A few shots from atop the John Hancock center in the windy city
I live in the UK, but I have many ties to Chicago. I've been to the windy city at least once a year for the past 17 years. My brother lives there and also I took up a job in Leeds which has travel to Chicago every now and then. I head up a UX team in the UK and we have a lot of customers in Chicago.
Anyway, I've come to love this City. My home is Leeds, my second home is Pune in India, I guess I can call Chicago my 3rd home. Culture, history, food, art.. you name it it has it. The John Hancock center is one of my favourite places anywere. So I was in Chicago late last year for work and was at the Hilton suits right next to it (recommend the hotel for location, customer service, rooms, price etc.). I'd bought all my photography gear on this trip with the aim to do some night city scapes from the observatory. It was quite late, about 10:30 I think. And i was told i couldnt use my tripod up there. What a bummer. Visibly distressed with an british accent, the lady at security said, you can take it up there but just dont use it (wink :-) . Hmm... so I went to the lifts and I was the only person getting on. Get out at the top and I was the only person there and would be the last one there for the evening and the caretakers really didnt mind me geting my trippod out... So in all a massive thank you to all of them there. Here are a few of pictures from that shoot. Let me know what you think. Warning - I'm not pro. !
Wow I wish I could take photos like that! But as I'm a complete amateur the lights always become blurred to big flashes
Shoot in Raw
Use a tripod
Bracket your shots
Low ISO
Process in Lightroom
And finally, practice
You got a 5.68% upvote from @upmewhale courtesy of @neilgupte!