Abandoned Chicagoland: Rust on the Prairies

by Jerry Olejniczak

Chicago is known the world over for its architecture and theater, as well as a myriad of other tourist sights. Visitors, however, usually only see the "nice" parts of the city, mostly the heavily gentrified corridor between the Loop's business district and the baseball shrine of Wrigley Field. But every city has its dark and dirty side, and Chicago is no exception. Economic upheaval and racial segregation, as well as the more mundane ravages of time, have created pockets of blight and abandonment. The strange transformations brought on by years of decay can be both tragic and beautiful. This effect is all the more poignant when it happens a stone's throw from the opulence of the Magnificent Mile. The photos within showcase the area's neglected, sometimes forgotten places, from shuttered industrial areas to churches whose congregations have moved on. This book presents portraits of the old, abandoned and off-the-beaten-path places across all of Chicagoland. See what happens when the doors close, nature takes over, and the din of humanity fades away.

Genres: Photography

96 pages, Paperback

Published June 28, 2021

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love photography. And although I don't do it often, I love urban exploration. In this book, urbex photographer Jerry Olejniczak shares several photos he's taken while exploring abandoned places in the Chicago area, while also being both a guide on urban exploration and photography, in addition to his personal thoughts on both. While the photos are clearly the stars of this book - and trust me when I say that you should check them out, because they are amazing - I also really enjoyed the author's narrative bits as well. He doesn't really go into too much detail about certain aspects - including usually not revealing the exact locations of the places he's photographed, which he said is a rule many who do urban exploration follow - which can be a bit of a drawback, but that really didn't bother me. I'm sure there are other books out there that go into detail about what camera to use in urban exploration photography, or other aspects that this book doesn't really cover, but honestly, for what it is, Abandoned Chicagoland was a great and quick read. And truthfully, it gave me an idea for something I want to see if I can try when it comes to photography and abandoned buildings...but I'll keep that a secret for now. :)

[andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome urban decay photography genre