Category: news

Rest in Peace John Grabski III

Last November I met John Grabski III, who was in town recording an album (as “Teeth”) with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. I was planning on waiting until the record was pressed to post the photos, but I just heard the terrible news that he died (I’m not yet exactly sure when–sometime in the last few days). He had long known that he had cancer and didn’t have long to live, but nonetheless this came as a shock. I was looking forward to meeting him again and talking to him about the finished record. I only spent a couple hours with him but he made quite an impression in that short time. The record, called “The Strain,” is here.

untitled 2 500x720 Rest in Peace John Grabski III
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Nordic Thunder places 2nd in world air guitar championship!

air guitar champion Nordic Thunder 693x494 Nordic Thunder places 2nd in world air guitar championship!

Beer-spewing, shaggy-haired, self-lacerating, leather-skirt-wearing air-guitar maniac Nordic Thunder (aka Justin Howard), who I had the privilege to photograph for this week’s Reader (see my previous post), has made every single American–and particularly Chicagoans–proud to be a member of the same (or similar) species. Congratulations Nordic, YTMND.

The Interrupters for The Observer

I photographed violence interrupters Ameena Matthews and Cobe Williams for the cover of last Sunday’s London Observer, which also ran in its sister paper The Guardian. Steve James directed a documentary film about the Interrupters which has just recently debuted. You can watch it this month at the Gene Siskel Film Center. (UPDATE: here’s a list of upcoming screenings around the world. The film’s been getting rave reviews.)

Thanks to the friendly staff at CeaseFire for helping coordinate the photo sessions, and to the awesome people I photographed for the story: Ameena, Cobe, Tio, Dee, and Marcus.

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Communication Arts photo annual: Juggalos!

I’m excited that a photograph of mine has been selected by the Communication Arts 2011 jury to appear in their Photography Annual 52. The picture is of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, the frontmen of Christian horrorcore rappers Insane Clown Posse, shot for a Jon Ronson story in The Guardian Weekend Magazine. You can see a behind the scenes shot from that session in the archives, here. Below are pics of the Annual, and also a shot I’ve never shown before, of ICP fans outside the Eagle/Rave after the concert they played the night I photographed them.

Newberry 110630 9998 Edit Communication Arts photo annual: Juggalos!
Newberry 110630 0001 Communication Arts photo annual: Juggalos!
Insane Clown Posse fans Milwaukee Communication Arts photo annual: Juggalos!

Diane Izzo rests in peace

The luminous, witty, and prodigiously talented Diane Izzo died a couple days ago, of complications resulting from brain cancer. I’d been a fan of her music for years, and was lucky to forge a friendship with her, occasionally play in her backup band, and recently to collaborate on a film that she and her husband Marco were producing.

I’m grateful that in the last few years I was able to make several trips to Taos to visit Diane and Marco–ostensibly to work on the film, which was really fun–but even better was spending time talking and laughing with those two, enjoying the profoundly beautiful New Mexico sky and mountains, and meeting their many remarkable friends.

Diane was a great inspiration to me. The planet won’t be the same without her.

Update: Jim and Greg weigh in.

100614 1393 354x500 Diane Izzo rests in peace

Diane Izzo 500x500 Diane Izzo rests in peace

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Riptide’s Marie Wuczynski has died

Marie Wuczynski Riptide Lounge1 500x500 Riptides Marie Wuczynski has died

Sad news from Bucktown: according to Chicagoist and the Tribune, Marie of the Riptide Lounge has died. I shot the portrait above back in 1991, when she was gracious enough to let me photograph her for my portfolio. Armitage Avenue will never be the same.

From the Trib article:

The ebullient queen of Marie’s Rip Tide Lounge on Armitage Avenue, known for her towering pouf of whitish-blonde hair and bawdy sense of humor, danced and sang along to tunes from the old-time jukebox into the wee hours, entertaining an ever-changing late-night crowd.

“That was Marie,” said Leo Zak, a bartender at the Riptide. “She made you feel like you belonged,”

Mrs. Wuczynski, 88, died of heart failure Monday, Feb. 7, at her home one flight above the tavern, said longtime friend and co-worker Tina Congenie.

Mrs. Wuczynski was working at the Armitage Avenue bar when she bought the building in 1961.

Homeland Security says OK to photograph federal buildings

homeland security photographing federal buildings 500x287 Homeland Security says OK to photograph federal buildings

Since 9/11 many photographers have complained about being harassed while photographing buildings (federal and otherwise) in the U.S., and now there appears to be vindication for them: the excellent Lens blog from the NYT has published a document from Homeland Security stating explicitly that it’s legal for photographers to photograph public buildings in public spaces.

On a related note, I was surprised about this legal finding from last August—apparently property releases aren’t always needed after all, when photographs of buildings are used in advertisements (as long as trademarks aren’t visible). (I’m no lawyer though, so be sure to consult one if you’re selling pictures of buildings for ad use. Here’s an attorney specializing in photography-related issues.)

Update: Rohn Engh over at Black Star Rising is adamant that when selling a photograph of a person for editorial (as opposed to advertising use, or some kind of product endorsement) use, a model release is not needed. Here’s the post.