How we photographed lake jumpers on a warm Chicago day
This week’s top photo comes from Visual Journalist Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere. Follow him on X, Bluesky and Instagram.
What makes this photo important?
Chicago is known for being a coastal city, so this image of some foolhardy boys jumping into Lake Michigan to cool off is a great visual representation of people enjoying this week’s unseasonably warm weather. The image also screams “Chicago” with the Gold Coast in the skyline and our iconic concrete beaches.
How I got this picture
When assigned to cover weather, I already have some general ideas of how to tell the visual story based on the conditions. For warm weather, I look for people swimming, enjoying the water, the beach, running, walking or biking along the lakefront. With those ideas in mind, I headed to the Lincoln Park and North Avenue Beach areas. I walked by a group of boys from the Theodore Roosevelt High School football team who were jumping into the lake to cool off. After observing them for a while, we approached one another and chatted about how cold the water was and whether I could continue getting images of them jumping. A few agreed, and I moved in closer, setting up on one of the safety ladders that dot the concrete beaches to get a low enough angle to put the guys and the city in the same frame. I took off my shoes and socks, removed all electronics from my pockets, climbed down the ladder, planted my feet onto the last rung of the ladder that was submerged in the frigid lake and looped my arm around a higher rung. The water was almost up to my knees. After they splashed into the water, I made a mad dash up the ladder to make way for the boys to climb out as quickly as possible.
Plus, 16 more great photos from Sun-Times photojournalists:
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Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
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Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
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Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
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Giacomo Cain/Sun-Times
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Giacomo Cain/Sun-Times
Richard Smith shows off the ring of his son, former University of Michigan player Mike Smith, during a March Madness viewing party Sunday at Duffy’s Tavern in Lincoln Park.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Protesters waving a Mexican flag and holding a sign that reads “Abolish ICE” drive past a free speech zone on March 27 outside O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 1.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
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Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
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Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Chicago Fire Department firefighters pay their respects on March 26 during the public visitation for Chicago Firefighter/EMT Michael Altman at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
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Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
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Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
Gov. Mike Braun peers out at the tracks along the South Shore Line Monon Corridor from Hammond, Indiana, on Tuesday.
Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Resilience Healthcare CEO Manoj Prasad stands among reporters as they speak to Dr. Chidinma Osineme after a press conference Wednesday to discuss the financial situation at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park. Prasad announced that he was temporarily closing West Suburban’s hospital, emergency room and outpatient clinics.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Glen Hansard performs at SPACE Evanston on Tuesday.
Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times
(From left) Marcelo Ruiz, Monsé Maldonado, Noah Vega and Ariana Solis learn bicycle skills and safety tips from the All Kids Bike program Monday at Sidney Sawyer Elementary School in Gage Park.
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