I was high on the Bears!

[MazerRakhm]

Well, the Superbowl is over and my team lost.

In any sporting competition, one team wins while the other looses, at least my team was in the game!

Feeling good about the game, and the Bears in general the wife and I headed downtown late Saturday night (The day before the game) to get a couple of quick shots of the city and the Art Institute lions.

This was my first time attempting night shots of the skyline, and it was -20 with a stiff breeze that night, so while not the best in the world I'm not complaining.

(I apologize for the watermarks, I am trying to work on them.)


http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127659316-S.jpg


http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127656124-S.jpg


For those of you who didn't know what I was talking about with the Art Institute lions, back in '85 (When the Bears won the game) the AI had some helmets made for their stone lions, and they did it again this year.

http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127656277-M.jpg


http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127657370-M-2.jpg


And my favorites:

http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127659039-M-2.jpg


http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127658568-M-2.jpg

The city police were actually being very cool about the whole thing, even parking in front of the museum with their lights on so people could park behind them on the street and get out to take a couple of pictures.

Up until the time when I saw this whacko get ontop of the lion.
http://ksmith.smugmug.com/photos/127657795-M-2.jpg

At one point he was laying out on the tail, if it would have snapped, I probably would have and tired to kick his butt.

[superdiver]

You gotta love it when a town gets behind their team so well...

[doubledragon]

why ruin nice pics with a HUGE watermark?

[Sledhed]

Nice shots Kevin, I like #5 the best. I had to ease my pain from the Super Bowl loss so I ordered a 30D, 24-105 L and another 580.

[MazerRakhm]

You gotta love it when a town gets behind their team so well...

Yeah, it was really exciting. The wife and I drove 30 minutes to get into the city at 11:00 just to see this! We figured it might be a long time before we got the chance to do it again.

[Curtis N]

Great shots, dude. I didn't realize the big buildings coordinated their lights like that.

You owe your wife BIG TIME for dragging her out in weather like that!

[MazerRakhm]

Nice shots Kevin, I like #5 the best. I had to ease my pain from the Super Bowl loss so I ordered a 30D, 24-105 L and another 580.

That's a lot of drowning sorrows! That picture is an 8x10 on my wall at work now. Eventually I'll print one out to put up at home.

Great shots, dude. I didn't realize the big buildings coordinated their lights like that.

You owe your wife BIG TIME for dragging her out in weather like that!

Oh it was great! I was telling the wife that I really wanted to find time to go see the lions and she made the call to head up there that night! It was really good spur of the moment, fun time. (I did thank her profusely afterwards!)

At first we just drove around the city checking things out, there was a lot of stuff sporting Bears colors. I didn't get shots of either, but both Navy Pier and the outdoor venue of Millenium Park were sporting the blue and orange as well.

If I had thought about it, if it was warmer and my brain was working, I'd have worked out a panoramic from where I shot the buildings. As it was I was out there in the cold, with the wind in my face, having just taken a shot when I looked up and noticed my eyes were watering and it was starting to freeze in my face! It was frickin' cold!

The wife said had it been warmer she would have been all about parking and walking around, as it was she stayed in the warm vehicle.

[glhs509]

...the AI had some helmets made for their stone lions, and they did it again this year....

FYI: They're made of bronze :)

Nonetheless, great shots (wish I could handle the cold that night). Hope you got off some shots of the Merchandise Mart with the Blue/Orange scheme as well.

[azpix]

why ruin nice pics with a HUGE watermark?

ditto

[MazerRakhm]

FYI: They're made of bronze :)

Nonetheless, great shots (wish I could handle the cold that night). Hope you got off some shots of the Merchandise Mart with the Blue/Orange scheme as well.

Unfortunately I didn't. I only got the skyline and lions.

ditto

Did you miss this line? (I apologize for the watermarks, I am trying to work on them.)

[T0DD]

ditto

+ 3

I didn't even stop to look at the pics because the watermarks destroy them. I'm sure they're great without the watermarks.

[rowdyred94]

I'd really like to see them larger. I'm squinting at what seem to be some very nice images.

[abalt]

Love them!

[BottomBracket]

Very nice night time shots. Nifty fity?

[ducklips]

Da Bears... I too was out in the fridged COLD... but on THURSDAY NIGHT... and took these sets of pics.
http://joeabell.smugmug.com then click on STREET SCENES and see my ((( experiment ))) examples!

You have great shots Mazer.

CHEERS - joe

[MazerRakhm]

Very nice night time shots. Nifty fity?

Yeah a couple of the city ones were, the others were all the 70-200.

Da Bears... I too was out in the fridged COLD... but on THURSDAY NIGHT... and took these sets of pics.
http://joeabell.smugmug.com then click on STREET SCENES and see my ((( experiment ))) examples!

You have great shots Mazer.

CHEERS - joe

Thanks Joe, you got some good ones too. Including the brontosaurus wearing the Urlacher jersey! I was really cold and it was well past midnight by the time we drove past that one so we didn't stop. I would have liked to also get some shots of the lions during the day but didn't get a chance.

[Cassie]

I knew someone would represent so I wouldn't have to freeze my butt off!!!

Good shots guys!!

[Mike Reynolds]

two words......dah Bears!

[daclozer]

Hey this is Chicago, at least we can use the worn out Cubs line " Wait till next year" !!! GO BEARS !!