WendyCity is about sharing the BEST of Chicago architecture and history. Who’s doing what? Who’s good?
So, let’s talk photography.
WendyCity is a lot about images. From the retro weird and evocative vintage to the fine photography of today, I focus on imagery that celebrates Chicago.
Here’s a photographer you need to know if you don’t already: Bob Segal. Bob not only makes fine art from Chicago’s built environment, he understands architecture and its history. He knows what he’s shooting, and it shows.
I discovered Bob’s work a few years ago on Tumblr. He doesn’t post to Tumblr directly, but many people were sharing his photos from Flickr. All I knew is that I continually saw “rjseg1” on many of my favorite photographs. Rjseg1 is Bob’s Flickr name, and this is where you can find him posting regularly.
I began sharing Bob’s images often – and I still do on my Chicago Tumblr. The way he sees Chicago through his lens is much the way I see it –and could never photograph as beautifully. I knew that WendyCity would look splendid with Bob’s photography gracing it – and Bob graciously agreed to allow me to use his images here.
Bob is a Chicago-based fine arts photographer concentrating on architectural subjects. He first became interested in photography in the mid-1960’s when his father bought him a darkroom kit and a 1930’s camera. Thanks, Bob’s dad!
When you look at Bob’s photography, you can see that he captures the interplay between buildings, the broader spacial and temporal context in which they exist, and the people who inhabit them. He often uses the phrase “architexture” to describe that relationship. He has a special affinity for skyscraper windows and has created a splendid collection of images showing unusual reflections from urban glass.
His work has appeared as book covers (The Futures by Emily Lambert, Total Recall by Sara Paretsky) and title page illustrations (Skyscrapers by Judith DuPre), hotel artwork (Hotel Sax – Chicago) and commercial publications. His photographs are also on display at the office of Chicago Line Cruises (architecture tours on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan).
Apart from photography, Bob has an economics degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from Northwestern University. Bob leads occasional -and very fun- architecture walks around his Lincoln Park neighborhood where he lives with his wife Joan and their two Gordon Setters, Riley and Dice.
I hope you will enjoy seeing Bob’s photography here at WendyCity!
To see more of Bob’s photography:
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/40142450@N00/
Website: http://bobsegalphotography.weebly.com/
To purchase or use images, please contact Bob here.
Thanks for featuring Bob. I first ran into his images on Flickr where they were always a source of inspiration. I really like the images you feature in this post, especially the first one. Can you identify the building?
Thanks so much, James ! That lovely Art Deco tower is the Palmolive Building on Michigan Avenue, 1929 (Holabird & Root), later the Playboy Building. Today it is residential.
It’s in the second image, as well !