Some of you intelligent people out there may already know of Grouper or the artist Liz Harris, who goes by this name. I really love her albums and knew from the way she makes lushness out of silence that it would be a huge challenge to photograph her at Constellation in Chicago for the 20th Anniversary of Kranky Records (An amazing record label, by the way) on Friday evening. But still, I felt it necessary to try. Her voice was so soft you could barely tell when she was singing..it was like a glowing sort of etherea in near darkness.
I'm a little ( a lot ) obsessive when it comes to taking photos. It's really hard for me to not take more than I need most of the time, especially when it's a musician I like who I'm not sure I'm going to see again. This world is so tempermental and brutal you can never tell when you will be able to see a musician or if you will be able to see a musician again. (I know this after taking photos of Broadcast then finding out the lead singer Trish Keenan had passed away).
But, every shutter click felt like an earthquake and I felt I was ruining the whole thing...this orchestra of beautiful silence in the darkness of the night time. I felt, why even should I exist at all? How can I make myself vanish and float and not have to endure the anguish I was feeling over taking photographs of Grouper. There was not even time for applause or times when it grew loud enough to not hear my shutter. She didn't say anything to the audience where I could get a shot in.
I took four photographs of Liz Harris and this is one of them. The trees around her are from my street taken the next afternoon, covered in snow and feeling bare and barely breathing. This winter is killing me.
Listen:
soundcloud.com/kranky/grouper-vital
**All photos are copyrighted. Please don't use without permission**
Tags: Grouper Liz Harris Kranky Kranky Records 20th Anniversary Chicago The Man Who Died in his Boat Violet Replacement Dream Loss and Alien Observer Way Their Crept Wide Cover the Windows and the Walls A I A drone indie independent It's better when you do it yourself Constellation band live concert music woman female experimental multiple exposure trees winter lastfm:event=3689764
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The First Snow of the season fell on m camera lens yesterday as I walked the streets of Chicago. The first snow is the one you remember most. The first snow is the one you can still feel on your fingertips even when it's ninety degrees and your hands are dry.
The First Snow is the one that promises you no murders will be committed tonight and you will be safe.
The First Snow is the one with the lullaby you can touch. Is the one that redeems humanity. Is the one that says the unreal is possible. Is the one that reassures nothing that is done can't be undone. Is the one that reminds you of your first kiss. Is the one that is both silent and loud. Is your clothing as you shiver. Is your swift serenade past the chill of winter.
The First Snow is a brief excerpt of the story of your life. Is your earnestness when you first believed you could change the world. Is the words to your sentences and all the scattered punctuation.
The First Snow is the one that counts because they can take everything away from you except that and that is what you catch on your tongue and taste forever.
**All photographs are copyrighted. Even the ones that melt**
Tags: snow architecture November Chicago winter loop city buildings snowflakes fish eye lens lens flare poem words bokeh magical epic cit windows fire escape alley better snowstorm weather downtown
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(Chicago Avenue between Damen Avenue and Ashland Avenue)
Tags: snow SNOMG snowpocaplypse snowmageddon Ukrainian Village Chicago neighborhood Deserted streets winter blizzard
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What more can I say? This was in my neighborhood earlier today. Cute greyhound but, well, it needs to pee outside.
Cats are where it's at!
Tags: greyhound dog canine people strangers neighborhood Chicago Blizzard fishe eye lens fisheye snow winter Ukrainian Village snowpocalypse yeah yeah the dog is cute but so what. All dogs have weak bladders.
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Pretty much a complete blizzard as Dr. Pirate watches. We are very lucky we still have heat, electricity, internet. Most everything is cancelled today including Chicago Public Schools, which hasn't been cancelled since 1999.
**All photos are copyrighted. Please do not use without permission**
Tags: snow Chicago blizzard Dr. Pirate cat kitty apartment window winter fish eye lens fisheye I biked home 6 miles in this blizzard yesterday. snowpocalypse
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