Traveling to Chicago trying to figure out what to bring and any suggestions where to shoot.

As the title say I am traveling Chicago and would like some help and suggestion on what to bring with me. I am looking for a travel tripod so I don’t have to bring my Gitzo series 2 and RRS BH55 which is heavier and longer than I’d like. My big questions for this forum is suggestions on which lens I should bring with me between my 70-200mm f2.8 is III and my 100-400mm II. I know I don’t want to bring them both but can’t decide which one would be better. I love the length of the 100-400 but I also love the f2.8 for low light and portrait of the 70-200. I will for sure be taking my RF 24-105 F4 for walking around and my sigma 35mm art for low light stuff I am open to suggestions.

Second, general flying question, can I carry on my Think Tank Backlight 26L? I hope I don’t have to check it. I may need a pelican case if Ineed to check my gear.

Last question, any suggestion for places to shoot I Chicago? I’d like to get a iconic skyline shot and some other city scape shots.. open to any other suggestions.

Thank you for any and all suggestions.

Interested what you took. Out of your gear I would have taken the R and the 24-105... and thats it. But Im a minimalist.

Croasdail wrote in post #19024607
Interested what you took. Out of your gear I would have taken the R and the 24-105... and thats it. But Im a minimalist.

Like Mark I too am a minimalist when it comes to gear on a trip and would like to see your results.

I was in Chicago a few years back for training classes and took my 5D3 with the 24-105. After class we'd do a lot of sightseeing on foot, searches for restaurants and things like that. For me a lot of extra gear would have been an intrusion. The 24-105 is a great walkaround lens though being just wide enough for some decent panoramas, and also long enough to isolate certain skyline details. I do also have the 70-200 which would have been nice, but that would have pretty much doubled the bulk of everything and likely taken away from the pleasure of "travelling light" .

I guess I neglected to post my travel dates, I am going to be in Chicago the last week of this month, March. However, due to the Corona Virus scare, my wife is now reconsidering the trip.So no pictures yet, but I hope to share when and if I go.

Thank you for the advice, maybe I will leave the telephotos at home.

Juan A wrote in post #19024650
I guess I neglected to post my travel dates, I am going to be in Chicago the last week of this month, March. However, due to the Corona Virus scare, my wife is now reconsidering the trip.So no pictures yet, but I hope to share when and if I go.

Thank you for the advice, maybe I will leave the telephotos at home.

Hi Juan - thanks for the follow-up. I think you married a wise woman. We are rethinking a number of activities also.

I agree that the zooms and telephotos are very tempting as they are fantastic for isolating wonderful architectural details and creating interesting abstracts with their abilities to do so. But you have to weigh convenience with practicality. My wife has also made me a "fast shooter." I can always tell when she is starting to get annoyed with the amount of time I'm spending on photography, and not enjoying the sites with her. It's a fine line and dangerous line we walk.

Ah, my hometown.

Iconic views of the skyline from next to Shedd Aquarium, Navy Pier, and from the end of the pier at Montrose Park. See attached Google map. Montrose Park is at the Google favorite pin. Your 24-105 should be useful here.

Walk around DuSable Bridge and the Riverwalk around it to get great shots of downtown. You may need something wider than 24mm for this. It's been a while since I have been here, but I remember walking around with a 16-35 and wishing I had brought along my Rok 14/2.8.

Scrumhalf wrote in post #19024681
Walk around DuSable Bridge and the Riverwalk around it to get great shots of downtown. You may need something wider than 24mm for this. It's been a while since I have been here, but I remember walking around with a 16-35 and wishing I had brought along my Rok 14/2.8.

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forum: Urban Life & Travel

Thanks Sam - very nice...makes me want to go now!

You can take a cruise along the river. There are architectural tours that you can take, but in my experience, a much cheaper water taxi will probably work just as well.

Thank you!!! This is exactly the type of info I was looking for. This will be super helpful!!!!

I am fully aware of the wife “speed up your photography look” lol. We are in town visiting her brother and his family, assuming we still go will find out today. So I had planned to spend 1 day doing my own thing around town. I realize it’s a big city so I planned to creat a shooting schedule for my self. A morning shoot, a few hours doing street photography when the light stinks and then a night shoot. The rest of the time I will travel light with just my camera a 24-105 for family shots and whatever I stumble across.

Juan, another thing to consider is to plan your schedule. You have a few options. The skyline shots from the shoreline can be done in the morning, when the sun is behind you, or in the evening if you get good sunset color in the sky. You also will get great skyline shots at night. You can get good shots from the ferris wheel at Navy Pier at night because of the colorful lights, although that shot has been done to death. My personal favorite is the pier at Montrose. The Riverwalk shots can also be done during the day as well as night (you should do both.)

Point is that you have day shots and night shots at multiple locations, and you may want to think about schedule. Get to the Riverwalk in the morning, do 2 to 3 hours of shooting and grab a lunch downtown. Then do other things in the afternoon (or take a nap) to give yourself time after dark to do some shooting. I was out pretty late the last time, till 1am or so if I remember right.

Edit: Ha, looks like you posted on your schedule just as I was typing in my post.

Still I appreciate your thoughts! That is very helpful.

Also, do you have a fisheye? You can get some creative shots at the Bean.

And make sure you pack a tripod.

Sorry, no fish eye. But I did pick up a Sirui travel tripod for this trip. I will absolutely be bringing it.