Are you looking for someplace new to visit with your camera? Here are some favorite photography locations recommended by members of Foresters Camera Club.
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Cook County
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Tinley And Bartel Grasslands adjoin one another at the intersection of Central Avenue and Flossmoor Road in southern rural Cook County. The topography is flat as a visitor to the grasslands is treated to the natural beauty of the recently restored prairies. A variety of natural wild flowers and grasses as well as an abundant wild life can be found year-round at this location. The area also features swamps and wetlands great for landscape images no matter the time of day or season. ~Recommended by Bob Dietz • Map |
| Black Partridge Forest Perserve Lemont, IL |
Black Partridge is located on Bluff Road just before it goes under the I-355 Bridge in between Lemont-Romyoville and Woodridge. The rocky creek lined with oaks and maples makes it one of my favorite haunts year around. ~Recommended by Bob Dietz • Map |
| McGinnis Slough Orland Park, IL |
Bring bug spray in the summer! Try early morning. Watch the light/shadows: look behind you, light changes constantly in the wooded areas. Don’t walk too fast; enjoy the outdoors! Bring a long lens and/or a fast lens. ~Recommended by Bill Grabinski • Map |
| Lake Katherine Palos Heights, IL |
Get there early — earlier than early!! ~Recommended by Pat Mann • Map
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| Dellwood Park Lockport, IL |
The ruins of an early 1900s park are quite interesting. ~Recommended by Mary White • Map
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| Morton Arboretum Lisle, IL |
The Arboretum can be enjoyed any time of the year if you dress for the season and for walking. ~Recommended by Pat Mann • Map |
| The Little Red Schoolhouse Willow Springs, IL |
They will bring out the birds of prey, eagles, and owls if arranged for in advance. ~Recommended by Ken Linka and Bill Grabinski • Map |
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Palos Park, IL
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Take a hike through McClaughry Springs Woods and you might feel as if you’ve discovered a bit of Wisconsin tucked away in the southwestern suburbs. ~Recommended by Bill Grabinski • Map |
| Chinatown Chicago |
Chinatown is a unique Chicago neighborhood in that it is more than simply a collection of restaurants, shops and homes. It is a rich cultural experience, and a visitor to Chicago’s Chinatown has the distinct feeling of having touched upon a microcosm of China itself. ~Recommended by Ken Linka • Map |
| Pilcher Park Joliet |
The park is great for taking nature images year around. Wild life is abundant, spring and summer flowers keep the place a blooming and the fall colors keep this place the best kept secret across this entire country. Winter doesn’t take a back seat neither with the ice and snow lined creek and the wood foot bridges criss-crossing it throughout the park makes the year long cycle complete with natural beauty. Bottom line is it’s a great place to visit year around and it’s very close by. ~Recommended by Bob Dietz • Map |
| Saganashkee Slough Chicago |
Saganashkee Slough is a great place to take sunrise pictures from September to March on the western edge of the slough on 107th Street west of 104th Avenue. From April to September it’s a great place to take sunsets in the fisherman’s parking lot on 104th Avenue just north of Route 83 and the Calument Sag Channel. It’s definitely the place to go for a beautiful sunset in July. For summer shooting plan on arriving 1 hour before sunset and staying as long as one can after sunset as the Cook County Forest Patrol usually will lock up the gate to the parking lot 30 to 45 minutes after sunset ~Recommended by Bob Dietz • Map |
| Chicago Botanical Gardens Chicago |
Not hard to get to and sooooo many photo opportunities; you could easily spend an entire day and not get tired. You could shoot landscape, flowers. bugs, water fowl, water scapes, the opportunities are amazingly endless! There is a small per car admission charge (which could be shared if you drive with others and split the cost) but it is WELL WORTH the cost! ~Recommended by Bonnie Wydra • Map
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| Messenger Woods Will County |
Messenger Woods is located approximately 3 blocks west of Parker Road on Bruce Road in suburban Homer Glen. The site is part of Will County Forest Preserves and it has several privillions and ample parking. There are plenty of hiking trails to observe plants and animals in their natural habitats. Spring Creek passes under a foot bridge in the heart of the preserve and it is a great location for taking impressive landscape images in all four seasons. The preserve is open to the public from 7 am till sunset year round and it’s been the site for many FCC Print of the Month honors by various members in the past. ~Recommended by Bob Dietz • Map |
