This week’s top photo comes from Visual Journalist Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere. Follow him on X, Blue Sky and Instagram.
What makes this photo great?
A lot of elements came together in this grim photo in which Annette Prince, director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, recovers a dead red-breasted merganser. While Prince was trying to keep from tripping over the large ice chunks of ice on the beach, the merganser went slack in her hand, leading to a better visual of what she’s holding. Cloudy skies and rough waters added to the tone of this image.
The biggest element that brings this photo together is Chicago’s iconic skyline in the background. I purposefully composed this image to use the skyline as a scene setter, so that the viewer would instantly know that this wasn’t just some stock image from somewhere in the world. This was right here in Chicago.
How did you get the shot?
While on my way to a portrait assignment at the University of Chicago, I decided to check out 35th Street Beach to get photos of weather features. When I got to the roundabout near the parking lot, I noticed two vehicles with the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors logo on them, and understood almost instantly that they were likely on the beach recovering dead birds.
I rushed out, ran over to where Annette Prince was and started photographing her doing her grim job. When she recovered the third red-breasted merganser on the beach, I ran to her right side to try to get the Chicago skyline in the photo to add more visual context.
A lot of what goes into these types of photos is being in the right place at the right time and thinking incredibly fast on your feet. This wasn’t my assignment. This was something I was doing to kill time before my real assignment. I had to squeeze as much creativity as I could in as short amount of time as possible while also conducting basic general journalistic practices, including taking count of how many dead birds were on the beach, getting contact phone numbers for reporters to follow up and conducting an interview with Prince on the beach.
Technical details:
- Equipment: Nikon Z with a 24-70mm f2.8 lens
- Focal length: 30mm
- Aperature: f/4.5
- Exposure: 1/800 second
- ISO: 200
16 more great photos from the Sun-Times staff
(From left) Detroit Lions wide receiver David Montgomery greets former Chicago Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara during a visit to radio row at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 speaks to reporters during a news conference at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
A model has her hair styled during an event with Keke Palmer at the DuSable Black History Museum, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
Jaime Barreto cooks eggs in the kitchen at Wishbone, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. Some restaurants have raised their menu prices due to a shortage of eggs.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
Leticia Espinosa, one of the owners of Colores Mexicanos in Streeterville, sits in her Northwest side home during “A Day Without Immigrants” on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
(From left) Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore wipes chicken wing sauce off Rome Odunze’s face while promoting Bounty paper towels during a visit to radio row at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Newly graduated Police Officers salute during colors at the Chicago Police Department Recruit Graduation Ceremony at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
A pair of people cross Wabash Avenue at Lake Street in The Loop, as rain showers fall across the Chicago area, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.,
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid speaks to reporters during a news conference at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Police officers work the scene in an alley behind the 1800 block of S. Ridgeway Ave., where police shot Kurt K. Kilbert after allegedly exchanging gunfire with him, according to police, while they were responding to a robbery call, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling salutes a graduate at the Chicago Police Department Recruit Graduation Ceremony at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Waves from the lake hit frozen walkways near Fullerton Beach, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. Freezing rain and snow are expected on Saturday afternoon.
Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 speaks during the Super Bowl Opening Night fueled by Gatorade at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman C.J. Hanson #61 sits at a player as reporters move around the room and interview his teammates at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times