Discover the Alleys of Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, the alley capital of the United States, is my favorite city in the world to photograph alleys and urban scenes. Whenever I’m in Chicago, I always have my gear with me: a Sony A7RV camera, a tripod, and at least two lenses, a wide-angle for the alleys and a zoom lens for street photography.
Chicago is a true paradise for urban photographers, with impressive architecture, the most beautiful skyline in the world, and of course the iconic Chicago Loop. The combination of narrow alleys, high-rises, and urban energy makes this city unique to capture.
As soon as I step out of the hotel and start exploring the city, a big smile automatically appears on my face. I don’t have to do anything for it, it’s just there. The narrower the streets, the bigger that smile gets. Old buildings, lots of brick, and of course the metal fire escapes hanging against the walls, those are the elements that make the Chicago alleys so unique.
Sometimes I have a plan for where I want to go and what I want to photograph in the city, but sometimes I just follow my feet and see where I end up. From that moment on, I rely entirely on my senses. The advantage of not having a fixed plan is that you’re incredibly flexible and can easily adapt to conditions, the weather, the light, or spontaneous situations that suddenly arise.
Normally it never takes long before I find myself in an alley again. As I write this, I ask myself why I’m always so drawn to them. I think there are a few reasons. First of all, where I come from, the Netherlands, we don’t have alleys like this. Sure, there are small back streets, but nothing close to what you find here in Chicago, or in other major U.S. cities.
Second, in no particular order, you find lines everywhere in these alleys. Perfect for adding perspective to your photos. What I also love about exploring alleys is the calm, especially late at night or early in the morning. No rush, no hustle. It feels like stepping into another world.
The only people you run into here are delivery drivers, homeless people, staff from shops and restaurants with a back door, the cleaners who keep the city tidy early in the morning, and of course me, with my camera. The metal fire escapes on the walls give the alleys an extra dimension and look beautiful in photos, together with the brick walls and the dumpsters.
And then there’s something else: the tension, especially during the dark hours. That feeling is, for me, yet another reason to step into this “other” world.
During the day that tension isn’t there, but early in the morning, when jetlag keeps me awake anyway, I often start exploring the city and its alleys around three or four a.m. Yes, at that hour there’s quite a bit of tension in Chicago’s dark alleys, and in other major U.S. cities too, but it never stops me from doing my thing.
Often, as soon as I walk into an alley, I see rats scurrying off to hide. My heart rate immediately spikes, just like when I see people sheltering in dark corners of the alley… but so far nothing has ever happened. I simply love the atmosphere that hangs over the alleys at night. A small light, a dumpster, or even better: steam rising from the ground or from pipes along the wall. It feels like standing in the middle of a film set.
Capturing that atmosphere in a single frame, that’s my goal as a photographer. And it’s great to show that image to others afterward. The first reaction is always: “Wow, I never noticed this when I walked past an alley”, followed by: “Is this even safe to do”. Well, I don’t know if I can conclude that dark alleys are safe at night, or that I’ve just always been lucky.
So, next time you’re walking through downtown Chicago, try an alley, and you won’t be disappointed.
