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 →