Choir Window Epiphany

I was in the alley between Columbia Photo and the church on Ninth street when I heard music.  Not from a stereo or a club, but coming from beneath the ground.  Somewhere beneath my feet a church choir was holding a Wednesday night practice.  I have walked by this window dozens of times, noting the painted music on the panes, but never making the connection.  It was something of a Dickensian moment, to hear choral singing on a January night, too see shadowy figures moving about behind the warmly lit, leaded window panes of a church basement.  All the while sliding slowly down the icy alleyway towards Eighth street.

Sake in Snow

To continue with the haiku theme introduced in the last post, or at least a clumsy attempt at it, here is Tenth Street's Sake in the snow. 

Tiger neon in the snow

The Tiger Hotel sign last week.  One of the icons of downtown.  Haiku-like when it is viewed from a distance, through some snow-covered branches. 

Wabash Station, Tenth Street

Cardinal Points in a Snowstorm-South

Looking south down Eighth Street, towards Jesse Hall, during the snowstorm on Wednesday, January 19th, 2011.  I took four photos from the intersection of Eighth and Locust streets, one for each cardinal direction. 

Cardinal Points in a Snowstorm-East

Looking east up Locust Street, towards central downtown Columbia, on the evening of Wednesday, January 19th, 2011.

Cardinal Points in a Snowstorm-North

Looking north up Eighth Street during the snowstorm on January 19th, 2011. 

Cardinal Points in a Snowstorm-West

Looking west down Locust street on Wednesday, January 19th, 2011. 

Tony Irons in the Snow

I was out photographing in downtown Columbia during Wednesday night's storm with Matt Bryson and Tony Irons...here is Tony displaying a cavalier attitude towards oncoming traffic, not that there was any that night.  To see some of the shots that he got that night, take a look at his blog at http://www.ironsinternational.com/category/blog/  I'll probably post a few more from that night later today.

Espresso

The steam drenched window of Coffee Zone, on ninth street, during Wednesday night's snowstorm.  Columbia ended up with about eight inches of snow...a fantastic night for photographing.

Hitt Street Mini Mart, during a snowstorm

About halfway through last night's epic photo shoot, Matt and Tony and I wandered over to Hitt Street.   With a tip of the creative hat to Tony's blog post from last week, here is the Hitt Street Mini Mart at night.  See my links for Tony's photo blog.

Office Depot in the snow

Last night, around 10:30 p.m.

Boarding House on Tenth Street

The brick boarding house on Tenth Street, between the old bus station and the Niedermeyer.  This has always been a view of downtown Columbia that I considered poetic, storybookish, a bit magical.  Seen through a snowstorm, it looks even better.

Broadway Diner

The Broadway Diner during Monday night's snowstorm.  While I miss the old location on Broadway and Providence, this one has some merits.  The parking is a little better, it is easier to walk to from various bars, and the red and green neon sign fills and transforms the dark emptiness of lower Fifth street...especially on a snowy night in January.

Biker on Ninth Street

One of the few brave enough to bike during last night's storm.

Mosque in Snow

Last night's snowstorm, from the corner of Fifth and Locust.

Alley cigarette, Thursday night

A smoke break in the alley behind Broadway.

Pabst Brewery, Milwaukee

Well, it isn't Columbia.  But I took it in another city where I lived for about five years, and to which I feel I owe a tip of the creative/formative hat.  Milwaukee.  This was the main gate into the Pabst Brewery for those desiring a tour or a tipple.  The gate led into a brick courtyard, and beyond this was a stately brick building with leaded windows and a very authentic aura of old world charm and craftsmanship.  The building was located on the top of a hill, near Juneau avenue.  From the hill you can see a broad swath of the Milwaukee downtown.  I used to park in the neighborhood and walk up the hill, with camera and tripod, to photograph in and around the brewery.  This was always my first destination when I wanted to photograph, but didn't have any distinct ideas about where or how to start.  I thought this photo of the gate was appropriate for our entrance into a new year, 2011.  This photo was taken on a Friday night in early December, probably around 2005.  I have a few friends here in Columbia who drink Pabst.   I guess that is my only connection to Columbia with this image.  I hope you don't mind leaving Columbia for one post....we'll get back to work on Columbia in the next one.

Lowry Mall, MU Campus (some time ago)

I had to reach into the archives to find this image.  This was what Lowry Mall, on the MU campus, looked like during the rainy summer of 1997.  Long before University Bookstore had a strangling hegemony on campus book sales, a second option called Missouri Bookstore existed.  It was on Lowry Mall, right next to McDonalds.  They mysteriously lost their lease a couple years later and were forced to leave...much to the delight of the forces that inhabited University Bookstore.  It was a nice place to get a bagel and sit in the sun between classes.  In the background is the tower of Jesse Hall, enshrouded in scaffolding.