Two-step procedure for high-density labeling of the Golgi in living cells. Cells are treated first with Cer-TCO, a trans-cyclooctene-containing ceramide lipid, and then reacted with SiR-Tz, a tetrazine derivative of a highly photostable silicon rhodamine dye. The product of this reaction, Cer-SiR (only one isomer shown), allows extensive live cell imaging by 3D confocal and STED super-resolution microscopy.