Spring has sprung, officially arriving with the vernal equinox on Tuesday. Of course, in Chicago, Mother Nature doesn’t always get the memo — I’m watching a heavy snowfall out the window as I type this on Friday. My winter boots remain by the door.
Along with the change of season at the equinox, a special phenomenon occurs: the sunrise and sunset perfectly align with the east-west streets in the Loop. It’s a beautiful effect that’s come to be called “Chicagohenge.” Unobstructed light shoots between the skyscrapers from the horizon, notably directly behind the trains on the El track.
Undeniably photographic, and surely driven by Instagram, it’s become an increasingly popular event in the city during the spring and fall that attracts photographers of all stripes to gather, whether with a zoom-lens DSLR on a tripod or simply an iPhone in hand. This time the weather cooperated perfectly with clear skies and relatively warm temps. And gather for the Henge they did!
Amado and I entered the fray at the best viewing spots for some street photography. On Tuesday, hundreds of folks were at the main point of congregation in Millennium Park, the termination of Washington St at Michigan Ave, which offers perhaps the best view. The mood was ebullient. I actually saw a young woman shed tears! It was a DJ short of a party.
On Wednesday, we posted up a couple blocks west on State and Washington. As sunset approached, the corners overflowed in anticipation, even unknowing passersby recruited to pull off a glove and hold up their smartphone. Intense, orange light baptized everyone and everything for about 20 minutes from 6:50 to 7:10 pm. Someone stretched out the backseat window of a passing car with a DSLR aimed west. Car horns trumpeted like you’d hear at a parade.
It seems with Chicagohenge a new spring celebration has emerged — a sunlight-powered sacrament for the photographer in all of us. Sunglasses recommended.
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