Cloud Gate or "The Bean" in Chicago

<p>Does anyone know the best time of day to see reflections in 'The Bean' sculpture in downtown Chicago? I've seen some spectacular pictures of the Chicago skyline reflected in it. We'd like to plan our 3-day itinerary for the city, and it would be helpful to know if there is a better time of day for capturing reflections. I would presume anyone who lives close to or in Chicago would perhaps have a better feel for this. Thank you!</p>

<p>I usually took my shots in the morning, before noon, as I liked that particular lighting. Remember that the bean sits east of the skyline, so in the summer evening, as the sun begins to set, you will have the sun shining either into your lens causing flare, until it get low enough behind the buildings....but then you might need a tripod or additional lighting to illuminate the Bean and not blow out the sky behind the skyline. It boils down to whatever your artistic vision is.</p>

<p>It is different in different light, so it's hard to say there's one "best time".</p>

<p>A bright sunny day opens lots of opportunity for shots of people mugging.</p><div></div>

<p>Stephen and JDM.....this is helpful. I suppose the 'Bean' is situated such that you can shoot all the way around it, from any direction. Is that so? If so, perhaps any time of day could work, I suppose.<br>

<br /> It sounds like you both are rather familiar with Chicago, so if you have any other suggestions for places to visit and/or photograph (other than the obvious places in the tourist info), please share. :-)</p>

<p>Sorry for my double post. I didn't think it had posted, so I entered it again, and now it won't let me delete one of them. <br /> JDM....I think it would be amusing to people-watch here, as your image so wonderfully illustrates. Thanks!</p>

<p>There is no best time. It depends on what you see. Make it your own, this is one of the most photographed light-friendly objects around. What kind of things do you like to photograph?</p>

<p>Take a look at the Google satellite view of Millenium Park. That'll show you where everything is... You can go to Google Maps and select satellite view. Then search for 'Millenium Park Chicago' or '<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=13341290648193486913&q=millenium+park+chicago&hl=en&ved=0CLwBEPoLMAg&sa=X&ei=Av6FT_-uNcSgwAGAvL3HBQ&sig2=MH7z6EytOfMliWfGLoKYeQ">Jay Pritzker Pavilion at <strong>Millennium Park</strong></a>'</p>

<p>It sits in the middle of a plaza, so 360 degrees is quite easy. As a long-time Chicagoan, almost anywhere in the city works for me, although I'm always especially fascinated by the views along the Chicago river, and railway lines. The Chagall mural in the plaza outside the Chase Bank bldg and a block away the Picasso sculpture at the Daley Plaza, as well as the sculpture at the Thompson Center across from the Daley Plaza are sort of de rigeur. Lincoln Park Zoo usually has some interesting opportunities, as well as the rowing club which stores their boats about a block away....early in the morning as you cross the bridges across the river you can often see the rowing crews practising their skills. If you like the gangster era, there are spots throughout the city (not marked, but you could find some of them online); some of the architecture is really outstanding...if you get a chance take the walking tour or the boat tour. If it is a while off before your visit, you can get one of the PBS videos by Jeff Baer which will open your eyes and give you lots of ideas for what to photograph in the Chicago areas. Even longtimers like me learn from these videos. Most of all, have a great time.</p>

<p>I spent an hour there one afternoon late last September. I must confess that I'm not overly impressed by what I managed there but I can tell you that it was 3.20 pm when the attached was taken.</p>

<p>I spent an hour there one afternoon late last September. I must confess that I'm not overly impressed by what I managed there but I can tell you that it was 3.20 pm when the attached was taken.</p>

<p>Yet another dupe. Sorry</p>

<p><br /> Doesn't have to be daylight.<br>

<a href="

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<p>Had some problems finding out where LR had put my reduced -size example. Try again</p><div></div>

<p>In general I think you'll get more joy out of Chicago's architecture by following the river, both on foot and by taking one of the many boat tours. By comparison the walking tour we tried run by the Architecture people was not at all good.</p><div></div>

<p><img src="http://riwong.smugmug.com/Travel/Route-66/i-pbc4Jm4/0/M/DSC674234567-M.jpg" alt="" /><br>

When we arrived it was around sunset but hundreds of people at the site. I then ended up talking with the security guard and asked is there any time when no one is around. The guard told me that there was only two times when the crowds are not at the site. when they close for the night and when they open in the morning.</p>

<p>Just quickly to acknowledge that I've read your responses......I didn't know anyone else had responded because I had checked the 'notify me of responses' button, yet I wasn't notified. Oh well. I'm off to work at the moment, but I'll respond when I can. There are some great suggestions here. Thanks!</p>

<p>I made some interesting pics during a very cloudy evening:</p>

<p><a href=" title="the reflected skyline por R.Duran, en Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3302/3497905432_caf5dc547b_n.jpg" width="320" height="152" alt="the reflected skyline"></a></p>

<p>I made <a href=" pic</a> during an overcast evening:</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Luis, I like to shoot everything, but while in Chicago I'm most interested in adding some architecture shots to my portfolio. It appears that most any time of day would be good. Thanks!</p>

<p>Bob....I'll do it! Thanks for the suggestion!</p>

<p>Stephen....lucky you! I've traveled widely, yet I still find Chicago to be my favorite big city! We live in Indianapolis, so we've been there frequently over the years. But we usually go for some event, and this time it's just for pleasure. Thanks for the suggestions, as well as for the video idea. I'll check it out. </p>

<p>Graham.....cool shot! Hopefully we'll be able to shoot in daylight and evening light. Thanks!</p>

<p>David.....thanks for persevering and posting the pictures. I like how the skyline gets distorted in the reflection. And the other image (I know right where that was taken) makes a cool abstract. We've taken the boat tour before, and we liked it! I love Chicago for architecture! This time.....I've found a tour of the heated pedway, and some of the pictures people have posted are impressive, so we may try that. I'm also interested in the food tours that take you into various neighborhoods. But mostly we love to snoop around on our own. If the weather is bad, we'll go to Shedd Aquarium, which we haven't visited in years. Thanks so much!</p>

<p>Rick.....I like your shot! It's amazing how many variations there are.....you never see 2 shots alike! What do you mean....'when they close'? Can it close? I thought it was just in an open plaza. Hopefully we'll get there at night (or at least dusk) as well as during the day. Thanks for posting!</p>

<p>Ramon.....I couldn't open the first link you included. Sorry! But I could open the image in your 2nd post! Impressive! Thanks for taking time to send it! And BTW, we LOVE Madrid. We've been there twice and our son studied there for a year at Complutense University. </p>

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<p>[['when they close'? Can it close? I thought it was just in an open plaza]]<br>

No, it has hours: 6am to 11pm.</p>

<p>So, if you're planning a morning shoot, be standing on the edge before 6 so you can head in and set up right away.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I'm partial to a beautiful afternoon with a bright blue sky.<br>

<img src="http://goldstein.smugmug.com/Portfolio/Chicago/20080801-Chicago-0047/346043978_f3XGg-S.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="268" /></p>

<p>"Luis, I like to shoot everything, but while in Chicago I'm most interested in adding some architecture shots to my portfolio. It appears that most any time of day would be good. Thanks!"</p>

<p>I don't know how long you have, but if there is time, go beyond the drive-by or float-by and enter the lobbies of these buildings. The walking architectural tours are good.</p>

<p>Again, if you have time, take the Green Line train to Oak Park, and see extraordinary early Modernist Frank Lloyd Wright (and Louis Sullivan) houses and studio there. Do not stay after rush hour and take the train back. It can be scary.</p>

<p>http://www.gowright.org/</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Almost across the street from the Bean on Michigan Ave there is the Chicago Architecture Foundation. They run a large variety of tours, from walking to boats ( http://www.architecture.org/ ). Chicago is the world's largest and best outdoor museum for late 19th c architecture on to the present day. Nearly every major architect has done something in Chicago and it is the birthplace of the skyscraper. Take the skyscraper downtown walking tour (normally excellent, but they are volunteers) and the Chicago River tour by boat for the short of it.<br /> In the same area, don't miss the Chicago Art Institute for fantastic Impressionist to modern art collections.</p>

<p>There are also the blues clubs like Buddy Guy's Legends (buddyguy.com)- the world's best (Chicago style, that is) hot dogs (several places downtown in the Loop claim the honor).</p>

<p>Not to mention neighborhoods with nearly every ethnic cooking style. You want Ethiopian stew and bread (wat and injera)? It's there, not to mention the competition with Eritrean cooking... and so on.</p>

<p>Chicago is truly one of the world's great cities.</p>

<p>Location of the Cloud Gate</p><div></div>

<p>Rob....we'll be a a few day get-away vacation, so it's HIGHLY unlikely that I'll be able to get my husband up earlier enough to be there at 6:00. :-) Thanks for the info!</p>

<p>Eric.....It's nice to know that it's possible to get a good image, even in the middle of the day. Thanks for including your image!</p>

<p>Luis....you wouldn't believe how long I've wanted to visit Oak Park, but somehow we never get there. I'm kind of a Frank Lloyd Wright fan. We've been to several of his buildings, including Fallingwater, Taliesin West, and Spring Green. Thanks for the advice about the bus line. Chicago is such a walker's city that we usually park our car and take public transit while we're there.</p>

<p>JDM.....sounds like you really know the city! We've been to Chicago many times and have taken several tours, including the architectural boat tour. There is no shortage of tours in Chicago....that's for sure! We rather prefer to be on our own, but sometimes the tours are helpful and provide more info than we'd glean on our own. Ever since I read the book "Devil in the White City", I've acquired a whole new appreciation for the architecture of Chicago! We've been to the Art Institute many times, but even though they have rotating exhibits, I think we'll skip it this time. We're going to go to the Shedd Aquarium instead. And we're signed up to take a 'Pedway' walking tour, which allows you to see the buildings kind of from the inside out. You walk in the Pedways (which many native Chicagoans apparently don't even know exist), and come up into the buildings from Underground. On Trip Advisor they were very highly rated, so we're gonna give it a try.</p>

<p>I'm somewhat of a 'foodie', and Chicago has to be one of the best places for food lovers! We always try a new (to us) ethnic restaurant whenever we go. We may take a neighborhood tour with an emphasis on food!</p>

<p>I ABSOLUTELY agree with your last sentence. Chicago is the BEST!!! Thanks for including the map.....very helpful. And I have just one more question for you. Are you familiar with Northerly Island? I read about it and thought it might be a good place to set up for taking pictures of the skyline at night. Is it a safe area....would you recommend that plan? Thanks so much for your generous help!</p>

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<p>One of the advantage of some of the Foundation walking tours is that they get you into places (with your camera) that are barred to the casual tourist wandering in off the street.</p>

<p>Northerly Island Park is the old downtown airport, dangerous to land, but much loved by those of us who flew in from other parts of Illinois. I have no idea about its current safety for pedestrians, but the skyline views from the Aquarium and Planetarium areas (not to mention the pier) are really quite good and more easily accessible anyhow.</p>

<p>I had some views to post, but server errors have blocked all my graphics attempts in the last hour or so.</p>