Dennis Elliott doesn’t just call himself a photographer, he calls himself a “photo enthusiast.” His passion for the craft is evident: at just 20, he’s amassed an impressive following on Instagram (@ddesigns_ ) and has his sights set on a career in photography. A native of the south side of Chicago, he captures striking scenes throughout the city.
Every year the Chicago Architecture Foundation presents Open House Chicago, a weekend-long event that gives the public behind-the-scenes access to 150 buildings across Chicago. Curious attendees can wander into incredible places, like the vault of the Chicago Board of Trade building or the wings of the Oriental Theatre. For My Modern Midwest, Dennis captured impossible views and incredible angles of Chicago landmarks during this architectural free-for-all.
The view looking north from Perkins + Will, a design firm located in the IBM building in downtown Chicago. Definitely one of my favorite stops of the weekend—a nearly perfect 360° view!
Looking southeast from Perkins + Will. My goal with #OpenHouseChicago was to get some great views of downtown and I definitely did.
The windows of Tip Top Tap/Allerton Hotel, a location that hasn’t been open to the public since 1961. Big names like Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball used to perform here.
The sweet view from the Allerton Hotel. I really enjoyed this unique look down Michigan.
Such an awesome vantage point on the city! Taken from Lakepoint tower, you can nearly see all of Chicago from here.
Looking south from Lakepoint tower. I think I can see my house from here.
A look down on the tourist trap known as Navy Pier. Though the Ferris wheel can provide some cool views, most Chicagoans stay clear away from it. Beautiful from a distance, though!
A Northwest view from Lakepoint. Quite possibly my favorite view from Lakepoint tower, and that’s a difficult choice, considering how many gorgeous views it has.
The grand interior of the Oriental Theatre. I had never been inside this theater and it was one my last stops of the weekend. So glad I stopped in because this was quite stunning to see in person.