Eclipse of the Republic

On 30 October 1893, the World’s Columbian Exposition (or The Chicago World’s Fair) closed after a six month celebration of Christopher Columbus’s arrival to the New World 400 years before (401 years, actually,… Continue reading

Only human

After a five month hiatus, I finally returned to the fencing scene this weekend photographing the two-day Remenyik Regional Open Circuit tournament at Northwestern University.  Although the new fencing season began months ago,… Continue reading

Two Become One

Throughout the past few years, upon introducing myself as a photographer it was rather common for people to assume that I was, by virtue, a wedding photographer.  Awkwardness often ensued after I would… Continue reading

The Great Chicago Fire and the not-so-great festival

It has been nearly a fortnight since my thirty-first birthday.  I am still mentally absorbing the impact of growing older, though, as I balance out the negatives and the positives.  Fortunately, the balance… Continue reading

Summer reflections

While I had known fully for some time now that autumn is upon us in Chicago, it did not hit me fully until yesterday afternoon.  As I walked around Grant Park downtown with… Continue reading

A tale of two music festivals

My musical taste is a bit eclectic.  The artists in my iTunes library range from Amy Winehouse to Ludwig van Beethoven to Garbage to The Dubliners to Katy Perry to The Rolling Stones. … Continue reading

Living legend

The past week has been a rather productive and inspirational one photographically, despite the fact that I did not pick up an actual camera until the weekend itself.  I am glad to say… Continue reading

Failure is not an option

One does not simply photograph the moon.  It is rather not uncommon to see throughout social media a plethora of grainy images showing a small white dot in a darken sky with a… Continue reading

By land and by sea

The month of July seemed to have flew by like a bat out hell for me (sans a fiery motorcycle crash).  The combination of the many things I had mentioned in the previous… Continue reading

On assignment in Green Lake, Wisconsin

I am glad to say that normal programing is resuming here at K. Dao Photography.  My hiatus from the blogsphere has been due in part to a visit from family earlier in the… Continue reading

The raincoats of MONTANAMILAN

Nine months ago, in one of my very early posts, “Fencing and fashion shoots,” I made mention of a standing client who commissioned me for work on her boutique’s catalogue.  Ms. Carmen Fredrick… Continue reading

Scènes à faire

Someone once asked me if I ever get tired of photographing around downtown Chicago.  “Never,” I quickly responded.  Chicago, or any large city for that matter, is like going to a theater showing… Continue reading

North by northeast and west

I wish I had more time and resources to travel.  To explore the unfamiliar is a tenet of human existence.  Through exploration, an individual transcends from a previous level of thought, knowledge, and experience to… Continue reading

The road to Kenowhere

In a few hours, I will once again be on the road traveling out of Illinois.  Mercifully, not Ohio but rather Michigan.  Traveling with me will be a contingent of my fencing buddies. … Continue reading

Themes out of randomness

Although street photography is often wrought out of spontaneity and randomness, there is usually some theme of sorts that ties the frames together from a day out shooting.  I wish I can declare a more… Continue reading