Thursday, December 30, 2010

Summer Days

Summer Days

Thinking longingly of summer. Photo taken in Spain this summer.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Little Night Photography

That Kodak Moment

Christmas lights and neon. What could be more fun?

Nativity in the Snow

Laundry at Night

Thursday, December 23, 2010

The More Things Change

December, 2010

Raber House--Front View

I can't believe I haven't posted about this house before. Here is a small retrospective of the past four years of photographic ventures to this wonderful old site.
This house is known as the Raber House and is one of a few homes that managed to survive the great Chicago Fire of 1871. Although a designated Chicago landmark, it is in a lonely state of disrepair. It was originally part of a six acre estate built in 1870 for John Raber. No one seems to know what to do with the sad old house but the City of Chicago has discussed turning the area into a park. Sounds great, but I'll believe it when I see it. At least they are removing a dump of old automobile tires from behind the place. I guess that is progress.

September, 2009

Raber House--front, 2009

December, 2008

Raber House Back

January, 2008

Raber House

April, 2007

Raber House

February, 2007

Raber House

Friday, December 17, 2010

Nutcracker Redux

Nutcracker Finale

This is my fourth year performing in a local Nutcracker ballet. For those who haven't heard the story, I am most adamantly not a dancer. I regard my part in the show as more of an extra but it is a lot of fun. I never took a single dance class as a kid. Although I can hold my own in many sports, if not compete, I totally have two left feet. Plus I was not a girly girl and preferred climbing trees and catching frogs to wearing a tutu. I'd say I never wanted to dance as a child but I remember listening to the Nutcracker and Swan Lake on my little record player (I think one of the records was actually pink!) and dancing around my bedroom. So maybe it was fated that one day I'd get a chance to dance it.
Of course, given that I'm on stage you don't get to see a whole lot of pictures of me dancing. One small drawback to being the photographer in the family. We get a video every year but I haven't figured out how to (illegally) upload it onto the net so there you have it.

Death of the Mouse King

My younger son performs in the show every year which is how I got into it but I have reservations about posting his life story publicly since, after all, it is his life and not mine. But I thought I'd share one or two pictures of how the show looks.
In my humble opinion, yours truly was merely above average but the show was amazing!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Stained Glass

Stained Glass Window---Detail

Seen in Alcazar, Segovia, Spain. I think it is just lovely.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Let It Snow

It's not like we have a choice.

Let It Snow

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Pride Cleaners

Pride Cleaners

A favorite Chicago sign.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Happy Hannukah

Fourth Night

To everyone, even if you don't celebrate it. We all need a little light.

The Menorah is Lit

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Playing with Snow

Playing with Snow

Not snowballs or snowmen but snow photos. Using different lenses and manual settings changes the image in dramatic ways.

First Snow