CEGU

I have lived near 31st Street Beach since my family and I made Chicago our new home from Nigeria. This was my first time living so close to a vast body of water. Until I started college three years ago, my family had been wary of lakes and oceans—none of us knew how to swim, a fear that kept us at a cautious distance. Yet we would still visit Lake Michigan once or twice each summer, spreading ourselves out on the warm sand, basking in the sun and the vibrant community around us. Even though we lived just a five-minute walk away, our beach visits remained infrequent.

College changed everything. Living near Promontory Point gradually dissolved my water-related anxieties. I learned to trust the water—first dipping my toes, then floating, and eventually swimming. The lake – front became my sanctuary. I would come alone to study, to BMX, to write in my journal, to sketch the world around me. With friends, I’d spread a blanket on the rocks, play our favorite albums from a portable speaker, and pass a volleyball back and forth, all while drinking in the breathtaking expanse of Lake Michigan.

A revelation struck me: Why not embrace the beach right at my doorstep with the same enthusiasm? The summer before my second year of college became a personal mission of discovery. I visited 31st Street Beach relentlessly—sometimes alone, sometimes with my little brother, often with friends. I swam in the refreshing waters, sunbathed on the sand, and even joined strangers in impromptu volleyball matches. But more than anything, I fell in love with the view.

As a nature photographer, I was drawn to capture this evolving landscape. On a hot summer day, I returned with my camera, documenting not just the beach, but the entire journey from my apartment. I chose to take these photos in black and white to distill the timeless essence of this urban oasis, once mere steps away, yet worlds apart, until I transformed it from a faraway place to my everyday landscape—my visual narrative of transformation, resilience, closeness, and connection.

The beach’s design is a testament to urban beauty. On the sandy beach is an elevated wooden pavilion that bursts with DJs, live music, and dancing from daylight till sundown. A stone pathway elegantly divides the sandy shore from the harbor, leading to a raised area adorned with grass and massive rocks. From this vantage point, the Chicago skyline unfolds in all its magnificent glory—my apartment building nestled within this urban landscape. To the right, a children’s playground buzzes with energy and life. With each visit, I discovered new layers of stimulation and wonder.