“Ken Derry has a view of Chicago that is unparalleled. From his perch atop Chicago’s highest structures he has captured images of the city that transcend ordinary photography. His pictures are dazzling, brawny and breathtaking. Derry captures the range of the city’s character: from hard-working and down-to-earth to reaching for that which is beyond our grasp. In this book Derry invites you to sit next him, high above the rest of us and seemingly, just a few feet below the Creator.”
Phil Ponce, Host
Chicago Tonight
“As you study these captivating bird’s eye views of Chicago’s North Loop, one fact makes the images even more extraordinary: These photos were not taken from a helicopter by a professional photographer. Derry illustrates the argument that a camera is just a tool. It’s the photographer who creates the image. With a modest camera, Derry mixes composition and height to capture intriguing images that compel the viewer to linger, taking in every detail.”
Steven Dahlman, Editor
MarinaCityOnline.com
“The view from a tower crane is one of astounding depth, and within these pages, Ken Derry shares with the world his truly unique perspective from high atop Chicago. Derry skillfully grasps the aura of the city from the daily bustle in the business district to the serenity of the sun rising over Lake Michigan. The images of construction workers shaping the skyline are a tribute to the men and women who build Chicago every day and night.”
James M. Sweeney,
President-Business Manager
International Union of Operating Engineers,
Local 150, AFL-CIO
“Even in the crane industry, few people get a chance to see a growing city from a tower crane operator’s perspective. Ken Derry has been working with giant cranes for thirty years, and taking photos from his cab throughout his career. They give a unique insight into a life worked above the clouds.
Derry’s photos give a new appreciation of the work that goes into building the modern city: days that start as the sun rises and ends as its sets, ironworkers who spend their lives among the lattice work of cranes hundreds of feet above the ground, and crane operators who view it all from their swaying perches.
From this height, the city is seen with new eyes. Instead of the canyons that soar above us as we walk along Michigan Avenue, Derry sees the city’s skyscrapers as glass and steel islands in an ocean of cloud; where the city might feel cramped and enclosing on the ground, from the sky Derry sees an open prairie of twinkling lights.”
Will North, Deputy Editor
Cranes Today
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