John Frendreiss: Environs of Chicago (a Mini-Portfolio)

Chicago, Illinois

Norridge, Illinois

Norridge, Illinois

Park Ridge, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois

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These (mostly) were John's entries to the "Horizonless" post, and I liked looking at them as a set. John is a 49-year-old database developer in Oak Park, Illinois. He says he's still trying to figure out what kind of photographs he really wants to make.

Mike

P.S. "Environs of Chicago" is the title of a famous Harry Callahan photograph.

Original contents copyright 2012 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

David Bostedo: "I have no idea why, but that frozen bicycle is great...I wish I understood why, but it immediately jumped out (for me) as the best of the bunch."

Dogman: "I love the sailfish (or marlin, or whatever). But all five photos are outstanding. My favorite photographs are photographs that look like photographs."

Tom Kwas: "I miss those Chicago newsstands. That's how you can tell you're in a 'real' city...extra gold star if they start to recognize you and grab your papers when you pull up or walk by...."

Christian: "....Oh, and the bike is SMASHINGLY good. As are the rest."

Comments

[Kenneth Tanaka]

Excellent, John. I mean c'mon, where else could that swordfish be but on a cheesy wood paneled wall next to a deer head wearing a fedora in Norridge (far northwest part of Chicago)?

Well-done!

[Sergio Bartelsman]

I see lot's of Stephen Shore type images today everywhere on the web. Nobody photographed like him, and Eggleston, in their day. Now you see their type of images everywhere. What was true for them then, now it is also true for everybody, or for a huge amount of people at least. That is true genius.

[ctein]

The frozen bike photo is spectacular.

pax / Ctein

[Robert Roaldi]

Love that bicycle.

[Phil]

Well no *wonder* you didn't post my horizonless shot! Seeing as how you had those in the can. I have to say that the top two and the 4th one down are so good they almost make me cry. They're the kind of photos I want to take. I'd better start looking harder through the viewfinder, or something.

[David]

That's my dad, i was on that plane. The deer was wearing that hat and that's why i did it. That's my mom and that's her bike.

[Jim A]

I really like the newsstand and bike. They make me feel both homesick and happy to be in the desert.

[Dave]

Really nice photos -- they have that rare quality of looking like everyday scenes yet the composition and colors are perfect.

[Jonathan]

The frozen bike.

[Roger Bradbury]

Like Jim A, I really like the news stand and the bicycle.

Like Phil, no wonder you didn't post my horizonless shot. Must try harder!

[Alan Fairley]

Nice photographs, and a variety of types. Makes me realized how locked into one way of "seeing" I am. Must...break...out....

[V. Roma]

Not much to add but wanted to show my appreciation for the photos. Great work.

[Morry Katz]

The image of the newsie reading the paper is just plain wonderful. It made me smile.

[John Frendreiss]

Thank you for posting these Mike, and thank you all for the comments.

I’ve been slowly accumulating a collection of these snippets of Midwestern scenery and moments, and a project has been simmering in my head for quite some time. The scope expands and contracts, but at one time or another I’ve called it "Chicagoland", "Midwest Living", "Flyover", and probably others that I don’t remember right now. This bit of exposure may be just the push I needed to get serious about sorting it all out.

Thanks again!

[Christian]

Hot damn that's a nice series. I especially enjoy the first photo. It reminds me a bit of 99-cents (for probably obvious reasons) with the additions of more suggested visual depth plus a bit of portrait/character-study. For me it's a more interesting photo than the uber-expensive piece of art to which I just compared it. If I had ever shot something that successful I would be immensely pleased. Well done! (I hope an amateur's positive mini-review is acceptable).

[Mike Johnston]

"(I hope an amateur's positive mini-review is acceptable)"

Yes, mini-reviews are very appropriate responses to mini-portfolios.

Mike

[mike plews]

Terrific