“Before he started making movies, Stanley Kubrick was a star photojournalist. In the summer of 1949, Look magazine sent him to Chicago to shoot pictures for a story called “Chicago City of Contrasts.”
- Chicago Tribune
…..
All images from the Library of Congress
Thank you to Katie Nichols
Wicked !
These are beautiful images. thanks
I don’t know how these pix rate as photojournalism or how they satisfied LOOK’s assignment, but having my own memories of Chicago and some of the actual locations I can say they they capture nothing of the essence of Chicago as I experienced it.
Beautiful images.
It’s not surprising that such a celebrated filmmaker would also turn out to be an inspired photographer.
I believe the pics commented to be from the Merchandise mart, were actually at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Although by name, easy to confuse, they are significantly different locations, and of course, different businesses.
Looks amazing, I’m curious about the stories behind the photo’s. Who were these people, and where are they now?
I cannot find the first image of State Street at the LOC website. Anyone else? Is it part of the same collection?
Yes, those pictures of guys shouting and making hand gestures are from the pit of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the world’s largest largest derivative (options) market at the time. Interestingly enough, it’s never been automated, because they’ve never been able to work up a computer system as efficient as the shouts and hand gestures.
How did he go from this to Eyes Wide Shut.
One can clearly see his use of light here, Genious…
There are all amazing, but photos 21, 33, 27, 29, 6, 22 are have been mislabled by you. The Merchandise Mart is a shopping center. These pictures are actually of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or Chicago Board of Trade. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Allan – Thanks for raising this. I took the labels from the Library of Congress, which uses the term “merchandise mart”, as you can see:
Thanks Chris…looks like I need to talk with the Library of Congress about this (NOTE: I work for CME Group). I’ve shared the post internally and with a number of traders who all love this great find of yours.
Allan
Thanks Allan. It would be extremely cool to think that your comments altered the LOC records.
Thank you for putting this together. I am the same age as the schoolgirl, my father and uncle worked at Armour & Co and in the stock yards, an uncle and cousin at US Steel at 79th and the Lake, my wife as a teen lying about her age as a uniformed usher at the Chicago Theater. Great place to grow up in in the 40′s and 50′s.
Oh forgot, the blond wrestler operated under the name “Gorgeous George” had a great following along the housewives.
Photography, just like sports… is all about being at the right place at the right time.
Something cops are never able to do.
these are very amazing!if you had seen behind the scenes of “shinning”, you see his photo-sensitive talent.
Everyone has his or her own Chicago. It’s great to see Kubrick’s.
clancy sigal
Thanks for posting these. Stanley was such a great artist, and I miss him dearly.
Wow! These photos are awesome!!! Thanks for sharing! =)
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos of the great Mister Kubrick.
Such a mood establishing shots! Thanks.
Haha, thanks for sharing, this is amazing.
Interesting stuff. I particularly like the chiaroscuro styled shots.
Obviously a talented individual from the start.
RIP Stanley Kubrick… Gone but not forgotten!
Realy Classic Images! Very Nice Post!! I appreciate your Work!!!
Thanks
John
(214) 614-7038
These shots show that he had an eye but not the technique. Early days.
I do think the man’s talent is over-rated somewhat and that his contribution to the sum of human knowledge exaggerated.
“Wheat” and “Corn” would have been CBoT, not CME.
James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, confessed that one of his sartorial inspirations was the one and only “Gorgeous George” Wagner. Nice to see him here.
The photos captioned “Men working at Merchandise Mart” are incorrect. They are trading at the Chicago Board of Trade at LaSalle & Jackson. The Merchandise Mart was then a wholesale exhibitors building at and is at Wells & the river.
Superbe…
Looks like quite a town – great photos
The second to the last shot with the child doing chin ups is actually my parents and my oldest brother. The shot was not taken in Chicago, but was taken at our home in Southern Illinois for Look Magazine. Thanks for sharing these — always wonderful to see that shot reappearing.
Sorry to see these negatives in such a poor state.
Noir-World.
very cool images,love the series
I am looking for feedback on my blog
kimblackandwhite.blogspot.com
For any of you jazz fans, the cornetist in #24 (“Club”) is quite clearly Muggsy Spanier.
Nice images–interesting to see what Kubrick focused on way back then.
Anyone no where I can find this photo on the LOC ,web site I found all the others but not this one.
The photo of the man, women, and the baby chinning himself are my mother, father, and older brother. This was not taken in Chicago but in southern Illinois. This photo was part of a 4 page spread for Look magazine in 1947.