Do A Little Wrong: April – May 2016

Thaw: March 2016
My LA Soul: Early May 2016

What life is like vs. what life could be. Compare. Staying out too late, working too damn hard, walking it off in Chicago. Eventually. Ugh. Mostly disposable camera, some 35mm on the Petri camera (these will be marked as such).

A busy Chicago street lined with flowering trees in full white bloom, their branches stretching out above the sidewalk. On the left, people walk past a parking lot entrance, while on the right, modern office buildings rise high into the sky. Cars are parked along the curb, and the street extends into the distance, framed by a mix of urban architecture and greenery. A bustling downtown Chicago street, with a Chase Bank on the corner of a building adorned with unique, spiral-shaped sculptures. The street is lined with glass and steel skyscrapers reflecting the bright, overcast sky. Traffic lights hang overhead, and a few pedestrians cross the street as cars are parked along the sides of the road.

Yvette sits confidently in the driver’s seat of a car, her long, wavy hair dyed a striking shade of purple that frames her face. She wears a white blouse with navy embroidery, her hands resting lightly on the steering wheel. Behind her, the urban landscape of Chicago is visible through the car windows, including a taxi and pedestrians on the sidewalk.

yvette

Gina, Kari, and Jenna laugh together in a Publicis Sapient Razorfish Rosetta office space in Chicago's Merchandise Mart, their bright smiles and natural poses captured in the moment. The room is filled with personality, featuring desks adorned with plants, water bottles, and personal items. The vibrant energy of coworkers enjoying a candid moment stands out against the industrial design of the office.

gina + kari + jenna

The intersection of Sheridan Avenue in Edgewater, Chicago, surrounded by towering brick apartment buildings. Trees with blossoming pink flowers line the small green space at the corner, creating a contrast to the urban setting. Cars drive through the intersection, and a classic corner building with rounded architecture adds charm to the scene.

mystery setting

Underneath the elevated train tracks in Chicago, the industrial steel beams create a repetitive pattern of shadows and light on the pavement below. On either side of the tracks, parked cars and brick residential buildings are visible. The rusted metal contrasts sharply with the bright sky peeking through the overhead gaps. A Chicago bus stop on a quiet street in Edgewater, with people standing and waiting on the sidewalk. A red and orange Shell gas station sign is visible in the background, along with a mix of apartment buildings and blooming trees. The cloudy sky casts a soft light over the urban scene. A calico cat gazes out from behind a screened window on the second floor of a brick building. The cat’s green eyes are alert as it peers through the screen, framed by the reddish-brown bricks and a white windowsill. Black cables run along the building’s exterior, adding subtle urban texture to the composition.

A gray, two-story house in Wrigleyville, Chicago, with a clean, simple design and a symmetrical row of windows. Two large trees stand in front of the house, their branches beginning to sprout green leaves. A silver pickup truck is parked in the foreground, and an alleyway with a black dumpster and a red sofa is visible to the left.

other side of these windows

A disposable camera film selfie of me, Ethan Hulbert, standing in a quiet Chicago alley, wearing a black leather jacket over a plaid shirt. My face is framed by a neat beard and short hair, with a determined expression. In the background, residential buildings and garages create a sense of depth, with overcast light softening the overall scene.

myself

A nighttime street scene with Yvette standing confidently, her striking beauty accentuated by her long, straight lavender hair that flows down her shoulders. She wears a black coat and matching beanie, standing beside a silver Toyota Prius parked on the dimly lit street. The surrounding darkness frames her profile elegantly, with distant red and orange car lights dotting the background.

yvette

Yvette stands facing the camera on the same dark street, her smile radiant and warm, bringing light to the otherwise shadowy setting. Her lavender hair and black outfit are complemented by the glow of faint streetlights and vehicle headlights behind her. The silver Prius is partially visible to her left, adding depth to the composition.

yvette

Yvette poses against a brick wall, her lavender hair framing her face beautifully. She wears a Nirvana band shirt layered under a black coat, with a beanie perched on her head and a gray shoulder bag hanging casually by her side. The warm tones of the bricks contrast with her outfit, highlighting her striking features.

yvette

Yvette sits in the driver's seat of a car, her profile illuminated by the soft interior lighting. She smiles brightly, her lavender hair glowing subtly against her black beanie and coat. The car’s door handle and steering wheel are visible, with faint red and orange streetlights glowing through the windows.

yvette

A nearly pitch-black image with only a small illuminated rectangle in the center, showing what appears to be a scene from a Zelda video game displayed on a TV. The screen depicts, I think, Link, fallen down with the Hylian Shield on his back in a glowing, mystical setting with vibrant orange and green hues, surrounded by darkness. A close-up view of train tracks at a Chicago El stop, featuring metallic rails surrounded by gravel. The textured blue caution flooring at the platform’s edge stands out in the foreground. It's an examination of parallel horizontal lines and shapes.

An elevated street view in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, showing an office building where Elliottsweb, a company I used to work at, was located. The modern architecture of the building is framed by adjacent glass skyscrapers. Cars and pedestrians add life to the busy urban setting.

old elliottsweb

A view from my home in Edgewater, Chicago, featuring a quiet residential street with brick apartment buildings and leafless trees. The foreground includes a sidewalk with a few parked cars and a backdrop of overcast skies, while a huge cream-white building looms in the distance.

outside home

A foggy morning view from an El train stop in Edgewater, Chicago. The platform’s blue edge contrasts with the muted tones of the buildings and trees shrouded in mist. Power lines and rooftops are barely visible through the haze, giving the image an ethereal quality.

Inside the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, a hallway illuminated by clusters of hanging orb-shaped lights. The lights cast a warm glow, reflecting off the polished floors. Large windows at the far end of the corridor let in natural light, adding contrast to the darker foreground. This was the Chicago Publicis Sapient Razorfish Rosetta branch.

work

A dimly lit indoor scene with multiple television screens in the background displaying gameplay from a retro-style video game. The screens are scattered across a room illuminated by a few small lights, creating a moody atmosphere. The space appears dark, with just enough light to discern details like the game characters and environment. A bustling urban scene featuring a Chicago "L" train gliding along elevated tracks with a backdrop of modern apartment buildings with reflective glass facades. Below, the street is packed with cars, showcasing the dynamic energy of downtown Chicago. The combination of public transit, dense traffic, and contemporary architecture captures the essence of city life.

Ariana, a striking woman with blonde hair, stands out against a dark background illuminated by string lights in the distance. She wears a black leather jacket, a soft gray scarf, and a charming polka-dotted dress. Her broad smile and the contrast of light and shadow highlight her warm, approachable demeanor.

ariana

My apartment in Edgewater, Chicago, captured in a cozy indoor shot. On the right, Katie sits comfortably, surrounded by a backdrop of a fully stocked bookshelf, a colorful patchwork quilt on the couch, and subtle reflections in a full-length mirror to the left, where I can be seen taking the photo.

myself + katie (compare)

A high-rise apartment building with unique staggered balconies reaching into the sky, partially obscured by a thumb in the bottom left corner of the frame. The surrounding trees and bright, clear sky add to the scene's open feel, contrasting with the geometric architecture of the building. The exterior of a brick building with ornate details above the windows, which housed a Rogers Park salon where I used to get my hair cut. The photo captures the charm of Chicago's neighborhood architecture, blending the historic style with modern urban surroundings.

Katie stands by a vintage yellow payphone, holding the receiver to her hand with a thoughtful expression. The black iron gate in the background adds a contrast to the soft tones of her patterned summer dress and her wavy hair.

katie (petri camera)

A portrait of me standing against a two-tone brick wall, wearing a gray tank top with maroon accents and khaki shorts. My arms reveal subtle tattoos, and I wear a watch on one wrist, my posture relaxed yet composed in the soft natural light.

myself (petri camera)

A faded image of me leaning on a railing, captured in a dimly lit space with a soft light leak on the right side. My profile is partially visible, accentuating my tattooed arm and casual black tank top. The light leak adds a nostalgic, vintage texture to the photograph.

myself + light leak (end of roll on disposable camera, compare)

A dreamy close-up of Yvette with her vibrant purple-pink hair softly lit, blending into an abstract, out-of-focus background. The hues and lighting lend the photo a painterly quality, emphasizing the texture of her hair and the cryptic expression on her face.

yvette (petri camera)

I love and miss Chicago, but even if I went back, I would never have these times again, and I’d never be in the same mindsets and mental spaces as I was when I took these. I think there was a reason why so many of these photos were darkened or included a lot of mist and fog.

There was a lot of color in these times, but it was set against muted tones and greys, which lines up with how I think of this time, too. It was just months before I’d leave Chicago. Some friends had already left, and even the new connections I was making had ties to the west. It would be time to say goodbye very soon.

Thaw: March 2016
My LA Soul: Early May 2016


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