Cloudy skies don't deter crowds from trying to catch glimpse of "Chicagohenge" on first day of spring

People enjoyed Friday's warm weather while taking in an annual tradition provided by Mother Nature, as determined photographers sought to capture the perfect shot of "Chicagohenge" on the first day of spring.

Jarryd Baynes is a photographer who said he's happy to welcome spring-like temperatures after a roller coaster week weather-wise.

"After the insane weather that we've had over the last month or so, I'm so ready for warmer weather," he said.

The crisp spring air made for a pleasant wait in front of Millenium Park at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street.

"I've been wandering around for about two and a half hours now, so I got off of work at four and just came down here," he said.

He and dozens of other photographers were waiting for what's known as "Chicagohenge," when the sun rises and sets directly between buildings along the city's east-west corridors during the spring equinox.

"It's becoming, you know, kind of a viral thing to do. All these Chicago pages post about it online," he said.

While Friday didn't provide the most iconic views for "Chicagohenge," due to cloudy skies, photographers who gather every year for the biannual event said the experience of getting together with others who enjoy this hobby and passion makes it all worthwhile.

Friday night's cloud cover will prompt many of those photographers return on Saturday night, when there will be clear skies at sunset, but the shared experience on Friday night was the true focal point.

"It feels pretty special. Any time you get a bunch of creatives together, it creates a sort of magical energy," Marcy Nelson said. "We bonded over the fact that we all have cameras, and we're all here to try to get a cool shot, or not, or we just make community."