So the morning photos can be spectacular too… even without my bike in the shot!
The boats at Monroe Harbor make a striking contrast to the ever-changing sunrise.

For the past week, Chicago has been “transformed” with some movie magic
going on right in the heart of downtown. With streets closed all over the city,
there have been major car crashes, explosions and people falling out of buildings
all for the making of the next “Transformers” movie sequel. Changing the landscape
of Michigan Avenue – and transforming it into the “Smash-nificent Mile.
Quite a sight to see… especially if you weren’t aware of what was going on?!

While “slightly” breaking my own rule of not riding
in the morning when it’s raining or the pavement is wet…
I got up early this morning for another ride, and the pavement was still wet
from an overnight rain. But with the impending plummet of temperatures, I felt
compelled to pedal this morning, not knowing when the next chance might be?

No sunrise to speak of this morning…
but a beautiful blue sky before the day’s grayness took over!

So Christmas is officially over, and my gifts have been given with proper surprise.
So now I can share my good news with the rest of you. I didn’t want to share too soon
and ruin the surprise for those who were getting a copy of the book for Christmas!!!
If you run into my friends Gerry & Rosene, don’t tell them… they haven’t gotten their gift yet.
Shhh… keep it quiet… but only from them!

So it’s official – the Chicago photography book published by CBS2 Chicago
has finally been published and distribution has begun. And I made the cut… twice!
Two of my photos were chosen to be published in the book.
I’m very excited!!!

For those who may not remember, sometime last Fall, CBS2 Chicago announced this special
project on their news broadcasts. My dad turned me on to it and I started submitting photos.
The deal was that they were accepting photographs that depicted life in the City.
Photographers from all over submitted images to the website – which were then put up to an
online popularity poll. The more votes your images received, the more likely your image was
to be published in the book. So I submitted several photos, many from my morning biking
sunrise series, and hoped for the best. It wasn’t until early December that we found out
if we had been chosen by the book’s editors for the publication. And I was excited to
make it into the book twice – against a LOT of stiff competition!!!

2,480 photographers

28,144 photos submitted

2,388,443 votes cast

So… after all of that, one of my images found a place on Page 68 in the “Scapes Of All Sorts”
section of the book. It was one of my favorite biking moments of the summer. A surreal
biking moment when the morning fog was literally “illuminated” by the rising sun.

“Misty Morning Glow”

My second image chosen was used on Page 24 in the title page montage (top row, fourth
from the left) for the “Arts, Culture & Food” section of the book. Again, it’s of of my favorites –
this time, it’s my favorite “hidden gem” inside the Chicago Cultural Center…
a beautiful Tiffany stained glass dome in the rotunda.

So that’s it… another great experience… and another great chance to be published!
I hope you all get a chance to find a copy of the book and enjoy the many beautiful images
that capture the essence of Chicago…  and have you heard?… two of them are mine!!!

A little cloudy this morning over the lake.
Dramatic clouds crossing the sky… with a sliver of a sunrise breaking on the horizon.

Then I turned around and headed back home…
as the sunrise began to brighten the incredible skyline behind my back!

Yes, it’s true… today there were elephants on the streets of Chicago!
Strolling down the street, one long line, tail to trunk, tail to trunk…
Walking from the train that brought them right down the street to The United Center.
Seriously… the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus has come to town.
And every year they walk the elephants down the street… today was the day!!!

It was a beautiful day in Chicago today… crisp & clear, beautiful fall weather.
A perfect day to head out on my bike for another incredible day of riding.
Soaking up what little time is left of Fall… squeezing in just a few more miles!

Vote early. Vote often. Vote by this Saturday!!!

CBS2 Chicago is coordinating the publication if a coffee table book
featuring photography by local photographers. Thousands of photos
have been uploaded to the website – and now people are voting on
which ones should be include din the book.

And I would love to have mine chosen… this is where you come in.

Simply go to www.capturemychicago.com and register to vote. It’s free and all
they really ask for is your e-mail… presumably so they can notify you to purchase
the book when it’s done. If you don’t register, your vote doesn’t count.

So once your in… do a SEARCH for the following three picture titles.
Vote for each one to help stack the ballots in my favor. The following photos are
currently my top three vote-getters… so let’s push them over the top!!!

1.  Misty Morning Glow.

2.  Tree. Bike. Sunrise.

3.  Tiffany Stained Glass Dome

And then if you’re still having fun… and want to vote for more…
here’s the rest of my Top Ten.

4.  An Early Snow
5.  Sunrise Branches
6.  Spectacular Clouds
7.  Golden Maple Keys
8.  Chicago Sunrise
9.  Sunrise Ribbons
10. Morning Drama

After that… there’s still more than fifty of my other photos hoping for your vote!
You can also do a SEARCH for “Gary Jackson” to see the rest of my shots.
Plus thousands of other photographers shots you can vote for or against.
So have fun, place your votes… remember, the deadline is this Saturday 10/17.

Welcome to October.
Welcome to Chicago Artist Month.

October is a special month every year that celebrates the local artists in Chicago
who make cool stuff around town. There will be lots of studios, galleries & stores
celebrating throughout the month with shows, openings & artist receptions.

To kick-off the month, this weekend is the annual Ravenswood Art Walk.
It’s a great chance to stroll up & down Ravenswood to see all of the galleries and
studios that will be open to the public. Lillstreet Art Center is a great place to
park and start your tour. My studio is on the second floor in 205 West.
You can stop in and see “where the magic happens.” I will be there all day
Saturday from 10:00am-6:00pm to greet the people strolling by… and trying
to get some clay work done at the same time?! Then start your tour using the maps that
will be available at Lillstreet. If you stop by every place on the list, it could take all day!

Lillstreet Art Center – studio 205 west.
4401 North Ravenswood, Chicago… on the northeast corner at Montrose!
Seriously, just a few steps east of the Montrose stop on the Brown Line El.
Stop by for a tour, participate in some free workshops, have a piece of pie
at the First Slice Café or just hang out in my studio!

And to kick-off the month of art…
here’s a quick picture of a great new bricolage mural that was completed this summer
on Foster Street at the Lake Shore Drive underpass. Gotta love it…