My wife and I  returned from an amazing trip to Europe. We spent about a month traveling around Scotland, France, and England. There are so many more photos to come, and so much inspiration to share, but this was one photo I wanted to post right away.

We were standing on the Pont Neuf Bridge to meet two of my cousins, who also happened to be in Paris, and while we waited, the sky turned to fire.  Unfortunately, and as Murphy’s law would have it, that was the only day I did not have my camera. Whaaat!! Luckily, I was able to capture this image with my iPhone camera.

Being a drummer, I immediately felt Chicago’s rhythm- a city with its own pulse. The river winds peacefully through the skyscrapers bringing tranquility to the rushing traffic. While overhead, “the L” rumbles through the city, as if perfectly timed to a metronome. Honking cabbies and soaring 737’s add their own melodies to the massive buildings. 

Around every corner, the diverse architecture evokes crescendos and staccatos, bringing fresh perspectives to the same thing. Old, behemoth landmarks, hold their ground among the fresh, sleek, modern, structures. The festive Millennium Park forms a buffer between the Magnificent Mile tourists (who swarm like ants) and the vast, peaceful, Lake Michigan.
 
Every month, the city lights up with new colors celebrating current events such as the Blackhawk’s victory or honoring St. Patrick’s Day. The photo below was taken from the Adler Planetarium, looking across Lake Michigan towards the Chicago Skyline. This month, the city was lit up with pink lights to support breast cancer awareness. With a 30-second exposure, the city lights reflected onto the lake, revealing the most amazing glow of colors. There will be many more pictures of Chicago, as I have barely scratched the surface of this Midwest oasis.

34mm f/8 ISO100, 30 second exposure- Adler Planetarium- Chicago Skyline

Hawaii is a paradise of breathtaking beauty, and I was so excited to shoot all over the island. As shown below, I was fortunate to capture some amazing Hawaiian sunsets. Every beach around Oahu had something new to offer, from shave ice, plate lunch, to white sandy beaches and pineapple fields. We had so much fun hiking, laying on beaches, and eating some delicious food! It was so nice to break away from the daily grind and relax with friends, forgetting all our stresses at least for a week.