EP271: Chicago River Cruise Observations (Part 1) — Konica Big mini HG BM-300 35mm f3.5 with Kodak UltraMax 400

Roll 271

Film: Kodak UltraMax 400 (passed through X-ray scanning inside a lead bag)
Developed & scanned by Li-lai Photo 2025/8/7
Camera: Konica Big mini HG BM-300 35mm f3.5

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There are not many photos in this roll, as most of them were taken of family moments.

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#1
This was day six in Chicago, and by that point I had already shot six rolls of film. I have found that planning roughly one roll per day when traveling is a simple and effective rule of thumb. If you end up shooting more than that, it is probably a sign that you are shooting too much.

 

#2
Today’s plan was to have a meal on a boat.

 

#3
I am not particularly good at photographing food. Mostly because I rarely go back and look at photos of meals.

 

#4
I miss everything about Chicago. The only downside is that direct flights are extremely expensive.

 

#5
When this dish was served, it caught me off guard. It looked exactly like something you would often see in stock photos, a textbook example of “healthy food,” visually clean and highly photogenic, especially if shot with a larger camera.

 

#6
While on the boat, we looked at the buildings along both sides of the river. Yes, these are all historic structures. For someone from Taiwan, where architectural history is relatively short, seeing a city that had already evolved to this level over a hundred years ago is genuinely impressive.

 

#7
My brother pointed out that the “V” used here is actually an older form of the letter “U.”

 

#8
One of the most striking impressions Chicago left on me was its people. What stood out was not just the diversity, but the shared sense of confidence across very different individuals. You can see it in the way people dress for events, in how they carry themselves. It feels very different from Japan, which had been my primary destination in previous trips. Visiting Chicago had a much stronger impact on me.

 

#9
An old factory, the kind you often see in American films.

 

#10
Looking at Chicago’s skyline, the impression is one of economic strength. Looking at skyscrapers in Taiwan, the feeling is often, “Why are housing prices so high?”

 

#11
In the US, it is quite common to see national flags. It feels like a natural expression of identity. In Taiwan, openly displaying that kind of sentiment can sometimes make you stand out in an unexpected way.

 

#12
The bridge behind can be raised. It lifts up to allow larger boats to pass through, which is something I still find very impressive.

This is the first half of the Chicago river cruise, shot with the Konica Big mini HG BM-300 and Kodak UltraMax 400. Thank you for viewing, and thanks to Li-lai Photo for development and scanning, and to my brother for hosting.