Board of Trade #1 – Sepia Toned Holga Photograph of Chicago Board of Trade

Art Deco Grandeur Through a Plastic Lens

his is one of two images I created of the Chicago Board of Trade Building during a walking tour of the city—my camera of choice: a simple plastic Holga loaded with 120-size black and white film. While I initially scanned the negative in grayscale, I ultimately returned to a warm sepia tone for the final image. It just felt right—echoing both the building’s Art Deco elegance and the vintage spirit of early 20th-century Chicago.

A Towering Symbol of Chicago’s Financial History

Rising at 141 West Jackson Boulevard, this architectural icon was designed by Holabird & Root and completed in 1930. At 605 feet tall, it’s crowned with a 31-foot statue of Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture—a nod to the Board’s historic role in the commodities market. Sculptural flourishes by Alvin Meyer add classical detail to its monumental form.

Capturing Presence with a Lo-Fi Camera

I found the building to be massive, powerful, and stoic. My goal with this vertical composition was to capture that presence. The tight framing, upward tilt, and slight lens distortion from the Holga combine to lend the structure a kind of quiet heroism. That’s the magic of this little plastic camera—it simplifies and exaggerates just enough to create something expressive.

A Companion in Contrast

Its companion piece, “Board of Trade #2,” offers a horizontal, more expansive perspective. But this image sets the tone—literally and figuratively—placing the viewer right at the base of this urban giant and inviting them to look up in awe.

Available in a Limited Edition of 15, with 2 Artist Proofs.