Chicago locations on lakefront for morning and evening photos: I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and...

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and sunset. I have looked at Google Earth and the northern end of Grant Park looks promising. Any suggestions?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You can see the city from the south from the water level at Adler Planetarium and along the shoreline there for a continuously walk up to DuSable Harbor. Although the trees have no leaves, they present a blockage within Grant Park so the next view becomes along Michigan Avenue between Roosevelt and Randolph that bound the park. The south side of the Chicago River is now open for the 'River Walk', placing you at water-level through the north part of downtown. You can walk from Lake Shore Drive on the east through Wolf Point on the West.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

hpucker99 wrote:

I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and sunset. I have looked at Google Earth and the northern end of Grant Park looks promising. Any suggestions?

Dress warm.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Go south along the Outer Drive to the Point across from the Museum of Science and Industry and then drive back north stopping every few miles. Great shots of the city looking north. Go to the end of Navy Pier. Making pictures of the sun come up over the lake interesting is a challenge but you will get good shots of the skyline.

From the lakefront, you will not see the sun set but you can get good shots of the skyline with the sunset behind the buildings. This is the wrong time of year to expect a lot of pretty skies. Good luck and enjoy your stay here.

SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY

...PhotoPills app...but there is a learning curve because it has so many useful functions...

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am going to the Midwest to help my brother with his hip replacement operation so I was locked into going this time of the year. I have always wanted to photograph the Great Lakes in the winter, will get my chance on Lake Michigan this month.

Bobsan Loc: Elgin,I'll.

hpucker99 wrote:

I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and sunset. I have looked at Google Earth and the northern end of Grant Park looks promising. Any suggestions?

A great location is at the Adler Planetarium on East McFetridge Dr. Sunrise and sunsets are spectacular.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

hpucker99 wrote:

I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and sunset. I have looked at Google Earth and the northern end of Grant Park looks promising. Any suggestions?

For most skylines you need to be away from town. Chicago has "the bean" as an exception if you are in town since you can use the reflection. But here is a list I found:
Adler Planetarium.
Skydeck at Willis Tower.
Ferris wheel at Navy Pier.
360 CHICAGO Observation Deck.
Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Cindy's rooftop bar.
“The Bean”

I usually go to Chicago once a year for the Marathon. Obviously not in 2020 but hopefully this year will be ok.

Settlit Loc: Baton Rouge LA

I suggest taking an EL or a commuter train up to Evanston, walk over to the campus of Northwestern, and there, the parking lot of the Music School building has a nice, unobstructed view south of the Chicago downtown skyline.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

hpucker99 wrote:

I will be in and around Chicago later this month and am interested in shooting the Chicago skyline during sunrise and sunset. I have looked at Google Earth and the northern end of Grant Park looks promising. Any suggestions?

From the North try Photography Point and Chicago Skyline Photo Spot (I kid you not). These are at the south end of North Avenue Beach. This is at the Eastern terminus of W LaSalle Drive just east of North Lakeshore Drive.

See Google Maps

b top gun

After the latest blast of winter, I hope you like cityscapes with LOTS of snow because Chicago especially near the lake just got bombed! I was born and raised in the Bridgeport neighborhood not far from downtown and Chinatown. What it was when I grew up and what the city has become, I blame the greedy politicians. Everything has its price, and the price of even visiting Chicago today keeps me from making the drive from Kendall County into the city.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Before I forget, it is always fun to visit Central Camera on Wabash. They opened at the turn of the 20th century, so have been around for 120 years. It is a kind of store you don't see much anymore.
And they have everything!

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

dsmeltz wrote:

Before I forget, it is always fun to visit Central Camera on Wabash. They opened at the turn of the 20th century, so have been around for 120 years. It is a kind of store you don't see much anymore.
And they have everything!

FYI, Central Camera was torched during the George Floyd riots last year. I'm not sure of their current status but they were aiming to rebuild.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

b top gun wrote:

After the latest blast of winter, I hope you like cityscapes with LOTS of snow because Chicago especially near the lake just got bombed! I was born and raised in the Bridgeport neighborhood not far from downtown and Chinatown. What it was when I grew up and what the city has become, I blame the greedy politicians. Everything has its price, and the price of even visiting Chicago today keeps me from making the drive from Kendall County into the city.

I see what you mean about the prices. The price of parking is almost the cost of a hotel room.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

BobHartung wrote:

FYI, Central Camera was torched during the George Floyd riots last year. I'm not sure of their current status but they were aiming to rebuild.

I read about the store being torched last summer. The owner seemed upbeat about reopening inspite of Covid-19 and the arson.