The Clementine Pile

Quick Trips, Slow Snaps

2012-01-23T21:20:00.002-06:00

This past weekend HK and I did some driving on and off I94, touring around areas of Western Michigan that we've somehow never bothered to check out. There's wineries out there, you know? It's like it's the Napa Valley of the Midwest (not really, but whatever). Anyhow, making the short drive from Chicago is not a bad way to spend a day, especially when the landscape is covered with a fresh white blanket.

Buffalo Trees, 2012

Landstraction, 2012

Landstraction, 2012

Cabernet/Iced, 2012

Winter Blend, 2012

Catching Up With 2011

2011-12-30T09:27:00.018-06:00

I'm pretty much a horrible blog-poster of photos unless they're wedding related, so in a futile attempt to catch up on some things captured on pixel in 2011, here are a few things to look at that were shot in the last year.

Las Vegas, May 2011:

No-tell, Neon Boneyard

Creepy Duck, Neon Boneyard

Pull Up a Chair, Neon Boneyard

Neon Boneyard

Vancouver, B.C. August, 2011

Water Works, Vancouver

Canadian Pier, Vancouver

Bridge over Stanley, Vancouver

Ships in the Night, Vancouver

Oregon, August 2011

Goonie Beach, Oregon Coast

Over the Ocean, Oregon Coast

Desserter Beach, Oregon Coast

That one Rock I took a Brazillion Pictures Of, Oregon Coast

Hippies Run Wild, Oregon Coast

And finally, some babies I had the pleasure of meeting this year.

Annalisa, Mable and Brandon, Portland, 2011

Margot and Sabrina, Detroit, 2011

2011 wasn't half shabby, I reckon. Here's to an even less shabby 2012!

Adult Times at the Adler

2011-09-22T14:19:00.001-05:00

In mid September I was lucky enough to be asked by my pal Annie to come down to her workplace to take some shots of an event she helped plan, and will continue to plan on the third Thursday of every month. When the workplace hosting the event is as cool as the Adler Planetarium in downtown Chicago, the decision to bring the camera is an easy one.

The patio at the Adler has one of the best views in the city, for serious.

The inside of the joint is pretty damn psychedelic.

Check out the full set on Flickr, and come on out next month and have a beer under Saturn.

Twenty-Some Inches of Pure White Snow

2011-02-02T18:10:00.000-06:00

Some of the fantastic hyperbole I've heard to describe the winter storm that just moseyed on through Chicago: Snowpocalypse, Snowmageddon, The Point of Snow Return, Holofrost, Blizzaster, Catasnowphe. If you know any more, please post in the comments. I can't get enough of the stuff.

And now some photos. For the first two I'm pretty sure I was standing on Lake Michigan, which I've never swam in, mind you.

Alone in the Wilderness, February 2011

Alone in the Wilderness, February 2011

Run for the Hills, February 2011

Taking Critical Mass a Bit Too Far, February 2011

Shredding, February 2011

Put on your mittens and check out the rest of the photos over in the igloo.

A Few if by Sea

2010-10-06T23:11:00.000-05:00

I usually avoid boats like I do the discotheques, but can tolerate them traversing at a slow pace through the Chicago River while on a guided Architectural Tour. I wish I could say I absorbed a bevy of information about Chicago's rich design history, but I was too busy taking photos on my unstable sea legs.

Trump, Gull and Fox Trot Building, ~~Sears~~ Willis

Eye in the Sky

Even while playing the role of a vacationing local tourist, I can't seem to avoid the weddings.

Wedding People

Boat Beam, Some Buildings

If the sea sickness isn't too overwhelming, feel free to drift on over to Flickr to see some more from the voyage.

Game, Set, and Match

2010-09-12T11:33:00.034-05:00

This past Labor Day Kintner and I went to NYC to hang out with friends, see the sites, spend time in an emergency room, and to eat some serious pizza. We spent one day at The US Open, which was by far the coolest sporting event I've ever attended.

John Isner in Motion

Court View inside Louis Armstrong Stadium

It's amazing how close you get to these players when watching matches on the side courts.

David Ferrer in Motion

Sam Querrey-this dude will be winning this tournament in the near future.

It's safe to say that I plan on attending this event every year from here on out. Peep more photos from the Open on Flickr.

Plant on Premises

2010-07-26T09:03:00.001-05:00

This past weekend myself and two ladies went to "that building with the plants inside of it," also known as The Garfield Park Conservatory. A joint like this is sort of like the Grand Canyon (not in size, of course) in that it's difficult to photograph the entire facility and get a strong sense of its scope, or for how cool it really is. At the same time the place is so damn awesome that any shot is probably going to produce some interesting results.

Garfield Composite

Flooded Fern Room

Desert Room

Working Dude

See the entire set of images over this way.

It Takes me So Long Just To Figure Out What I'm Going To Post

2010-05-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing the AIDS Foundation of Chicago's 25th Anniversary Gala held at The Hilton on Michigan Ave. I've done some work for the foundation in the past, and can honestly say no organization throws a classier party. Obviously their goals are quite serious, but when they let loose they go all out. For instance, the entertainment at this particular party was provided my none other than The Bangles.

Oh Susanna...

The did the Big Star cover, I swooned. The played Eternal Flame, I melted.

Check out more photos from the night over at Flickr.

What Spring Does Look Like, Actually

2010-04-04T17:48:00.004-05:00

A Sunday morning spent tooling around the lakefront on the Schwinn, enjoying this freakishly warm weather here in Chicago, snapping some photos-trying to make things happen, not eating Easter ham, and listening to too much Gram Parsons for my own good. Landstractions abound...

The wind has been serious here the past few days, causing an uprising of sand.

Quite an Understatement, I reckon:

Lake Michigan is vanishing. Tell all your friends.

There's more where this came from....

What Spring Might Look Like, Possibly

2010-03-17T14:24:00.030-05:00

Both of these images are actually unaltered, save for the color of course. They were shot with some condensation on the lens filter, creating a hazy, soupy effect. Almost makes me wish I liked the heat and beaches...

What we Talk About When we Talk About Spring 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Seeing that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a top-notch Asshole here in Chicago, by the weekend it's supposed to be snowing. Again.

Practice Cuts

2010-03-16T15:46:00.042-05:00

It's been ~~freaking forever~~ a while since I've posted any images to this Photo Blog, so I thought now was a good as time as any to put some up and see what sticks. Both of these shots were taken at the Art Institute of Chicago a few weeks ago.

Museuming, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

I really could photograph museum security for a living, if that were in fact a career, that is.

Museuming 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Museuming 3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

The Boy with The Pylon in his Side

2009-12-20T18:30:00.001-06:00

The other night I saw this kid inexplicably traveling with Pylon on the El. What was he doing with that thing? What were his intentions? Teenage boys paired with construction equipment is almost never a good combination. It reminded me of a time in High School when my brother and I, inexplicably, had a road block sign in our bedroom. We thought it was hilarious. What was so cool about this kid though was that he was traveling on Public Transportation with this thing! Jealous of his sense of adventure I pulled my camera out and took some shots and attempted to capture this youthful scene. The kids, man, always will be cooler than an old square like me.

Pylon Boy 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pylon Boy 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pylon Boy 4, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Attitude is Everything

2009-12-13T17:11:00.071-06:00

I'm not sure I have the vocabulary to properly describe what the Chicago based band BomBBone sound like, but I can safely say that if you have the opportunity to see them in the future you should probably go. They're a stew of psychedelic-gypsy-waltz-punk who manage to combine Eastern European musical traditions with late 70s American rigor. The band played in Chicago on Saturday night at a place called The Cave, which is in the basement of a Serbian* cultural center. Before the show I asked the Bosnian born front man, Ron Terman, if he'd mind if I took some shots while they played. He told me to 'go nuts.' They did just that on stage, and I attempted to capture the delirium. See the entire set from the night right over here.

17, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

23, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

20, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

*The joint isn't run by Serbian Nationalists, so the Bosninans were safe. Whew!

The Boys in the Band

2009-12-05T16:04:00.027-06:00

Generally speaking I don't usually enjoy photographing bands' live shows. Main reason is I think I sort of stink at it. Standing in a photo pit with a gaggle of other photographers all vying for a killer shot, bro and having nerd talk about gear is not how I like to spend a Friday night. But, when it's a friend's band playing at a small club where you don't have some burly brick house asking to see a photo pass, that's a different story. And when the band is as energetic as Noise by Numbers, well Hell, sign me up! Thus was the case on Friday night when the dudes played with Small Brown Bike at the Beat Kitchen here in Chicago. The fella below, Jeff By Numbers, he likes to move around on stage. A lot. A shit ton, even.

13, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

There's more Noise on Flickr.

Dark in the Daytime

2009-11-03T21:46:00.023-06:00

Temperatures slipping like drunks, the Fourth Season is on its way.
Trees losing their Summer clothes, flashing winter their naked bones.
It's Only the River, it's Only the River...

Ronan, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Albany, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

River, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

The Opposite Side of the Hand

2009-09-29T20:53:00.030-05:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to Attend a wedding rather than Photograph one, so HK and I traveled up to the Northwestern Coast of Michigan for the festivities (which were lovely by the way, like Martha-Stewart-Wedding lovely) In between nuptial related events we explored the area of Glen Arbor, climbed on some Sleeping Bears, and drove around Lake Michigan. Growing up in Detroit my family spent our vacations in the Thumb area of the state, so this was my first opportunity to spend any time in these parts. I didn't bring my camera to the wedding but I brought it everywhere else...

Sky Dune Sky, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

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Tuft, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Greater Lake, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Gerry, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Parimutuel Pictures

2009-07-26T12:24:00.017-05:00

I had a preconceived notion of how images of race horses in motion would turn out, thinking I could capture their strength and speed through extended exposure and camera shake, envisioning the effect, impressing myself with the results. I was wrong. Recently I went to Arlington Park for an annual summer outing and took a bunch of shots of said horses. The outcome paralleled my wagers-a bust. Here are a few that are close to what I was going for, and that have an interesting look and feel to them, albeit still not quite right.

Ponies in Motion 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Ponies in Motion 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Although I like the idea of planning out shots in advance for a change (this is not one of my strong suits) I realize that just thinking about a shoot for a few minutes doesn't mean that I'm magically going to get the results I'm going for. I should have learned this 1628495 years ago. Better late than never...

Ponies in Motion 3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

View from a Megabus

2009-07-09T18:21:00.006-05:00

View from a Megabus, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Being from Detroit but having lived in Chicago for years, I've had the pleasure of spending many an hour on the Megabus traveling back and fourth between the two cities. This shot was taken during one such trip over this past fourth of July. I believe this was taken near the Michigan/Indiana border, but my my memory is as foggy as the Detroit sky after an illegal fireworks display.

Wetzel's Nestle

2009-06-28T12:34:00.004-05:00

Blane Fonda, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

On Friday the Chicago band known as Blane Fonda played at Darkroom in Ukranian Village. These shots of are of the singer, Mark Wetzel. What I like about them is their seeming lack of time and context--it looks like they could be from 1974 as easily as 2009. Kids these days, with their dance rock music and shredded denims...

More where that came from.

Lens is Proximity

2009-06-02T08:31:00.038-05:00

Last weekend Travis Wiggins recruited me to shoot some promotional photos for his band, Essex Chanel, in preparation for the media blitz he is preparing to unleash on the world in conjunction with the release of the new album Love is Proximity. After the official photo session wrapped, a party erupted in The Wigg's Edgewater studio space. Travis and Allison took the opportunity to play a few songs from the new album, and I took the opportunity to take some more photos in a more spontaneous, intoxicated fashion.

SXCHNL 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

SXCHNL 5, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

SXCHNL 3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

The posed (sober) shots from the evening will be out there very soon, and knowing The Wiggs, and his penchant for promotion, you'll be seeing them all over the place.

Something to Believe Inn

2009-05-28T21:18:00.009-05:00

This Saturday is the first show of the summer season at the illustrious Believe Inn, and it's going to be a doozy. If you're not familiar with the work of Pourous Walker this would be a grand opportunity to correct that error. This year the Inn will have a gift shop, and since I was fortunate enough to show some work there last summer, H Mathis (Chicago's premier curator) asked if I'd contribute some stuff to have for sale. The below image, an out-take from the MCA installation, amongst a few others will be available for purchase.

Lorn, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Portractions?

2009-05-19T14:02:00.022-05:00

Here's a couple more shots taken in the Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing. The only real reason I'm posting is to view them full-size and on the black background. I'm not sure where to go with these abstracted portraits (portractions?), but I think they have potential. For what? Beats the Hell out of me...

Modern Mess 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Modern Mess, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

It was funny, when I was walking around the museum taking photos it felt very natural and comfortable, like something I should be doing. Then it dawned on me that I'd spent most of the damn winter doing just that.

Modern Post

2009-05-17T12:24:00.027-05:00

This weekend the Art Institute of Chicago celebrated the opening of the new, 200-Brazillion-Dollar Modern Wing by throwing a free-opening-day party, complete with gospel singers (totally bad ass), tours of the galleries and bags of potato chips. Oh, and there was a bunch of art to look at as well. The new structure is really impressive, and the way it is incorporated with Millennium Park via the sky walk is worth the trip down there by itself.
Target is paying everybody's admission up until May 21, so get on down there before the prices get steep.

Modern Wing, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Testify 3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Lean Into It, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

There's an entire gallery for Richter. Aces.

Richter Reflection 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

See more shots by clicking this Modern Hyperlink!

Spending 30 Hours Driving Along the Same Street

2009-05-09T15:37:00.023-05:00

Last week I drove with Tim out to San Francisco. If you look at a map you'll notice that you get on Interstate 80 in Chicago and stay on the same road, sans turns, for 2000-plus miles, straight into the Bay Area. It's difficult to get lost. Here's some shots taken along the way.

Nebraska, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Did you know that the second you enter Iowa from Illinois you can see Nebraska off in the distance? The state is that flat. No joke.

Wyoming 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Once you lose your Soul in Reno you can find redemption in a gas station parking lot.

Nevada, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Heavy Metal B Sides

2009-04-27T09:00:00.022-05:00

Nestled in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood there's an Industrial Oasis that's seemingly easy to miss amongst the chain- retail stores, upscale housing, and intoxicated caucasians. Early Sunday morning I decided to trust the weather man (who claimed the rain had moved out of the area) and get on my bike to explore the crunched up cars and metal scrap piles that form Landscapes of Discards within the Clybourn Corridor. The weather man lied--I got soaked, but I first got these shots.

Crunched, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Piles, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Grab 1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

I will be making many a trip back to this spot throughout this summer, I reckon.

Put Me In, Coach

2009-04-06T11:05:00.012-05:00

Temperatures in the thirties, gusting winds and chance of snow- it must be Opening Day. Here's a few shots taken during various stages of the demolition of Tiger Stadium last Summer.

A Patriotic Tear Down, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

They're Selling Postcards of the Hanging..., originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Center Field, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Tonight We Ride

2009-03-21T22:41:00.004-05:00

Lala may be the greatest thing on the World Wide Interhighway, ever. The below photo was taken at a horse race, which has nothing to do with it.

Ponies, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same--The Finale

2009-03-16T10:14:00.002-05:00

Good People of Chicago, if you are in and around the area of the Museum of Contemporary Art tomorrow, March 17, please stop in to have a final look at the Wild Duck portrait installation. I'll be at the museum from 2 until 8PM giving away the photos to whomever would like one, so please come on by! Also, if you happen to be featured in one of the portraits and would like a print but can't make it down, please contact me and I'll be sure to get you a copy.

Walking and Thawing

2009-03-16T09:29:00.008-05:00

La Deliquesce-4, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

La Deliquesce-1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

This past weekend in Chicago was the first one in Some Time in which you could be outside for an extended period and not feel like you had to mainline coffee just to stay warm. The sunny conditions and warm-ish temperatures provided the perfect conditions for walking around and snapping shots of a city that is just about ready to wake up and look alive again. These photos were taken around and near one of my favorite spots, Montrose Harbor.

La Deliquesce-2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

It won't be long before foliage fills the trees, boats inhabit the harbor, and the heat and humidity will be so terrible that one feels that they must mainline High Lifes just to stay cool.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 15, 2009

2009-02-16T08:51:00.050-06:00

Last night was the closing performance of the Court Theatre's production of Henrik Ibsen's The Wild Duck. As was with every performance during the play's month-long run, the crowd was fantastic, and many of the patrons were gracious enough to allow me make a portrait of them for the installation.

268, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

269, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

270, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Below is a shot of Art Shay, whom I had the opportunity to meet and talk with for a few minutes. I can't express enough how much I admire his work, and will follow his advice to 'just keep shooting' as if it were scripture.

264, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

And this is how the completed installation looks, 270 images strong. It'll be on display until March 17th, at which point the images will be available for free for whomever would like to claim one.

Wall Installation-Complete, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

As ever, the completed set can viewed here. Yes, I know the numbering is off. Don't judge me.

And finally, thanks to Gapers Block, for featuring the project on their web site and not editing out the line referring to Dick Van Dyke.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 14, 2009

2009-02-14T18:35:00.011-06:00

Hot damn.

248, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

252, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

One more day to go, nine more photos to shoot and hang, and the whole shebang will come to an end. Peep the Progress over here, as tomorrow the installation shall be COMPLETED.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 13, 2009

2009-02-14T12:33:00.007-06:00

Here's a few shots from Friday night at the MCA. This being the final weekend of The Wild Duck in the Court Theatre means it is also the final weekend for the portrait project. Still, after all these sessions there's always, always, an abundance of interesting folks to photograph. Check them all out right this way.

238, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

244, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

242, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 12, 2009

2009-02-13T09:53:00.020-06:00

Looking at the complete collection of portraits from the Wild Duck project, it's pretty difficult not to see similarities between certain images. Sometimes the likeness is thematic while other times it's purely compositional. Rarely (OK, never) is it planned, and usually not discovered until after the fact when the images have been printed out and hung on the wall. Thursday night had two such instances. The first photo looks like it could shack up with this one and have a real nice life together. The second one and this one are like distant cousins who only see each other once a year during the holidays, and forget how they're related in the first place. The bottom two still need a match. Thankfully there's still three days to go; plenty of time for an accidental pairing to occur...

230, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

225, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

228, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

229, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 11, 2009

2009-02-12T09:16:00.010-06:00

The final week of The Wild Duck portrait project at the MCA in underway. Although I've now been to the museum many, many evenings photographing people in basically the same setting night after night, opportunities still emerge for trying different things, or for framing subjects in a slightly different manor. The first image below is a prime example, as the subject was sitting in such a place as to allow for being shot through the bake-stand on the concession table in the Court Theatre lobby. I'm Positive that, in past nights, other folks have been sitting where she was, but it had never occurred to me to try a shot like this. Repetition breeds Experimentation. The remaining three images are a bit more Wonted (again with the thesaurus!) , but still fit the overall theme and feel of the project, which can be viewed in its entirety by clicking here.

218, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

216, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

214, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

213, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Four Weeks Down, One More to Go

2009-02-10T10:41:00.011-06:00

Here's how the portrait project installation looks after four weeks. After consulting an abacus and carrying zeros and minussing negative integers and then applying Pascal's Theorem (math is Not my strong suit) it has been deduced that there is still, at the very least, 64 spots to go, with room to expand. By next Sunday, when all is said and done, I'll be damned if that wall isn't full as the dickens with portraits.

Wall Installation, Week 4, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

If you can't make it down to the MCA to see all of the simulacrums (thank you very much, Dr. Thesaurus) in person, then click here to see them on your computer screen.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 8, 2009

2009-02-09T09:36:00.022-06:00

Sunday's performance of The Wild Duck at the MCA's Court Theatre brought the fourth week of both the play and the portrait project to a close. Simply stated, this means by this time next week the portrait installation will be complete, which is great and all, but it also means that the opportunity to intimately photograph such amazing subjects in such a unique setting will also cease to be. Curses! Well, rather than focusing on the Sad State of Future Affairs (SSFA), please focus your attention on the photos below, all taken before yesterday's matinee performance.

205, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

203, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

199, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

193, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Perhaps you'd like to see the entire set of portraits? Yes? Well, by all means then, click on the following sequence of nonsense:
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Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 7, 2009

2009-02-07T18:01:00.021-06:00

Below are some photos of folks attending Saturday's matinee performance of the Wild Duck at the Court Theatre. The pensive nature of these portraits is in direct contrast to the Spring-like vibe at the MCA, and throughout the city of Chicago in general, as temperatures were well above normal for February.

184, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

183, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

190, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

192, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

As always, there's more where that came from.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 5, 2009

2009-02-06T09:12:00.018-06:00

At the MCA last night the patrons' glances leered in every direction, with some folks looking to their left...

170, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

173, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

While some eyes went right...

177, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

178, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

And other times they peered straight down, resulting in their reflection returning the favor...

166, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Peep all the glances here.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 4, 2009

2009-02-05T10:29:00.024-06:00

With the MCA project being past the half-way point, it's become apposite to set rules or boundaries on certain evenings in order to keep the portraits fresh and viable. The one variable that will Never Change is that the subjects will not be asked to pose, ever. Candidness is key. That said, the approach to taking the actual photographs can change, so last night I gave myself the 'assignment' of ensuring that I got at least one shot of a subject from a low angle, and one where the subject is perfectly centered and looking straight at the camera. The first two images are the results. In the remaining three shots the space surrounding the subjects is given equal importance, with varying consequences.
In other news, last night after looking at the installation this gentleman approached me and said, 'You're a Hitchcockian, aren't you? Your sole concern is on faces...' I took this to mean he thought I was Psycho. To see the entire set, Click P for Photos.

155, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

164, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

161, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

160, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

163, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, Installation Update (All the Same)

2009-02-03T09:42:00.007-06:00

Below is a shot of the portrait installation in the Court Theatre after three weeks. From a distance it looks pretty-well filled in, but believe you me, there's still a long way to go. Two weeks and (hopefully) about 120 more portraits, specifically.
To see all the portraits thus far, click ¡here! Also, if you happen to be reading this and plan to be in Chicagotown an March 17th, please come on down to the Museum of Contemporary Art between the hours of 2 and 8PM to take one of these portraits home with you, free of charge. If you are in one of the portraits I'd love for you to have it, and if you're not but would like one anyway, that'd be great too. Or, if you're in the neighborhood and would like to simply stop in and say hello and not take home a photograph (even though they will be FREE), I would not judge you.

Wall Installation Week 3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, February 1, 2009

2009-02-02T09:14:00.013-06:00

Sunday, besides being the half-way point for the MCA portrait project, was another bright and sunny winter's day in Chicago. This meant more natural light poured through the Court Theatre windows than I'm used to, which allowed me to experiment with shapes and silhouettes as patrons stood near the glass. The first shot is a direct result--a portrait not representative of the subject, per se, but one that is more about form, light, and contrast. That's how I'm going to try and sell it, anyway. The framing in the second shot can only happen by happy accident, when the shutter is continually pressed without looking through the viewfinder. The third was carefully framed, as the subject was standing near the winding staircase, allowing me to position the camera between two support beams of the bannister. If you're so inclined, see the entire set, in binary form, by clicking here.

153, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

150, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

149, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 31, 2009

2009-02-01T11:27:00.024-06:00

Maybe because it was a matinee performance of 'The Wild Duck,' and maybe because, for Chicagoans' twisted standards anyway, the sunny, mid-thirty degree weather felt really good, but the zeitgeist of The Court Theatre lobby on Saturday afternoon was blithe and welcoming. You could sense that people felt really good (except Stefano, who was "sick" from being out too late the night before). This made for some great portrait-making-opportunities. Here's a few that I don't feel I screwed up too badly:

131, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

132, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

139, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

See the rest of the photos I've taken for project here. See a photo I wish I'd taken here.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 30, 2009

2009-01-31T09:59:00.013-06:00

Friday night I made a conscious effort to not think so damn much, have some fun, and just let the photographs happen. It was totally Zen, bro. As a result, throughout the night my inner dialog went something like this: Would that person make for a good subject? Are they interesting enough for you and your little project, you jerk? Well, are you going to take the picture or not? Come on, SNAP THE PHOTO!
And so on and so on and so on.
When I wasn't visiting my own personal crazy town, I was snapping pictures, and below are a few I think worked out pretty well. In the first I was playing with depth of field to frame my subject, and used the other folks in the foreground's shape to frame him in. The woman in the second was holding that pose and expression for at least 10 minutes-she has a really, really great face. The third features a young, sanguine girl in an amazing winter hat.
If you click this you'll be magically transported to the place where the entire set of photos from the project rests.

118, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

115, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

125, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 29, 2009

2009-01-30T09:32:00.015-06:00

I feel like I had an off night on Thursday. If I were pitcher I would have given up 8 runs in the first inning and gotten pulled. Alas I am not a pitcher (ho hum) but a mere photographer, so an off night for me is one where I feel like I'm trying to make things happen. I don't mean that I was posing people at the MCA and breaking from my documentarian style of portrait making, but more so that I was too conscious of what I was doing, and forcing the act of making compelling photographs. Nights like this will happen, such is life. What I need to remember is that the patrons attending 'The Wild Duck' are interesting enough as it is, and kind enough to allow me to photograph them, so there's no reason to introduce my photographer-ego into the equation. That said, here's a few that I think work. See the entire set right this way.

112, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

109, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

106, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 28, 2009

2009-01-28T22:31:00.017-06:00

Often times when making portraits of people without asking them to formally pose you have to be ready, and hope that the subject you singled out will hold the pose that attracted you in the first place. Or, in other cases you've got to be patient and hope that eventually the subject will do something that you want to capture with your camera. Other times a man will simply decide to balance his cane (at the same angle as the stairway railing in the background no less!) on his head and you'll be lucky enough to be there to engage the shutter.

91, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Sometimes you'll be there to take a photo when a gentleman decides to dangle his second pair of glasses from his ears.

93, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

While other times, most times, actually, you'll catch a person giving a look that could be best described as suspicious.

94, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

As ever, see all the photos from the MCA portrait project by clicking these words that are a different color.

Pleasant Enough All The Same, January 25, 2009

2009-01-26T09:07:00.009-06:00

With Sunday's matinee performance, week 2 of the portrait project came to a close. Besides it being the first time I was at the museum photographing daytime attendees of 'The Wild Duck,' it also was the first time where I tried to shoot at least half of my portraits from the hip, not looking through the viewfinder of my camera. This is what nerd photographers like myself would consider "cutting loose," or "getting wild." I know, I know, I should really try and calm down. If you would like to see the multifarious results, click on these here words.

84, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

89, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

81, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Here's how the installation looks, 90 framed-photos-strong.

Wall Installation--Week 2, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 23, 2009

2009-01-24T11:40:00.015-06:00

It seems more and more attendees who are coming to 'The Wild Duck' know about my little photo project before they get to the Court Theatre (I think the project may be mentioned in the email that goes out to members), so it's becoming increasingly more difficult to capture people off guard, so to speak. I'm surely not trying to hide while I make my photos, but I also don't want the subjects to be aware that I'm taking the picture, while I'm taking it, if that makes any dang sense at all. Anyhow, here's some that I think turned out well from Friday night. As always, see the entire set here. Also, if you're in the area of the MCA and you'd like to come down and see the installation let me know and I can suggest a good time to come. If you're lucky you can witness, fist hand, Stefano and I arguing over in what order we should hang the pictures.

67, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

74, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

78, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

77, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 22, 2009

2009-01-23T09:00:00.012-06:00

Here's some shots from Thursday night at the MCA. The first image actually has four portraits in one (bonus!), while the second is becoming a sort of standard for me, as far as framing a head-shot goes. Whenever I see someone waiting near the stairway I try and get a clear photo of them, mainly because of the lines and angles that present themselves, so when a subject as interesting as the woman in the third shot is standing in that spot I don't even have to think--I just point and shoot and hope that she doesn't point at me and hit me with her purse. View the entire set, thus far, here.

60, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

59, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

57, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 21, 2009

2009-01-22T09:30:00.014-06:00

Week two of the portrait project is under way, although I learned last night that the play itself hasn't officially opened yet. I guess when plays are performed the first week is usually considered a preview, with the official opening occurring sometime after that. This was all news to me. So, the Official opening night for 'The Wild Duck' is this Friday, even though performances have been taking place since last week. Thinking along these lines, if I, hypothetically, were to have an Opening for my exhibit it would not be until after the 'Wild Duck's' run was complete, or at the very least on the Closing night of the performance. Is your mind sufficiently blown?

Anyhow, here are some shots from last night.

50, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

51, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

What's becoming more and more interesting for me is the actual placement of the images on the wall. The following two are hung right next to each other, creating a sort of narrative between the two subjects.

44, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

45, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

See all the portraits right over here.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, Production Notes

2009-01-21T12:59:00.012-06:00

This is Stefano hanging a portrait one night last week. He's the fella that made this entire MCA project possible, really, and has been with me every step of the way during the process. He is also the guy that makes sure all of the people who are photographed are actually cool with having their picture on the wall, which works out well for me. He also has a great eye for displaying the photographs, which again is beyond helpful. In addition he's teaching me Italian. Curse words, mainly.

Il Padrino, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

This is how the installation looks after the first week. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, or if it has been clear, but all of the images are printed at 4 x 6. When this is all finished I hope to have (at least) 9 rows of 30 framed photos, totaling 270.

Wall Installation-Week One, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All The same, January 18, 2009

2009-01-19T12:53:00.019-06:00

The first week of the portrait project is complete--I have mixed feelings about the results. I feel like I'm going to need to try some different things in the coming weeks to take full advantage of this opportunity. There's never going to be a shortage of interesting subjects to shoot, that I'm sure of. I need to figure out what I want this thing to be in the end. I know that I don't want it to be just a random assortment of portraits of people attending a play. Still working it all out...
Anyhow, here's a couple shots from Sunday. The first is of a young girl standing in front of an assemblage of alarm clocks, which I thought made for an interesting juxtaposition (Time is ticking! You won't be young forever, missy!), while the second is the first shot I took where an action (in this case an embrace) serves to represent the subjects. See all the photos thus far right here.

36, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

34, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 17, 2009

2009-01-18T09:29:00.011-06:00

The greatest opportunity in doing something over and over again is the chance to try different things to achieve your intended results. This is precisely why I drink a different bottle of wine every night, but I digress. With the MCA portrait project I'm still trying to strike an aesthetic balance between natural, photojournalistic portraits like this:

30, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

And more 'formal,' posed portraits where the subject is aware that I am photographing them, like this:

26, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

And then there are shots that aren't technically great photographs, but attempt to reflect the subjects' character, or my perception of it after interacting with them for a few seconds or so, like these:

28, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

29, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

In other news, the printer problem has been solved, I hope, and the wall is coming together quite nicely. See the complete set here.

Pleasant Enough All the Same, January 16, 2009

2009-01-16T22:56:00.006-06:00

Some shots from night two. Still having printer issues, still trying to remain calm. The most important thing, the theatre patrons consistently make for amazing subjects. See the complete set here.

0012, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

0017, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

0020, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Pleasant Enough all the Same, January 15 2008

2009-01-16T09:40:00.010-06:00

I can safely say that I'm glad the first night of the MCA project is behind me, and that the opening night kinks have been (hopefully) worked out. There were some technical issues with printers not printing, along with various small details that needed to be ironed out on the fly, but overall, from here on out, things should run a bit smoother. Most importantly there were plenty of folks who braved the brutal cold and came out for opening night of the 'Wild Duck,' and served as wonderful portrait subjects for my project. Below are a few from the first night. To read more about the project, and to see a complete set of the portraits please click here.

8, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

10, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

3, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Tomorrow's the Day...

2009-01-14T11:32:00.010-06:00

Tomorrow begins the month-long-portrait-project at the MCA, and I'm pretty fired up about it! This photo, taken last summer at The Printers' Ball, has the sort of quality I hope to achieve with the portraits of 'The Wild Duck' attendees. The title of my installation is 'Pleasant Enough All the Same,' and I'll post some images here, as well as the complete set on Flickr.

Lady in the Crowd, Printer's Ball, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Landstractions

2009-01-12T11:21:00.007-06:00

Instead of laboriously calling these types of images "Abstract Landscapes," I shall now, from this day forward, refer to them as 'Landstractions.' I can't not see this word catching on with the masses. I should also mention that I'm delusional, and will likely forget the word myself by the end of the week.

Jalousie, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

ƒƒtt, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

This Winter Has Been Relentless

2009-01-10T16:45:00.020-06:00

This morning the news stated we were having a 'Snow Incident,' whatever the dickens that means.

Mountains on the Sidewalk, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

I think I like the background of this image more than the in-focus foreground. I was going for a 'Berry Incident' type of look.

Snow Creek Berry, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Welcome to the Pile

2009-01-09T10:35:00.021-06:00

Peregrination # 29, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

Oh, hello. I see you've stumbled upon (or you followed the link that I sent you because I am shameless) my new, fancy photography blog. Well Hell's Bells, welcome! One of the things I appreciate about photography is that the form lends itself to allowing the Creator of Images to remain tacit. That said, I'll do my best to keep things at a wordy minimum and use this space to highlight new work, like these abstract landscapes that I've taken a liking to creating in the past year.

1, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

4, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

~, originally uploaded by Christopher Hiltz.

I'll also be using this space to document the progress of a project I'll be working on at The Museum of Contemporary Art here in Chicago this winter. If you'd like to learn more about that than I invite you to check out the 'Artist Up Close' section of this post . Long story short, I'll be at the Court Theatre every night during the The Wild Duck's scheduled run making clandestine portraits of the theatre patrons, printing them on location, and then hanging them nightly, creating a wall montage that will be on display and grow as the month of performances proceeds.