Friday, August 23, 2019

2019 Chicago Air & Water Show, plus the Monday after.

Every year I go down to the Chicago Air & Water Show, in hopes of one upping my current favorite airplane shot, usually from the previous year!  This year I went down for three of the four days.  Most people think the Chicago Air & Water Show is just Saturday and Sunday, but, if you are like most photographers you know, just like the photographers, the pilots have to practice.  I usually go down on the practice day, this year I went to both practice days, Thursday and Friday.  Having seen the Blue Angles earlier this year, in Pensacola, I knew my quest for a better photo would be a challenge.  The first three shots are from Pensacola.



The next photos are all from the three days I attended the Chicago Air and Water Show!


 In addition to the Navy Blue Angles, there was another team from Great Britain, who were very cool.  Since I had a mishap with my 70-200mm, I was working with my older camera with a much shorter and less powerful 55-250 lens, this is also why some photos appear a little darker, I had to adjust everything on the camera and was not used to the camera having not shot with it in months.  If you look back at my photos from previous air shows, even the photos from Pensacola, you will see the difference.  None the less, I love air shows and chasing for that next awesome shot.  The photos below are from the RAF Red Arrows.  My photos don't really give them justice, they were amazing.  I still prefer the Navy Blue Angels, but, I might be just a little biased!


Also at the Chicago Air & Water Show was a F22 Raptor.  These next two photos are where I really wish I had my 70-200mm lens with me, it is a much faster lens and the ability to pull the plan in with the extra focal length would have really made this pop.  Thank God there is always next year!   I believe these were taken on Sunday, but, the days all seemed to run together.  Vapor Trails are cool!


For a different perspective on the Chicago Air & Water Show, on Friday, I went to 360Chicago on the 94th Floor of the John Hancock Building.  WOW, this is where a faster lens would have really helped.  When I get my lens back from being repaired, I will be going back up to 360Chicago!  The next couple of photos were taken from 360Chicago.  


Shooting with a few fellow photographers and making friends with them can only help me in the future with like minded people to bounce things off of, if that makes sense.  The last couple of years I have met many excellent photographers at the Air & Water Show.  All of which have Instagram pages.  For the record, my Instagram handle is mwnphotography1026.  Pete is is someone I have shot with now for the last three years, his Instagram handle is pja.photo.  Lynda_myszkowski, is another great follow.  On Thursday I met Robert Gauthier and I shot with him on Thursday and Friday at 360Chicago as well as Sunday, his Instagram handle is rg_from_texas, incredible photographer!  On Thursday, it seemed as if the show was over so everyone made the decision to leave, big mistake, but, had I not left and driven up Fullerton, I would never have gotten this fun shot.  I realize it is not totally in focus, but, you have to remember I was working with a camera I had not played with since November when I purchased my new 6DMKII. 


Maybe just a little irony, what do you think?   

One of the really cool things about the Chicago Air & Water Show is to try and time a shot coming around the building and or between buildings.  This is another spot where the faster 70-200mm Zoom lens would help out tremendously!  Sorry the shot below is so dark, I did not adjust this photo at all.

My favorite photos from the whole 4 days of the Air & Water show, ironically, were taken the first day.  Again, I know I am sounding like a broken record here, but, a much longer and faster zoom lens would have surely helped in the next few photos, that being said, I am still pretty proud I was able to get these shots, working with what i had to work with.  The shots have been lightened up just a little for ease of viewing the vapor trails!



So, what do you think, do these make the grade?  The weekend was completed with much fanfare and lots and lots of walking.  I met and shot with some fantastic photographers!  Having taken the Monday after the 2019 Chicago Air & Water Show off, and having shot around and with so many excellent photographers, I needed some me time, just for me to shoot by myself!  Monday morning, I woke up with my wife, and drove here to work.  I shot back to the Lincoln Park Zoo were, thanks to a great friend I park, and hustled down to Fullerton Beach, just north of North Avenue Beach where I spent most of the weekend.  Since I wasn't really looking to shoot long distances, I brought both cameras with me, my Canon 60D with a Canon 10-18mm lens, and my Canon 6DMKII with a 
17-40mm L lens.  I had to be back at home by 9:00 for an appointment, so all I was really going for was the sunrise.  The sunrise was well worth it, in my opinion, what do you think?  The first two were both taken from my Canon 60D.


 But, the real money shot is the one below, taken from my 6DMKII.  I was able to catch a bird coming through, just at the right time!

Thank you for reading my blog.  I know this is a long post, but, so many photographs to share and so little time to write about them.  As always, all photographs are the sole possession of me, Michael W. Noonan and mwnphotography.  If you like what you see and wish to purchase anything, everything is for sale.  I can be reached, as always at mwnphotography@gmail.com or via phone at 847.636.9130.  Thanks again!

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Sunday, August 11, 2019

Matthiessen State Park, North Avenue Beach, Gurnee Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show, busy couple of weeks...



Late last month, July 30, 2019 to be exact, I took a little trip down to one of my favorite State Parks, Matthiessen State Park.  While there, I visited my old favorite truck, where I captured this beautiful spider web covering where the left front headlight would be!

 From there it was on to the falls, where I took these dark but unique photos.







One thing I am always drawn to, I am not sure why, is benches at recreational areas and parks, maybe it is just because they are there blending in with nature!


On the following day, July 31, 2019, I drove my wife to work and parked by the Lincoln Park Zoo, long before most people had even left for work.    Because we have gotten so much rain this year, the beaches of Chicago are all but gone!

This second photo shows the pier , or what's left of it, that I usually sit on for the Chicago Air & Water Show!  I am not sure where I am going to sit this week!
The photo below is of waves crashing on the break wall at the end of North Avenue Beach, with the Chicago Skyline in the background.
 The morning was serene, as shown in the Lincoln Park Zoo's pond.  If you blow this photo up, you can actually see a cranesitting in the water just off the island between the two buildings.
 From the pond, I walked to the Lincoln Park Conservatory.


Fast forward to today> . Today I went to The Annual Gurnee Days Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL.  I got to see many cool and unusual vehicles, the first was a converted Volkswagon Bus.  To call it cool and unusual would not give it justice!  Normally I am not a huge fan of VW Buses, especially the whole flower power and hippy generation, but this VW was so different!






It  gives a whole new meaning to unusual when it comes to the VW Bus, don't you agree?  The next favorite vehicle there was an old Cadillac.  MAN WHAT A CAR!  Fins for days...





 This car actually won the car show!  I love the window decal...  You toucha my car, I breaka your face...

How low can you go?   LOW RIDER DRIVES A LITTLE SLOWER...


I believe that the next car is what is commonly referred to as a T-bucket, made from a model T! 
 Love the Motometer Radiator Cap!




 This next one give true meaning to the name Monster Truck!  Love it!

 When I was there, there were only a handful of Motorcycles.  To me, the coolest one was the one that looked like a cross between a cafe racer and a Harley Davidson, either way a pretty cool ride!





 This old Chevy Impala was so cool.  Hydraulics were off the hook, and chrome for days!


Next was a similar style car that I labeled the green machine.



 Look at all those hydraulics in the back...

The strangest car there, and forgive me because I did not write down what it was, but, this was obviously owned by a woman...



From the Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show, I went on the the Old School Forest Preserve.  Anyone who has driven down I-94 between Gurnee and Libertyville has probably seen a hill by the side of the road which is obviously a great sledding hill during the winter, and I have always wanted to see it, probably better with snow, but, obviously not as cold today!



It has, as you can see, been a busy couple of weeks!  As I close out this post, I want to share a little LOVE, for my beautiful daughter and stunning wife!  I don't know where I would be without them, thank you both for putting up with my need to disappear to shoot for hours upon hours when you can sometimes use my help and prefer that I am home!

As always, ALL RIGHTS TO THE ABOVE PHOTOS, are the exclusive property of Michael W. Noonan and mwnphotography!  Like everything, my photos are for sale.  If you are interested in any of them, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.  I can be reached via email at mwnphotography@gmail.com or by phone at 847.636.9130.  I welcome any comments suggestions on what I should shoot next as well as any constructive criticism.

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