The idea to do a small photographic documentary on the Elkins, Glady and Bemis areas came up during a recent vacation in West Virginia. It was a first for me in this form. At the end I realized that the lifestyle and people there were not that different from those of Chicago Metro, or other places for that matter, at all. It was just that the demands and dynamics of life were slightly different…

Impressions of West Virginia from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

A multi dimensional excursion through the Elkins, Glady and Bemis areas of West Virginia, as seen in August of 2010.

Thank you to those who willingly agreed to be photographed by a stranger with a big photo camera and a mid Atlantic accent …and thank you also for sharing your stories with us.

We are very excited to share the first photographs of our new 2000 sq. ft. interior design showroom in Downtown Chicago, located in the hip and hot Grand Avenue Design District http://www.grandavenuedesigndistrict.com/index.html at 2248 West Grand Ave.

Kevin, Steve and I have been working on creating this new showroom to be an inviting and pleasant space where one can find unique and hip vintage and re-purposed furniture, architectural and nature fine art photography and other cool home accessories. We are planning on having a grand opening party later this fall.

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As you can see there are great finds here and should you not be local to the Chicago area, we invite you to visit either http://statestreetsalvage.com/index.html or our virtual store at http://www.mariankrausphotography.com/store-2/ to browse our various items.

To read our corresponding press release, please follow http://www.mariankrausphotography.com/news/. Stay tuned for more to come.

To view more of my fine art photography please view this gallery

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Mysterious Universes from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

Recently, a good friend of mine came across some awesome medical charts that were made over about 100 years ago. While they show amazing and crafty details of the inner workings of the human body, my eye immediately started clicking as I saw the inherent abstractions and interplay of form, shape and color in them. The contemporary multimedia presentation shows you close up segments, timeless extractions from an era long gone. These make great wall decor collages and a selection is available for purchase at our store

To view additional Marian Kraus Fine Art Photography please follow me here

G Skin & Beauty Institute from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

Marian Kraus Photography’s representation of the latest state of the art campus addition of the G Beauty Schools in Oak Brook, IL. The aesthetic appeal and design features of the space coupled with the highest grade educational standards and work ethics of the ownership and management team clearly set a top notch benchmark for beauty schools anywhere.

For over 30 years the Hair Professionals Academy/G Beauty Institutes family of beauty schools has been the first step for thousands of hair and skin beauty professionals. The educational programs the schools offer are second to none as a result of a constant quest to offer students the best education available in the beauty industry. This recent campus addition enhances the existing Las Vegas, NV and Naperville and West Dundee locations in Illinois.

The institutes offer 3 different beauty programs for students to chose from: cosmetology, esthetics, and make-up. As a graduate of any of the programs the students will enter the beauty profession with the confidence of a solid education and training for a promising future in a sought after industry. A must see for those seeking an education in this market segment as well as those who want to be pampered…check it out!

Experience a multimedia presentation showcasing the awesome Kerasotes ShowPlace ICON Theater at Roosevelt Collection in Chicago, IL and read more about it here

Kerasotes Showplace ICON Theater from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing this awesome, state of the art movie theater on behalf of my client Graycor Construction. The photo shoot began at 4:00 AM and enabled me to capture the space in its unobstructed beauty.

The ShowPlace ICON theater, located at the Roosevelt Collection on the north side of Roosevelt Road just west of Clark in the South Loop, redefines how movies are enjoyed in Chicago with a multi-sensory experience of lounge, dining and digital widescreen picture and sound.  Luxurious design, state of the art technology and delectable dining converge into a fresh cinematic experience.

Chicago-based Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres LLC selected Graycor Construction to perform the interior build-out of this new 100,000-square-foot, fourth-floor flagship location. The customer-focused design extends beyond the Lobby Lounge to 16 ICON auditoriums with stadium seating and two ICON VIP Premium auditoriums. Graycor Construction has built several theaters for Kerasotes in recent years throughout Illinois and Indiana

Kerasotes Showplace ICON Theater from Marian Kraus on Vimeo.

The Lobby Lounge

The lounge comes from the mind of celebrated restaurateur, Jerry Kleiner, whose venues 33 Club, Carnivale, Marché, Red Light, Opera and Gioco are among the most popular and original nightspots in Chicago. Custom designed furniture, bar, and lighting create a warm, lavish but edgy atmosphere that captures the glamour of Hollywood where guests can enjoy amazing views of the Chicago skyline. Guests 21 years and older may enjoy cocktails, wine, or beer with savory food made from fresh ingredients in the lounge or VIP Premium seating areas.

The Film Presentation

Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres is serious about making every presentation a premier event and giving guests the magic of the movies. Cutting edge digital cinema projectors – capable of displaying 35 trillion colors – allows each frame to appear exactly how the director imagined it. The projectors produce the brightest images available with unparalleled accuracy on giant wall-to-wall screens. ShowPlace ICON TheatreSM has five screening rooms equipped with RealD 3D technology for the brightest 3D presentations in the market. High-performance digital sound systems let you hear every whisper of dialogue and experience every explosion in full digital detail, without being overwhelmed. The two VIP Premier auditoriums have sound systems powered by 26,000 watts of power for distortion free listening.

My wife and I had chosen to view a movie at this cinema on one of our date nights and can strongly recommend it to anyone who is seeking to experience the next level in the worlds of cinema and entertainment. Give it a go, two thumbs up for sure.

In the meantime, I invite you to view additional images of my interior architectural photography.

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Marian Kraus Photography presents you with a high dynamic multi media show of travel, architecture and nature photography collected along the way of his 12 years as a professional photographer.

With more than a decade of experience, Marian Kraus Photography has developed a reputation for providing the highest quality of fine art photography for travel, architecture and nature assignments.

The Chicago-based photographer has an eye for the unusual, finding beauty in everyday objects. Through apt use of composition, a mastery of light and an unmatched eye for detail, Marian Kraus can take a seemingly mundane assignment and turn it into something exciting and engaging.

At its best, photography is a fine art. One glance at Marian Kraus’ travel work will confirm that to even the most sceptical critic. The work features bright, vibrant photos that enmesh the viewer in the smells, tastes and feel of faraway places. After looking at a Marian Kraus travel photo you aren’t just left feeling that you have been there – you are convinced of it.

The challenge of architecture work is making the everyday stand out. Marian Kraus does that with exterior shots that literally pop off the page.

The art of nature photography is taking the already beautiful and finding ways to make it even more special. With spectacular detail, Marian Kraus does just that.

Marian Kraus Photography is eager to take your next photo assignment and turn it into a piece of fine art.

Uniquely Innovative and Functional Designs of Re-Purposed Furniture & Residential Accessories.

Marian Kraus adds life to refurbished furniture from the State Street Salvage in Chicago through creative photography.  Kraus’s skill in fine art photography resurrects these otherwise trashed works and gives them a whole new purpose.

Re-inventing the average and mundane into something irregular and exotic is not an easy thing to do. Yet, that’s exactly what Marian Kraus Photography does with its advertising photography.

Let’s face it – your product may be many things, but pretty or interesting to look at is not likely one of them. Functionality, after all, is the cornerstone of any great product. However, when you are attempting to attract potential customers it is essential that you grab their attention and keep it.

That’s where Marian Kraus comes in. By utilizing his skill as a photographer your boring widget can truly be transformed into a piece of art.

Looking at Marian Kraus’ work with Chicago’s State Street Salvage illustrates that perfectly. Taking the raw images of refurbished furniture and the tools used to refurbish it, Marian Kraus finds to compel the viewer. It’s not often that a sander can be made to look like art, but with Marian Kraus’ skilled eye it becomes an object that you can’t take your eyes off of.

More importantly, it also becomes an image that compels you to seek out more information about State Street Salvage. And in a hyper-competitive business market that’s invaluable. Also invaluable is what Marian Kraus’ advertising photography can bring to you.

A dynamic sensory tour through one of the most amazing cities in the world…Chicago.

The essence of a city is its architecture. A city’s skyline is often the most enduring image in people’s minds and what is most recalled by those that live elsewhere. Whether it’s the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis or New York City’s Statue of Liberty, buildings are inherently identified with cities.

A city’s architecture, of course, is more than its signature buildings however. The nooks and crannies of an urban landscape are unique to every city. Marian Kraus’ architecture photography is invaluable in seeking out and capturing those images that give cities their character. When Marian Kraus takes his talented eye to a city, he will find all the ways that make it special – including those that may not be self-evident to those that live there now.

A native of one of the most vibrant and photographed cities in the world – Chicago — Marian Kraus has brilliantly turned his attention to his hometown. The result is remarkable. Through his architecture photography, Marian Kraus re-invents Chicago, but at the same time captures images that are un-mistakenly of that city.

Marian Kraus’ architecture photography can create that type of feeling in any urban settling in America and beyond.

How do you break loose from a 20 year corporate job and begin an unrelated creative profession…? Find out the inspiring story of Marian Kraus Photography. Personal insights behind his advertising and fine art photography and the descent of his Muse are being shared in this intimate story.

How does someone break away from a two decade corporate career in the steel industry to become Chicago’s best commercial and fine art photographer? If you are Marian Kraus, you do so by following your passions and inspirations and by never second guessing the decision to leave the protective comfort of the corporate world for the uncertainty of fine art photography.

The people of Chicago and beyond should be grateful of Marian Kraus’ bravery. Relieved of the shackles of the corporate world, Kraus has embarked on a decade plus of creative work that is both breathtaking and inspiring.

By taking a fine art approach to his commercial work Kraus’ creates work that is both effective from a marketing perspective and worthwhile from an artistic level as well.  It’s clear that photography is a passion for Kraus. His work makes that self-evident.

Today Kraus continues to provide the highest quality of fine art photography for travel, architecture and nature assignments to clients. He is able to find beauty in the mundane and is a master of composition, light and use of colour.

Effective commercial photography blurs the boundaries of art versus commerce. As a fine art photographer Marian Kraus epitomizes that. Put him to work for you.