotic animals that becomes boring upon ownership." -Nersesian

07-09-2010, 08:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	the newly installed and slightly bizarre Chicago EYE

07-10-2010, 05:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I second Smeth's recommendation of a CityPass, if you have time to use all of your tickets. It was worth every penny. Note: You can probably squeeze Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium into the same day (if you feel like going to the Planetarium at all, it's meh at best). We did brunch at the Signature Room. It's spendy, but they don't rush you, and the buffet is as impressive as the view. We liked doing that because then we were able to get the views form the Hancock and the views from the Sears (Willis, whatever) Tower, which are different. And getting the shot from the glass balconies at the Willis Tower--good luck squeezing into one, although I certainly hope they've finished the others they were working on when we were there. Smeth also mentioned where I got my shots of the skyline that I like best--around Shedd Aquarium--as well as the place I liked to photograph most when we were there--Lincoln Conservatory. That place was spectacular. I think we ended up in Millennium Park like three or four different times on our trip, we liked it so much. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

07-10-2010, 06:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
SecretMethod70 Human Administrator Location: Chicago	Manic_Skafe: Excellent advice. You'll notice that almost all my links go to one of those "done before" shots too ---------- Post added at 09:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ---------- There are now 4 glass balconies, but I doubt that makes it much easier to get in. The Signature Room is a great view and great food, but if you only go up the Hancock once (AND go up the Willis Tower), I've got to recommend the Signature Lounge at night instead, this way you can maximize the difference between the two locations __________________ Le temps détruit tout "Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling