Michael Kowalsky

About the Photographer

Artist's Statement

I have loved photography for a very long time. This all started back in college when after just a class or two I was hooked ! I can remember spending many hours in the dark room developing my Tri-x and Pan-x film.  Anyway, completing college and pursuing my 'career' put a long hold on my photography journey.  After all these years, I decided it was time to jump back into the art I loved so much. My old Minolta XD-11 has long ago become an antique so I went on the hunt for a new camera -- a nice digital model (especially since film was becoming hard to find). While I wish I had known about Richard's classes and offers of advice before I went out making those rather expensive purchases, it all worked out and my new Canon and I are getting along just fine.  Fortunately I found Richard's Chicago Photography Classes and after working my way through Photo I, II and III, I find myself in a show.

I really want to thank Richard, Cara and LeJean for their insightful and challenging classes. My deepest gratitude goes to LeJean for having confidence in my work and guiding me through the process of preparing my images for this show.

For this show, I chose to further develop the theme I started in my Photo III class;  capturing images that are "Obviously Chicago". Having lived in and around Chicago my entire life, I feel that this is THE PLACE to live and I love venturing out and finding images that capture her beauty. From the wonderfully ornate bridges to the vast array of architectural styles,  our city provides countless views that are a pleasure to find and preserve. Needless to say that could be a lifetime's worth of photography and I am just getting started (stay tuned for more).  While my images say Chicago, I have tried to add my own unique view in capturing the familiar. We have all seen the Wrigley Building, but have you had a chance to view it from down along the river bank ? Like it or hate it, we are all familiar with the new Soldier Field, but have you wandered out in the dead of winter and seen it from the icy harbor ? Standing on the North side of the Chicago River along LaSalle Street, you can see that beautiful art deco Chicago Board of Trade building far off in the distance. Crossing that marvelous bridge gets you started on that journey to view that and many other wonderful buildings.   Nothing says Chicago like the historic elevated train. The various EL lines snake their way in and around the city. Where do you think this "Sharp Right" was found ?  

I hope you enjoy the images I have included in this show and invite you to stay tuned for more as I continue to work with the extremely talented and sharing community here at RSCPC.