The Grand Staircase of Lake Park, designed by renowned Milwaukee architect Alfred C. Clas, has connected the pavilion (now Lake Park Bistro), to the lakefront since 1908. It was in 2022 that Kyler Lueck used the staircase as the centerpiece of this quintessentially melancholy portrait of Midwest November, in all its fading fall and implied, impending winter.

It was also a time of transition for Lueck as a photographer, as his hobby evolved into a freelance business supplementing his day job as a graphic designer. We asked him about this shot and his photography:

What “makes” this photo?

My favorite thing about the photo is the fall gloominess that still carries a sense of peace and wonder for the viewer. The Grand Staircase is such a recognizable yet hidden gem in Milwaukee, and I wan

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