Aerial Drone Video Shows Buckingham Fountain's Gorgeous Symmetry From Above

By Rachel Cromidas in Arts & Entertainment on May 30, 2017 8:33PM

At its best, summertime in Chicago means clear skies and a bustling lakefront. With Memorial Day Weekend heralding the unofficial start of summer in the city, art director and videographer Will Ryan sent an aerial drone above Grant Park and Navy Pier to create something of a love letter to early summer in Chicago. The result includes a quietly gorgeous overhead shot of Buckingham Fountain like we've never seen it before.

Ryan, 26, of Lakeview, used a DJI Mavic he purchased about a month ago to get the shots.

"In all honesty, I've just been practicing on not crashing it and how to handle it," he told Chicagoist via email. "It's such a new and exciting way for me to create photos and videos. It's absurdly nerve-racking to learn how to fly it in the city. Cars, buildings, pigeons, water, and helicopters aren’t really friendly to a tiny flying camera."

Now that drone videos have become increasingly common, Ryan says he wants to experiment with more creative, cinematic shots that can show even very well-trodden locations in a new light. He started with Grant Park's iconic Buckingham Fountain.

"I had seen photos of Buckingham from above and thought it would be a great spot to zip around. It may not be obvious when you're at ground level, but the fountain forms a perfectly symmetrical geometric pattern from above," he said.

Have a look at the full video, above.