IMAGES OF CHICAGO – art is easy

The first thing we noticed in Chicago was the architecture. The second thing was the aerial ballet performed by window washers.

I’ve been trawling through my photos of our recent US excursion, ditching dozens of feeble efforts and finding a few shots worth keeping.

There’s a theme emerging to some of the ones I like.

Art and architecture are relatively easy to shoot. Someone else has already done the real creative work and the subjects patiently stay in the one spot while I fumble with the camera settings, think about lighting and find the best angle.

I also enjoy putting human observers of the art into the shots as well. It is an important part of the experience. Art, especially in public places, usually has people sharing the space. I don’t like asking them to move.

MARILYN MONROE – still pulling a crowd

If she’s not stopping traffic, she’s at least slowing it down.

Chicagoans and visitors to the windy city have only a few more days to look up Marilyn’s skirt. She’s standing 26 feet (5 metres) tall on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue until Monday, then moving to Palm Springs, California.

The work of New Jersey-based artist Seward Johnson has been controversial for the ten months it has been in town.