Watch

Finding Beauty in Chicago

Creator:
Published:
December 12, 2023
January 31, 2022
Watch how photographer Matt Dunlap explores Chicago on a one wheel.

Photographer Matt Dunlap is an expert at seeking out beauty in new cities. Being immersed in the setting is essential to his work, and his preferred method of transportation reflects that — though it may surprise you.

“If you can explore a town and not have to walk, if you can be in the middle between walking and driving, to me, that's the best.”

Video Transcript

Meet Matt: photographer

(He films himself as he rides his Oneheel through Chicago, catching scenery of the city as he goes)

Matt Dunlap: One of my favorite things to do photo-wise or video-wise is, of course, explore places I've never been. Used to be I'd always be on my bike doing this, and you'd have to wear a helmet and sometimes Lycra, and I found a better way. And that better way came to me two years ago in the form of the Onewheel.

[Phone navigation voice] Turn left toward West Lasalle Drive.

(Matt rides through long tunnel)

Matt: It is the funnest way to see a town or city or explore something new. You can hit trails on it. You can blast down streets, sidewalks. You can get 15 miles an hour. Doesn't take too long to learn it.

If you ever see someone in the wild on one of these, and you're interested, ask them if you can test it out. Most people let you. You don't know how much fun they are and how useful they can be until you ride one. And what else do I got to say about this?

To me, if you can explore a town and not have to walk, because walking takes forever and it stinks. It sucks. Driving — you miss too much because you've got to pay attention, traffic, idiots, people on bikes. You've got to watch out for these things. So if you can be in the middle between walking and driving, to me, that's the best.

And it's just so much more immersive on a bike, a Onewheel, whatever it may be to me. You just hop off, take photo, take video, take it while you're moving, whatever you've got to do. It's just, it's a big thing of fun. Big thing of fun? Big bag of fun.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
December 12, 2023
January 31, 2022
On a related note...
Grief Can Make the Holidays Beautiful if We Let It

Grief Can Make the Holidays Beautiful if We Let It

Genevieve Nield

Listen to Ancient Music Revived by Technology

Listen to Ancient Music Revived by Technology

Grotto Shares

This Worldwide Peace Movement is a Call to Unity

This Worldwide Peace Movement is a Call to Unity

Katie Faley

Empowered Employment for Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Empowered Employment for Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Grotto

"God ate"

"God ate"

Bond Warner Strong

8 Ways We Can Join the Fight to Help the Earth

8 Ways We Can Join the Fight to Help the Earth

Lauren Fritz

Starting a Business: Your Checklist

Starting a Business: Your Checklist

Grotto

Fashion Shows Raise Awareness of the Effects of Violence on a Community

Fashion Shows Raise Awareness of the Effects of Violence on a Community

Grotto

Making Space for the Women Who Make Space

Making Space for the Women Who Make Space

Kelly Sankowski

Why 2021 is the Perfect Year to Look to St. Joseph

Why 2021 is the Perfect Year to Look to St. Joseph

Theresa Sullivan

Pizza: The Ultimate Communal Food

Pizza: The Ultimate Communal Food

Mike Jordan Laskey

A reflective narrative by Mike Jordan Laskey.

4 Ways to Respond When Your Goals Feel Out of Reach

4 Ways to Respond When Your Goals Feel Out of Reach

Robert Christian

Cambrae Fox Sings 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' | #SeekChristmas

Cambrae Fox Sings 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' | #SeekChristmas

Grotto

Archeologist Works to Save Sites from California Wildfires

Archeologist Works to Save Sites from California Wildfires

Grotto

Learning from the Social-Distance Experts

Learning from the Social-Distance Experts

Grotto Shares

Praying in a Deer Stand

Praying in a Deer Stand

Grotto Shares

St. Benedict Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Benedict Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

What It’s Really Like to Give Away a Kidney

What It’s Really Like to Give Away a Kidney

Josh Noem

Finding Hope in a 100-Mile Race

Finding Hope in a 100-Mile Race

Lillie Rodgers

What I Believe About the Things I Tell Myself

What I Believe About the Things I Tell Myself

Anna White

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.