A few weeks ago I spent the afternoon photographing Evanston author and musician Conor Madigan. Here he is in his backyard with an antique mechanical device–called a “typewriter”–that was used in olden times for writing, before the iPad was invented LOL WTF.
I shot this portrait of Chicago blues musician Al Harris in 2002, with a Kodak Stereo camera, on loan from my dad.
Above are three recent tearsheets: At The Movies co-host Ignatiy Vishnevetsky photographed at one of the Music Box projection booths for CS Magazine; furniture designer and photographer Bladon Conner shot at his studio for Luxe Magazine; and recording artist Dexter Tortoriello captured at my studio for the Reader.
A couple nights ago I went out to shoot some pictures with help from emerging photographers Baptiste Enard (bottom pic) and Thomas Brandenburg (top pic). These shots were taken where Bridgeport and Chinatown meet, on Chicago’s south side.
Last month I shot Ameya Pawar for an inspiring Reader cover story written by indispensable investigative reporter Ben Joravsky, who explained:
Ameya Pawar, the 30-year-old rookie candidate, pulled off the upset of upsets in (the 47th) ward…A month or so ago, most folks in the ward didn’t even know his name; many of them still don’t know how to pronounce it…as the days drew closer to the February 22 election, it was like an ocean wave rising for him. He won 50.8 percent of the vote, just enough to avoid an April 5 runoff.
Below is an outtake and the final cover (March 3, 2011). Zeus blessed us with a breathtaking magic hour sky.
Last Wednesday I photographed Chicago Symphony Orchestra‘s music director and conductor, Riccardo Muti, in his dressing room at Orchestra Hall during an interview with Dennis Polkow, for New City.
Muti is returning to work after an accident last February (he fainted at the podium during a rehearsal, resulting in facial fractures). The maestro will conduct Verdi’s Otello tomorrow–April 7th–and also on April 9th and 12th. More info on the concerts here.
Two swell dudes; the prolific musician (Mekons, Waco Brothers, Skull Orchard), visual artist, and self-styled fat Welsh bastard Jon Langford with Hideout impresario and US Department of Education staff member Tim Tuten. The duo was carousing at the Hideout last weekend at a birthday celebration for the inimitable Sheila Sachs.
In December I photographed David Greene for CS Interiors magazine at his shop, Iron & Wire (not to be confused with the band fronted by bearded Southerner Samuel Beam). Below is how the photo appears in the magazine, as well as a couple outtakes.
Last week, for the Intonation Music Workshop, I had the lucky opportunity to drop by Engine Studios to photograph the Pop Tots in action.
On Monday I had a swell assignment—photographing Chicago Imagist painter Jim Nutt at the Museum of Contemporary Art for an article in today’s Reader. His MCA show Jim Nutt: Coming Into Character opens this Saturday.
This Saturday at Schubas, My Gold Mask is playing a show to celebrate the release of their new album, A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last). You can buy the record on vinyl this Saturday at the show, or download it right now. I shot the cover, which is such a treat to see on a 12″ record. Greta and Jack and I made a video together last year for their song Violet Eyes. Below is the cover shot (top) as well as a promo photo.
John Stirratt and Patrick Sansone’s band The Autumn Defense has a new album, Once Around, that Yep Roc is releasing today. I shot promo photographs to accompany the new record; outtake below.
Also, a book of Sansone’s SX-70 photography was recently published, called 100 Polaroids.
Last July I shot portraits of gospel legend Mavis Staples–with another Chicago favorite, Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy–for a Bob Mehr penned feature in the November issue of Mojo. The duo have quite a rapport together that was really fun to document. Tweedy produced Staples’ new record, You Are Not Alone.
This was not the first time working with any of these folks. Before he relocated to Memphis to write a music column for the Commercial Appeal, Mehr lived in Chicago and wrote for the Reader, where we collaborated on a bunch of articles, including a Wilco cover story and a 2004 piece on Staples. The picture below was shot in Mavis’ home for that 2004 article. I want to be like her when I grow up.
I’m excited to have a double page spread in last Saturday’s Guardian Weekend magazine. This was a really fun assignment–not only did I get to shoot Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope (aka Insane Clown Posse) in a swimming pool, but I also had a beer and a chat with the article’s writer, Jon Ronson, who wrote one of my favorite books (The Men Who Stare at Goats). For those keeping track at home, this makes two posts in a row about Welshmen named Jon.
If you’re curious about the way of the Juggalo, checkout this video made by Derek Erdman, whose mom was hip to Juggalos before that topic trended.
(Behind the scenes photo by Paul Kjelland.)
I shot Chris Black, frontman of Dawnbringer, for this week’s Reader. The top picture is the one the Reader published; the photographs below were alternates I submitted.
Not to be confused with the vibraband player who shares his name, this Stan Wood is the one you may remember as someone who doesn’t do reality, but does play in the band onYou. I shot this picture a couple weeks ago at the bacherlorette party of a good friend of ours.
Joel and Ruth of Bastardgeist recently stopped by my studio for pictures. They’ll be playing at the Iceland Airwaves festival next month. Brainlove Records is releasing their debut.
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