blog | photography by David Kennedy » Master’s Project

Canal Vignette Two

David — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:30:13 +0000

Tony Lopez, right, coils a rope while Steve Gray, left, rests against one of the winches on Illinois Marine Towing's "Albert C." fleet boat on 20 October 2010 in Lemont, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 25mm | Exposed 1/1250 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100

The second of two images I “rediscovered” while going through photographs for my master’s project. One thing that I noticed throughout that day on the Albert C. was that my shutter speeds were remarkably high all day long–relatively large apertures (for limited depth of field) combined with the all-white ship resulted in a great deal of main and fill light all the time. What was amazing about that was I only needed my flash a couple of times, and even then only inside the pilot house.

Canal Vignette One

David — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:30:31 +0000

Capt. Dan Egan goes through one of the logs on Illinois Marine Towing's "Albert C." fleet boat on 20 October 2010 in Lemont, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 70mm | Exposed 1/5000 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 200

In preparation for weaving together a narrative for my master’s on Asian carp, a river flowing the wrong way, and people’s livelihoods caught in the mix, I have been going back over some of my photos for the project, and in the process I have found a couple that I had not toned and ranked only “one star” in Lightroom. This image, and the one I will post tomorrow, is now a three star image storytelling image and shaped up nicely with some simple white point, black point, and curve adjustments.

Cal-Sag Canal Diptych

David — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:30:15 +0000

Portrait diptych: Brett Witte, left, and Heather Calkins, right, on the bow of the US Fish & Wildlife Service's electro-shocking boat on Oct. 7, 2010 on the Cal-Sag Channel, south of Chicago, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 85mm f/1.2L II lens

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | View Original Post | Comment | Filed under Master's Project, Updates | Tags: Asian Carp, Canon 85mm f/1.2L II, Chicago, diptychs, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism, portraits

Vignettes from the Waterfront

David — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:00:37 +0000

Tourists on Wendella Boats' "Linnea" take in the view from Chicago's outer harbor on Oct. 19, 2010. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 24mm | Exposed 1/1600 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100

I’ve been spending the better part of the week processing my photos for my master’s project. The trips to Chicago were surprisingly productive. And the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens that I’ve been borrowing from my dad–I briefly reviewed it here early this year–proved to be invaluable in the city. Sure, the images aren’t as sharp as they would be with a 70-200 lens, but it’s a smaller, less “obvious” lens for street shooting: the black barrel doesn’t draw attention to itself.

As always, comments and criticism welcome! And more photos after the jump!

Deck chair shadows on Wendella Boats' "Linnea." | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 34mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100

Another photographer contemplates having the lens turned upon him. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 230mm | Exposed 1/250 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 250

A Shoreline Sightseeing tour boat cruises along the outer barrier of the Chicago harbor. The Carter-Harrison "water crib," an intake that feeds to the water pumps for the city, is visible in the background. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 300mm | Exposed 1/2000 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 100

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | View Original Post | Comment | Filed under Master's Project | Tags: Asian Carp, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L, Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS, Chicago, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism, pictorial

The “Green City”

David — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:30:03 +0000

The city's eponymous river, Chicago Riverfront, Chicago, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm | Exposed 1/1000 sec. @ f/4, ISO 250

Chicago and the river that bears the city’s name are a large part my project about Asian carp: the river is a conduit through which the fish are likely to find their way into Lake Michigan. (In all fairness, they have already found alternative routes that take them into Lake Erie.) Here, then, are a few more photos of this city that is the seat of so much controversy.

"Corn Cribs," IBM Building, and Trump Tower, Chicago, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 24mm | Exposed 1/200 sec. @ f/8, ISO 250

Aqua, designed by Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects, is the largest skyscraper project awarded to an architectural firm headed by a woman. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 240mm | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/5.6, ISO 400

Window cleaning crew on 333 W. Wacker Drive | Canon 5D Mk. II and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS lens @ 300mm | Exposed 1/400 sec. @ f/8, ISO 400

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | View Original Post | Comment | Filed under Master's Project | Tags: architecture, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L II, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L, Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS, Chicago, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism

More views from the Sanitary and Ship Canal

David — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 14:00:43 +0000

Tim Griest of Illinois Marine Towing goes over crew assignments with Josh Fox on the morning of their shift change on October 20, 2010 in Lemont, Ilinois. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 70mm | Exposed 1/1000 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200.

Before I even got onto the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, I found myself outside the office of Illinois Marine Towing in Lemont, Ill., talking to some of the deck hands who were scheduled to start work that morning, and would remain at work for three weeks. Crews on the tugboats that push barges up and down the waterways live on the boats for three weeks at a time, sometimes four if they’d like to earn a bit more money, before coming home for a few weeks. There are a lot of moving parts in the discussion about Asian carp and the Great Lakes, and these people who make their living working on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal are a part of that debate, as is the cargo that they help to push up and down the waterways.

See the rest of the photos after the jump!

David Perez sits with his luggage as he talks with other crew-members awaiting the start of their three-week shift pushing barges. The tug boats serve as their home during their shift, and are furnished with bunk beds and full kitchens. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 43mm | Exposed 1/1250 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

Josh Fox, left, laughs with other crew-members as they get ready for shift. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 24mm | Exposed 1/1000 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

Bags packed for the three-week shift rest against the outside wall of Illinois Marine Towing's office. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 51mm | Exposed 1/60 sec. @ f/4, ISO 200

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | View Original Post | Comment | Filed under Master's Project | Tags: Asian Carp, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism

A Guided Tour to Chicago’s Shoreline

David — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:00:28 +0000

Mallory Green, a tour guide for Wendella Boats, tells passengers about the famous Chicago skyline on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010. Tour companies like Wendella Boats would be hampered if the Chicago Harbor Lock was closed in an effort to prevent Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 40mm | Exposed 1/2500 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100.

I’m beginning to wrap the shooting for my master’s project. One of my last days was spent playing tourist in a city I used to live in. While barge companies would be adversely affected if the Thomas J. O’Brien lock on the Cal-Sag Channel was closed permentntly, closing the Chicago Harbor Lock would mean an end to boat traffic from Lake Michigan to the Chicago River, and hurt tour companies like Wendella Boats.

More selects from the Cal-Sag Channel

David — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:30:23 +0000

Heather Calkins looks back at the Cal-Sag Channel as the Fish & Wildlife Service electro-shocking boat heads towards the Thomas P. O'Brien Lock and Dam in Chicago, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 52mm | Exposed 1/2000 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 200.

As I go through my take from Thursday, I find a new image I like each sweep. It’s interesting to me how different my editing process is with storytelling photographs than with my more traditional nature and architectural fare, where I am far more ruthless in the initial sweeps of the takes. I suppose it’s part of learning…

Brett Witte sets up the electro-shocking probes before setting them in the water ahead of the Fish & Wildlife Service boat in Lake Calumet, beyond the Thomas P. O'Brien Lock and Dam on the Cal-Sag Channel, Chicago, Ill. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 24mm | Exposed 1/500 sec. @ f/4, ISO 100.

A bottle of hand sanitizer and ear-protective goggles rest on the plexiglass shield ahead of the pilot's position on the Fish & Wildlife Service electro-shocking boat. | Canon 5D Mk. II and 85mm f/1.2L II lens | Exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 100.

Content © 2010 David Kennedy | View Original Post | Comment | Filed under Master's Project | Tags: Asian Carp, Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L, Canon 85mm f/1.2L II, EOS 5D Mark II, Master's Project, photojournalism