12 stunning photos of frozen Lake Michigan in Chicago’s deep freeze

Most people retreat indoors when temperatures plummet below zero. Chicago Sun-Times photojournalist Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere heads toward the water. Whether on assignment or not, his passion for shooting outdoors compels him to chase the conditions others avoid.

LaRiviere said these photographs — captured on Jan. 22 and 23 — look more like abstract paintings to him, with the ice formations creating otherworldly shapes and patterns. But what draws LaRiviere back to the frozen lake is its rhythm as waves interact with pancake ice, the circular or pebble-shaped discs seen floating on the water.

“The lake looked like it was constantly rolling, like little humps coming into the shore. And as such, the ice almost looked like it was breathing. A rhythmic motion,” LaRiviere said.

Pancake ice, from 30 centimeters to 3 meters in diameter, forms when flat chunks bump up against each other to build up the signature raised edge along the rim. Lake Michigan's winter waves and cold, similar to Arctic and Antarctic seas, have the conditions needed for its formation. Zachary Yack, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, told the Sun-Times pancake ice begins forming in the Great Lakes once temperatures drop into the teens and remain below freezing for extended periods.

“Getting them is a yearly occurrence here in the Chicagoland area,” Yack said.

LaRiviere emphasizes that layering clothing properly and understanding your physical limits are important when shooting in cold weather.

“If you’re starting to feel pins and needles in your extremities, you need to go,” LaRiviere said.

Beyond physical preparation, “patience is essential,” since cold temperatures affect equipment performance, cameras operate more slowly and drones deplete their batteries much faster.

“Work fast, work deliberately, and just know your limits, always."

These 12 photos were captured by LaRiviere between Jan. 22-23. He wore four layers of different tops, including his coat, two layers of pants, two layers of socks, insulated boots, goggles, a face wrap and gloves.

Vanessa Lopez is an audience engagement specialist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere is a visual journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times.