Fort Sheridan Water Tower

The Fort Sheridan Water Tower is a tall brick tower on the old army base at Fort Sheridan. It was built in 1889 and modelled on the campanile of St. Mark's in Venice. It looks like a piece of Italy dropped onto the Illinois shore. Built in creamy yellow brick on a stone base, it has a big arched opening at the ground that you can still walk through. It used to be much taller, over 60 metres, until cracks forced it to be trimmed in 1949. Even shortened, it stands well above everything around it. The arch at the base is the perfect framing tool. You can use opening like a tunnel to catch the light on the far side or frame someone in the middle to add a sense of scale. Stepping back into the old parade grounds lets you take in the tower's full height. The open lawn gives you lots of space to experiment with compositions using the barracks lined on each side. That pale brick warms up nicely, so early or late sun is the best time to be here. The old fort is now a residential neighbourhood now so only shoot from the public areas and remember people live here. Nearby, the lakefront and forest preserve are open if you want more to shoot while you're in the area. (Highland Park, Illinois, United States)