Chicago Photographer John Gress » Uncategorized

Where Have I Been?

John Gress — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:18:30 +0000

People have been asking why I have been so quiet lately… well I went on vacation… well sort of. I just returned from 9 days in San Francisco where I worked on a corporate documentary film for three days and then vacationed. Here is a selection of pics I took while seeing the sights. It was really nice to just take pictures for fun and not strive for perfection. Though I did use my wallet, a pack of gum and a car key to McGiver a tripod a few times.

The highlights included a night time journey to Alcatraz, The California Redwoods and Napa Valley… all while celebrating my birthday.

This Was probably my 10th trip to San Francisco…. and I can’t wait to go back!

Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies

Looking West from our room.

Alcatraz

A paper mache head a prisoner used during his escape from Alcatraz.

The Golden Gate Bridge

The skyline as seen from Alcatraz

Redwoods in the Muir Woods

Muir Woods

Napa Valley

Delano Seagraves, Juan Fernandez liked this post

Pujols Spits Out Six Runs

John Gress — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:10:55 +0000

I was back in Milwaukee Monday night shooting game 2 of the NLCS. St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols hit 4-5, including a home run and 5 RBIs, as the Cards defeated the Brewers 12-3.

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols hits a two-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st inning of Game 2 of the MLB National League Championship Series baseball playoff game in Milwaukee, October 10, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum adjusts his cap after giving up his 5th run of the game to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 4th inning of Game 2 of the MLB National League Championship Series baseball playoffs in Milwaukee, October 10, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum (18) is unable to hang on for the throw as St. Louis Cardinals' Jon Jay (19) bunts safely in the 1st inning of Game 2 of the MLB National League Championship Series baseball playoffs in Milwaukee, October 10, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress

Rice Saved The Day

John Gress — Fri, 13 May 2011 13:00:16 +0000

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am the clumsiest person on earth. After I finished shooting the Kentucky Derby Saturday I knocked over a bottle of water onto my laptop. Luckily for me, the computer was off at the time. My friends helped me dry it off and disassemble it on the spot. Water was everywhere inside the case.

I threw it in a trash bag with a bag of rice Saturday night and hoped for the best. When I got home Sunday I placed it in a baking dish full of rice and the wrapped the whole thing in plastic wrap.

I heard on TV once that you can place wet electronics in rice and it will draw out the moisture. Several sites on the internet had different timelines. Some suggesting that you should wait three days, others a week, so I split the difference.

In the end, I stripped a few screws and I probably left some rice in there somewhere… but heh… it works!

Here I am shaking out the water out right after it happened (L) and here's the computer.... business as usual (R).

Snomageddon or Snowpocalypse?

John Gress — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 01:31:49 +0000

I have one word to describe how I feel right now: exhausted. For the third day in a row I spent most of my time outside going from point to point photographing various topics depicting the third largest snow storm on record in Chicago. I was shocked this morning to learn that one of my photos from last night, shown bellow was the most viewed photos on yahoo. I was also surprised when I saw streets that had neither been plowed nor driven on.

A man walks between stranded cars and buses on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago February 2, 2011. A huge winter storm pummeled the United States, bringing parts of the Midwest to a standstill, delivering another wintry swipe to the Northeast and disrupting flights and other transport. Some 17 inches of snow had fallen on Chicago by early Wednesday morning and snowfalls of a foot or more recorded from Oklahoma City to Kansas City and Indianapolis. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

A man approaches stranded cars on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago February 2, 2011.

Cars sit abandoned on Lake Shore Drive as crews work to re-open the roadway in Chicago, February 2, 2011.

Michael Thornton digs out his car in Chicago, February 3, 2011. A huge winter snow and ice storm cut a swathe from New Mexico to Maine on Wednesday, paralyzing much of the Midwest, stranding hundreds of thousands without power and stalling travelers and shipping. The two-day storm touched some 30 states and a third of the U.S. population. But it delivered its strongest punch to the Midwest, dumping a near record 20 inches of snow on Chicago. It moved rapidly toward the northeast bringing treacherous ice to New York City. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

Chris Adabel pushes Logan Schmidt, 4, while sledding in Chicago, February 3, 2011. Chicago, a city that usually sneers at winter, was brought to a near standstill on Wednesday by a blizzard packing the third highest snowfall in the city's history. Chicago public schools, which hadn't closed since 1999, were shut on Wednesday and will be closed again Thursday. Courts were closed. Five suburban commuter rail lines were down. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

Nathan Lyons 12, (R) and Connor Prange, 12, sled over a jump in Chicago, February 3, 2011.

The back door to my building fell victim to the storm.... the snow wouldn't budge when I pushed on it from the inside... and that was before the temperature fell below -20C (0F).

Building Blizzard

John Gress — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:12:35 +0000

I went out today and took photos of Chicagoans weathering the beginning of what could be one of the top five worst winter storms on record to hit Chicago. Over 50cm (20 inches) of snow could fall by the end of the storm.

Rush hour traffic crawls as blowing snow batters Lake Shore Drive in Chicago February 1, 2011. A colossal winter storm stretching from New Mexico to Maine hit the middle of the United States on Tuesday with blizzards and freezing rain, and experts said the worst is still to come as it moves northeast. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

Pedestrians cross state street in Chicago February 1, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

A man runs across State Street in Chicago February 1, 2011. REUTERS/John Gress (UNITED STATES)

A New Frontier

John Gress — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:56:44 +0000

About a year ago, I purchased my first cameras that shoot both still photographs and HD video. I now find video to be a liberating medium that will provide me with one more avenue for expression. To that end, I have decided to add a lot of video specific gear to my line-up, including this shoulder mounted camera rig that arrived Saturday and these professional audio accessories that arrived today.

Originally, I struggled to embrace video as a visual medium. When I was first starting out as a professional photojournalist in 1996, one of my mentors suggested that it would only be five years before all photojournalists were shooting video and then taking freeze frames for print and website stills…… I guess he was only off by 15-20 years as most photojournalists today have generated some video products but most continue to shoot stills a vast majority of the time.

I find it interesting that my first foray into video had nothing to do with photojournalism… but with the models that I shoot. Interestingly enough, I only began shooting models in 2008 and my first time shooting a behind the scenes video was on 12/31/09. By 12/31/10, I was shooting a three camera interview for a future documentary.

Moving: before and after photos

John Gress — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:30:51 +0000

Thank you for all of your patience while my blog has gone dormant for the last three weeks. I spent 20 days with several friends out fitting my new home and studio in Chicago’s South Loop, using many frugal approaches. While I expected the project to take 10 days, numerous delays doubled the time of the project. I am sure you will soon see several aspects of the loft in the backgrounds of my regular blog photos as I transition from making the space work to working in the space. Please enjoy these before and after photos and let me know what you think of the changes.

The previous tenant was also a photographer.

My greeting cards and prints, on sale at https://store.johngress.com, can be seen on the left of this frame.

I used a series of place mats to build these stick boxes on the right. The whole installation cost $100.

I was able to upholster the walls for around $600 using fabric, foam rubber, plywood, upholstery nails and the use of two staple guns. One of my friends sewed the drapes thought the loft using approximately 190 yards of fabric.

Moving

John Gress — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 05:00:35 +0000

I moved to a new loft / studio space last week. Since then I have been working hard to finish the interior and I will probably get back to blogging next week! Thanks for your patience.

Jafar Idris

John Gress — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 05:58:30 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of shooting saxophonist Jafar Idris. It was nice making the switch from baseball bats to an instrument I used to play in high school.

"John, Brandon, and I were all jokes beforehand, but as soon as the job started, John quickly shifted into the master that he is. The mixture of focus and passion he showed during the shoot reminded me of when I become one with my saxophone for a show. And seeing him contort and position his 6 foot, 4 inch frame just so to get the right shot added some comic relief lol..."- Jafar Idris

"At one point during the shoot I couldn't help but worry about what my mother would think when looking at some of the photos I was taking..." - Jafar Idris

"One of the reasons why I (chose) John.... is due to his ability to really accentuate the muscularity of the male figure"- Jafar Idris

"As fit as I am now, I honestly don't think my abs are as tight as they were 2 years ago when I was 19."- Jafar Idris

Credits: Make-up by Brandon Phillips.