chicago at night from state street bridge

chicago at night from state street bridge, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

wild sky

I remember sky, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

put a fork in it - looptopia - chicago

put a fork in it, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

when downtown dazzles

when downtown dazzles, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

www.chicagoloopalliance.com/looptopia/index.htm

the goodman theater - looptopia

the goodman theater - looptopia, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

4 alarm fire at montrose and knox

4 alarm fire at montrose and knox, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

looptopia

looptopia, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

chicago sunset

chicago sunset, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

wrigley field

wrigley field, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

spring

spring, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

retirement issues

retirement issues, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

I was able to see him today in Chicago...I had.no plans and the tickets were sold out. I went over to Millennium Park thinking I would take a few shots and just hang out -- I wanted to see the crowd he would draw -- but someone had a ticket and I was able to see him!

sunset, fog - chicago

sunset, fog - chicago, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

chicago

chicago, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Honk to Impeach

Honk to Impeach, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

chicago - MCA

chicago - mca, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

april showers

april showers, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

partly cloudy

partly cloudy, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

chicago - john hancock building in the background - crane from new building site in the foreground - clouds

blue sky, spider

blue sky, spider, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Outside my window, 26 stories above the ground....Why?

Gotham National Bank -- Batman

Gotham National Bank -- Batman, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

They are shooting a few scenes in Chicago for the upcoming Batman movie. They took this old post office and affixed the letters to designate it as "Gotham National Bank."

In Their Own Words - Barack Obama

In Their Own Words - Barack Obama, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

I'm impressed with him. I have a weakness for eloquence, and after being on a starvation diet for six (plus) years, just hearing him speak is moving. There is substance to the man. On the main issues, I think he gets it. Aside from all of the dangers we face -- the war, global warming, energy, health care, jobs.... we also suffer the wounds of a divided country. The uniter played politics with party divisions and instead of bringing us together after 9-11, he chose to advance his team's interests, and the country has been diminished.

I'm looking for a leader who will address the issues that concern all of us, who can look beyond the election and reposition us globally, understanding that we need to act in concert with other countries to do what we need to do as humans on a planet we've ignored too long. We've lost eight years.

exchange

exchange, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

partly cloudy

partly cloudy, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

lion - chicago

lion - chicago, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Intention is interesting to think about. When I have a camera in my hand and I'm in front of something that lives and breathes, I'm trying to really see it, to see a life force. On most zoo visits, that life force is hard to find, but sometimes you see a whisper of what's innate ... that ghost of the wild. This animal was full of energy on the day I took this shot and the dignity of her bearing was a gift she gave. So, yes, the bars were there and they tell a story, too.

What I do intentionally with a shot like this is I crop it until it feels like it's going to burst out of its borders...I want to create a sense of 'what's an animal this large doing in a space so small?' I think framing creates that tension.

april snow

april snow, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

baptism, of a kind

baptism, of a kind, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

chicago cultural center - tiffany dome

chicago cultural center - tiffany dome, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

2x2 (ghost chairs)

2x2 (ghost chairs), originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

impending

impending, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

ch

ch, originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

bear back

bear back
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago - Polar Bear

t'was a dark and foggy night

t'was a dark and foggy night
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

enveloped

enveloped
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

billy goat tavern

billy goat tavern (an idea of fur on friday)
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

You just have to go there, at least once.

Bear Hug

Polar Bear - Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago

Chicago - Spring Showers - 2007

chicago peace rally 2007

chicago peace rally 2007
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

peace rally - Chicago 2007

peace rally - Chicago 2007
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

a patch of green

a patch of green
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

St. Patrick's Day 2007 - Chicago River -- Green

St. Patrick's Day 2007 - Chicago River -- Green
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Come a little closer; I'm a vegetarian.

Come a little closer; I'm a vegetarian.
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago

Foggy Night in Chicago

I rarely see the fog settle in so close to the ground in a magical mix of twilight to fog. I have Koko Taylor on my ipod singing "Everything's gonna be alright..."

Obama in '08

We need a little hope right about now. There are, as of this writing, 3,075 dead Americans as a result of the Iraq War and 55,000 - 65,000 Iraqi deaths. We are just now beginning to understand the cost of the invasion; we are just now beginning to challenge the information we were given -- the lies told to us; the families of those who have died will never be the same again. We must hold our leaders accountable for their actions; we must hold ourselves accountable for our inaction. We cannot afford another surge in the number of our troops; we cannot afford to keep resending our men and women back for yet another round; we cannot afford to let this president or his administration call into question our patriotism because we dare to question his motives and strategy in this mess.

It's time for a change. Obama voted against the invasion of Iraq. He's maintained that stance. I encourage you to read his book, "The Audacity of Hope." We need to start looking at the men and women who are asking us to vote for them. We need to be active; the Presidency is too important a position to be handed over to the likes of men like Bush. Party affiliation doesn't matter; we need to make sure the people we place in positions of power act in our country's best interest at all times. At minimum, that's our duty as citizens.

Peace on Earth

December 1st Snow - Chicago - 2006

I like snow storms; that is, I like them when viewed from a window with a cup of coffee in hand. "Snow was general, all over" Chicago.

Agora - Chicago

Agora - Chicago
Originally uploaded by therese flanagan.

When you get a chance you have to stop by and see the new art installation at the south end of Grant Park. It's called Agora, and is comprised of 106 cast iron figures, pictured here, by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz.

I saw them the day after the exhibit was officially dedicated to the city. There were several people there, and I liked seeing some kids playing on them. I have mixed emotions about the figures. The fact that they're all of one color and configuration -- not to mention headless and armless -- is a bit strange. Walking through them is like walking through a forest of legs. Might remind you of being a kid.

Ice-skating, Chicago Style

It's that time again...time to wipe down those blades and hit the ice. And I'm afraid that if I go, that's exactly what will happen -- I'll hit the ice! I may do it anyway, but I think I'll wait until after Christmas and once cabin fever gets the best of me. In the interim, it's not bad to be a spectator. Plus, it's easier to sip hot chocolate when you're not standing in skates.

Joy

This shot was taken at Crown Fountain in Millennium Park back in May. I was just going through my photos when this one caught my eye.

First Snow of the Season - Chicago 2006

I'm still waiting for optimum autumn colors and it decided to snow yesterday! Snow, I tell you. I love it, but all in due time. It came in quickly and it melted just as fast.

I Remember Sky

What a storm we had last night! It lasted for at least four hours and came in two waves. First there was the lightning, which lasted for more than an hour, and then we had sheets of rain, making it impossible to see much. It quieted down and I thought it blew over, but then the second round came.

I left my tripod in Florida, so my shots are handheld and on the run.