Sep 19

Sep 19 Aon

Today I had the opportunity to photograph the city from the 44th and 45th floors of the Aon Center. Not the best of photographic conditions—very hazy, with washed out skies—but you don’t turndown photographic opportunity when it knocks. I only had about 70 minutes to work, but I made the most of it.

Boy have offices changed since I worked in a modern skyscraper. It is hard to find a row of offices, each with a single occupant and a “secretary” just outside the door. The floors I was on were totally open, with a variety of large spaces and an area that housed low-rise work cubicles. I saw people sitting at counters with laptops and coffee in hand, talking on the smartphones. There were also plenty of vending machines, food preparation areas, and even a shuffleboard table in one of the lounges.

I remember being in the Aon Center—then named the Amoco Building—around 1990. The windows are still rectangular narrow slots, but in those days, I remember the cramped office space.

I always like the opportunity to photograph the city from an elevated perspective, but I must admit, I am not always impressed with the results. The resulting panoramas are cliches, particularly if there is not an amazing weather event outside the windows. What I do like is the opportunity to photograph parts of the surrounding buildings. You can really focus on what makes each building unique.

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