Open House Chicago is a yearly event, when you get to check out some interiors of buildings in Chicago for free that are normally either closed to the public or charge an entrance fee. It usually a 2 day weekend event and every year there is some variations on which buildings open their doors to the public. I think most locations allow tripods for photographers, although be prepared for crowds!
I didn’t have much time for Open House Chicago this year, so I stuck to the spots I really wanted to photograph- The Oriental Theater and the private Foundation room at the House of Blues.
The Oriental Theater
Oriental Theater, Chicago
The Oriental Theater was built in 1926 as a movie palace by the firm Rapp and Rapp. It was built on the site of the Iroquois theater which burnt down in 1903 (over 600 people were killed). It was closed down in 1981, and restored and reopened in 1998 and now houses Broadway Shows, but I like to imagine it as it was as a movie house in the 1920s.
I didn’t bring a tripod, although they were allowed, so these shots were taken handheld on my Nikon D600 and my sigma wide angle. Handheld symmetrical shots, like the one above. can actually be pretty challenging, especially in low light, as the its hard to see the corners in the viewfinder, and any degrees off in the vertical plane especially (which is harder to notice onsite) can really throw the whole image off. So it’s worth taking the extra time to get a symmetrical as possible.
The Foundation Room at the House of Blues
The Foundation room in the House of Blues Chicago is a private members only part of the club. Its very dark and ornate and I love it there. There are a series of rooms, and this one is my favorite.
The Foundation Room at the House of Blues, Chicago
Foundation Room at the House of Blues, Chicago
Got to check out the performace space on the way out
House of Blues, Chicago
They were also giving out free biscuits on the way in, which was awesome, thank you House of Blues!
All of these pics were taken with my D600 and Sigma wide angle zoom lens in low light without a tripod.
On Previous years I got visit the Green Mill
and Roosevelt University
The Driehaus Museum is one of my fav lesser known attractions in the city, and open all year round with an entrance fee
It’s really a fantastic day to discover some gems in the city. I highly Recommend getting a Fast Pass to skip the lines, which you can get through membership with the Chicago Architecture Foundation ( they do great tours all year round) or joining someone who is a member ( the passes are good for a member and a guest). You really do get to skip the lines, and access to more areas, so worth it!