A decade of lightning photography

On May 27, 2009 – a decade ago – I caught my first bolt of lightning during a vacation in Italy (see above). It was the early evening and we were getting ready to head off to a big dinner…
Read MoreOn May 27, 2009 – a decade ago – I caught my first bolt of lightning during a vacation in Italy (see above). It was the early evening and we were getting ready to head off to a big dinner…
Read MoreI set-up my gear and watched as towering clouds incessantly lit up over the south suburbs on Friday night. Instead of shooting wide, I zoomed in for some close-ups. I loved how the serpentine bolts were illuminating the textures formed…
Read MoreI crave winter snowstorms. And one of the ways I like to add variety to my winterscapes is by capturing ‘snokeh.’ Snokeh is a mash-up of ‘snow’ and ‘bokeh’ and it’s is a technique I started experimenting with last winter. This…
Read MoreFrom multiple bridges and barges stationed along the the main branch of the Chicago River, fireworks rang out to celebrate New Year’s 2019. In addition to fireworks at Navy Pier, Chicago added this secondary display and I wanted a unique vantage point to document the new celebration. That’s where my friends at Hines came in. In order to get the shots I envisioned, they arranged access to River Point’s 9th floor terrace. It was the prefect elevated vantage point to look east down the river. We arrived around 10:30pm to set-up and start taking test shots. Promptly at midnight, the show began. It didn’t last long – about six minutes – so I didn’t have much time or space to experiment with different angles or techniques. However, one of the happiest accidents was the reflections in 333 W Wacker’s curving glass curtain wall. I hoped to catch them but wasn’t sure how the angles would work out. My settings varied a bit from shot to shot, but in general I was shooting at f/14, ISO 320, at 3-5 seconds.
Read MoreIt’s that time of the year again! My 2019 calendar full of Chicago cityscapes is here! If you got your hands on a calendar, and are here to learn more about the photos – thanks for stopping by! JANUARY: Between…
Read MoreIn mid-August, I undertook a project for the John Buck Company to photograph one of their newest properties: 151 N Franklin. It’s the newest and most technologically advanced Class A office tower in company’s portfolio. Designed by John Ronan Architects, the tower…
Read More150 N. Riverside is one of the first skyscrapers I documented from start to finish. As such, it holds a special place in my heart when it comes to Chicago architecture. So when Goettsch Partners (150’s architect) & Riverside I.D. (150’s…
Read MoreMy 2018 calendar if full of Chicago cityscapes taken throughout the year. If you got your hands on a calendar, and are here to learn more about the photos – thanks for stopping by! If you still need to purchase…
Read MoreNick and Amy Ulivieri travel to Murphysboro, IL to watch and capture the solar eclipse.
Read MoreIn this episode of Wx Geeks, Nick Ulivieri discusses urban storm photography with Dr. Marshall Shepherd. Catch Wx Geeks every Sunday on the Weather Channel (Noon Eastern, 11:00am Central)
Read More© 2021 Nick Ulivieri Photography in Chicago, IL.