Most people, residents and tourists alike, would likely not think of "colorful" as the first adjective to describe Chicago. However, when Judit Prat Martí first arrived to the city from Terrassa (close to Barcelona) in 2019 to study the history of the Universe at the University of Chicago, she was struck by the lively enthusiasm of Chicagoans and created images to match. Chicago in Color is the result of this exploration and a love letter to Chicago and to the people she met in the city. The book presents a new collection of photographs taken in 32 different neighborhoods, showcasing 17 neighborhoods on the South Side, each with a colorful twist.
Chicago in Color will be available in the US in October 2024.
How long have you been a photographer and what initially drew you to the profession?
My main job is actually being a scientist. I’m currently a postdoctoral researcher at NORDITA, the Nordic Institute for Theoretical Physics, which is part of Stockholm University and KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. I study the Universe by analyzing data from galaxy surveys. The distribution of galaxies at very large scales can tell us about the components of the Universe as a function of time, helping us to understand the history of the Universe and how it will evolve in the future.
I got interested in photography while I was doing my doctoral studies, about 10 years ago. It’s fun! I started learning more seriously about it when I moved to Chicago in 2019 – I thought it would be a great way to meet people in a new city. And indeed, it was perfect! The Chicago Photography Classes school is amazing! The teachers are so good, and the vibe of the school is very relaxed and fun – I highly recommend it for anyone interested in photography. I learned a lot and it provided me with a solid foundation and I was able to meet a very nice community of photographers.
What I love most about photography is that when I am taking pictures I am in the present, in a sort of flow that feels very good. I also love that it makes any exploration of the city so much more fun and enjoyable. Suddenly, any trip around the city becomes an opportunity to take pictures of a new place! I also really enjoy the ability to capture the world and share it from my perspective, highlighting beautiful things that often are missed. Finally, I think photography is a way of making visual art for people who cannot draw or paint properly like me.
What made you interested in street photography in particular? And have you ever delved into other subjects?
I wouldn't necessarily classify my work as street photography, but I would call myself a minimalist photographer instead. My photographic interests are diverse - I enjoy capturing nature during hikes or travels, as well as portraits of loved ones. However, my primary aim is to convey beauty through my images, which often translates into a minimalist approach for me. I think that’s because I'm attracted to simple shapes and clean lines, preferring uncluttered compositions. This minimalist philosophy guides most of my work in the book. Also, I find a special joy in photographing the place where you live; it makes me feel more rooted to the city.
What is your process like for shooting a new location?
I would usually take my bike on a Sunday morning and go to a new neighborhood that I was eager to explore. Before setting out, I'd research and map out potentially interesting spots in the area or along my route. It is useful to have an end goal, but I especially like to find spots I haven't identified beforehand – surprises are the best. On top of that, I usually bring my camera along when I have to run some errands and often end up finding something that catches my eye.
Tell me a bit about your editing process.
I love editing, too. That’s when I get to play with the pictures, experimenting with different things. The biggest challenge for me is that since my regular job already involves being on my computer all day, after work I don’t often feel like being on my computer again – thus it is much more likely I end up going for a walk and taking pictures instead. So, generally, I find it a lot harder to make time to edit than to shoot. I found that editing outside my house helps me to find the time to do it. For instance, to make this book I developed a routine of going to the Jackalope Coffee shop on Sunday afternoons, which was just a 20-minute bike ride from my place. I love the vibe there and the music they play, plus their sandwiches are amazing! Since I moved to Stockholm in January, I found a new coffee shop called Volca Coffee Roaster, where I also get inspired to edit. I also love editing in trains. I like watching the landscape change while I edit. If I am editing at home, I always play music. I think the music is an important component for me to get in the editing vibe. Generally, I find the process really enjoyable. However, I can’t edit for longer than one or two hours in a row. I find editing quite intense mentally, and I usually need to take a break every hour or two.
Then, the process is the following: First, I go through the pictures in my camera and delete the ones that are uninteresting or are just plain bad shots. That helps me to keep the selection in the computer manageable when I edit. After transferring them to my computer, I do not generally delete many more at this point, at least not before trying to edit them, since often they change a lot during the process. Sometimes I try to edit one, but I can’t make it work and end up deleting it too. When I see the picture in front of me, I start by cropping anything that bothers me, and just focus on what is interesting. I also use the “transform tool” a lot, the “guided” in particular is one of the most essential tools in Lightroom for me. Then, I try to make the photograph more beautiful by playing with color and tone. I do most of the edits in Lightroom. Sometimes I also go to Photoshop to replace the boring white or pale blue sky with a more vibrant color, which I often find enhances the picture.
Why did you choose to experiment with color in your work?
At the beginning, even before moving to Chicago, about 6 years ago, I wanted to make my Instagram page look nice as a whole. So I had the idea to make all the posts look like a continuous color flow, posting pictures that looked good together in a row. I wanted to end up having a rainbow style page. I named the new account colorsdelavida, which translates to “colors of life” from Catalan, my mother tongue. Then, a few years later, while visiting a friend in Oaxaca, Mexico, I came across the book Tejiendo imágenes from Ana Paula Fuentes. That book was based on a similar idea, putting pictures of colors that looked good together on the same page. The pictures looked similar to mine in style. That’s when Chicago in Color came alive as an idea. I thought, if this book exists, I could make one about Chicago! This was three years ago, and since then I have worked towards making this book a reality.
What advice do you have for up-and-coming photographers?
If you can dream it, you can make it! Believe in yourself while also listening to the feedback of others.
Learn more about Judit Prat Martí and Chicago in Color.