Chicago HoHo Photography Tips

Photography Guide: Best Angles & Settings (expanded)

Capture Chicago's layered skyline with intention — this section gives practical camera guidance and composition ideas.

Best times for photography

• Golden hour (sunrise/sunset): Warm light on glass façades; ideal for Riverwalk and Michigan Avenue.
• Blue hour (after sunset): City lights reflect beautifully on the river and wet pavements.
• Midday: Good for detailed architectural textures under hard light; use polarizer to reduce glare.

Camera basics & starter settings

• Mode: Aperture priority for depth-of-field control.
• Aperture: f/5.6–f/8 for architecture; f/2.8–f/4 for subject isolation.
• ISO: 100–400 daylight; bump only as needed.
• Shutter: Use stabilization or increase ISO if shooting from a moving bus.

Gear & positioning

• Upper deck: Superior viewpoint; avoid leaning on rails to keep shots steady.
• Polarizer: Cuts river reflections and deepens sky.
• Lenses: 24–70mm for versatile framing; 70–200mm for details and compressing scenes.

Composition ideas

• Use bridges and river rails to frame the skyline.
• Include foreground elements (people, benches) to convey scale.
• Try vertical panoramas from the Riverwalk to show building height.

Pro workflow: Scout from the bus, note the best angles, hop off, and re-shoot from land for sharper images.