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Chicago Architecture Gallery
Some cities are just obscenely photogenic. Blessed with good architectural bones and stunning skylines, they look good from practically any angle. Chicago is most certainly this type of town; the photographic opportunities are limitless. Markedly different depending on the season, it is a city of contrasts. Towering glass skyscrapers share the streets with Victorian Brownstones; grand green spaces sit adjacent to bleak rail yards. It is an old city with soul, that absolutely shines in front of the camera.
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Buckingham Fountain- Chicago, IL
Buckingham Fountain is probably one of the most recognizable water features in the United States. Really. Who hasn’t watched Married with Children, at least once. Over twenty years later, it remains a syndication staple; which means, several times a day you can see the iconic intro featuring the fountain from the comfort of your own home. Even so, you should really go see it in person. Spectacularly sandwiched between the surrounding skyscrapers and Lake Michigan, its dancing waters are absolutely magical. Competed in 1927, the fountain was designed by Beaux Arts architect Edward H. Bennett, with sculptures by Marcel Loyau. Based on the Latona Fountain in Versailles, it’s meant to…
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Cathedral of Learning- Pittsburgh, PA
University of Pittsburgh’s intricate and arched Cathedral of Learning is a space straight out of the world of Harry Potter. It is absolutely Hogwarts’ stateside campus. Although that may not be true, it is certainly the most inspiring study venue I have ever visited. Although, truth be told, I would probably spend my time exploring the space, rather than actually studying. Designed by architect Charles Klauder in the late Gothic Revival style, the 42 story building is the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere. When construction started in 1926, it was going to be the tallest building in Pittsburgh; however, in 1932, the 44 story Gulf Tower stole their…
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The Shawshank Trail- Mansfield, OH
I would be remiss if I didn’t follow up my post about The Ohio State Reformatory with an entry regarding The Shawshank Trail. Even as someone who has seen The Shawshank Redemption an obscene number of times, I never knew it was filmed in Ohio. I suppose if I thought about it at all, I would have placed it in Maine. It was written by Stephen King after all. But no, it was filmed for the most part on location in Central Ohio, and you can still visit many of the filming locations. Although a few are far flung, most are an easy drive from the reformatory. After the prison…
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The Ohio State Reformatory- Mansfield, OH
The Ohio State Reformatory is visually stunning. For those who love architecture, the built world, and its eventual decay, it’s a moving study. A once grand building, that had a hard life, much like its former occupants. However, traces of beauty remain, in sharp contrast to the otherwise harsh conditions found at the penitentiary. For photographers, it is a wonderland; a place of contradictions. A place that deserves to be preserved, but also a place where part of its beauty is found in its state of decay. Designed by Cleveland Architect Levi T. Scofield in the Victorian Gothic, Richardson Romanesque, and Queen Anne styles, construction of the massive reformatory started…
