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2.1.24
2.1.24Sleeping’s Dangerous NowWoke up with a stabbing pain in my neck near my clavicle. No idea what I did in my sleep to deserve this, but hoo-boy. It’s not a pain I’m familiar with in that area, and apparently every muscle connected to my neck, chest, and shoulder requires that area to move around. It hurts to type this if my body shifts even an inch.
2.2.24
2.2.24UnusedUnused still from a job I did this morning. We realized only after we arranged the scene and snapped the frame that neither the architect nor construction company had anything to do with it. We were effectively showcasing someone else’s work.
2.3.24
2.3.24‘90s PartyMaria and Mike threw a ‘90s & early-2000s-themed party tonight at their place. Everyone dressed in “retro” clothes, danced, smoked, drank, and had a good time. I found a purple/green flannel with a colorfully embroidered Cincinnati t-shirt at the vintage shop down on the avenue for the occasion.As I’m not a dancer, nor did I particularly feel like losing my ability to drive home, I focused on photography and videography for the night. I recorded the night on tape with my camcorder and shot a few frames on my Nikon throughout the night. The video was particularly fun to watch afterward as it looked authentic to the time period.Maybe at some point I’ll throw together a VHS highlight reel from all the different events I’ve recorded and will record this year.
2.4.24
2.4.24Pizza Ding-A-LingWent with Travis and Ronny to Connersville to eat at Mr. Pizza (aka Pizza King). Its gimmick is you sit in a booth and order menu items using a landline that connects to the kitchen instead of having someone take your order in person at the table.The pizza was fine. It's not bad, but there's nothing to write home about, either. I won’t be craving it like I do other pizzas. Honestly, the best thing I had was some Texas toast with cheese and garlic on top.Afterward, we photographed some old train cars and an engine that looked like it was straight out of the 1800s rusting on the side of the road.
2.5.24
2.5.24New-to-Me PerspectiveA realtor called me about photographing a house near my own. In fact, it’s just three streets east. I won’t be photographing the interior due to scheduling conflicts associated with the moving list date, but I managed to get them three night shots from the top deck of the place.It was fun to see the city from a slightly different perspective. I like how the homes in the foreground are prominent in the lower half of the frame.
2.6.24
2.6.24Sunset WalkMyrtle and I took a walk right after work before the sun set. As we neared the river, the sunlight was growing warmer and more dramatic. Knowing she’d like to run around in the grass, we headed closer to the river’s edge to a secluded patch of grass. It’s not a popular walking spot, making this a perfect place to let her off leash for a little energetic dog time.I snapped a few shots and liked how this one came out.
2.7.24
2.7.24Reptilian GuestPhotographed a dinner tonight at the Cincinnati Art Museum that featured, among other speakers, Thane Maynard, the director of the Cincinnati Zoo. He brought a tiny alligator called Cruncher (I think?) with him to show attendees.It’s funny how adults attending a formal dinner quickly give up all pretenses and slip into their inner child at the sight of an animal. It was cute to see everyone so enamored by a relatively calm alligator.
2.8.24
2.8.24Flat LayA flat lay I photographed for Luminaut. They intend to post it for Valentine’s Day on their social channels.
2.9.24
2.9.24Hospital PhotographyWorked with GBBN on more photos of the renovation of the 8th floor of Bethesda North today. Contrary to what this photo suggests, it was still under construction and required quite a bit of piecing together/Photoshopping elements out to make a clean final photo. I still have work to do on this one, but it’s 90% there.
2.10.24
2.10.24EconoParkAshley needed to be picked up from CVG after her multi-day work trip. Passed this on the way to the Shell station to get gas and had to snap a quick photo.
2.11.24
2.11.24UninspiredWe went to a boring park in Cold Spring that surrounded a lake behind a Cracker Barrel, and there was nothing else to look at besides this gazebo. I knew this would probably be my only option for an interesting photo of the day. Sadly, it’s not that interesting, and only after getting onto the publishing platform did I realize that I’ve shot everything very symmetrically over the last four days. Need to break the habit and get more creative.
2.12.24
2.12.24Sad StateOne of my greatest regrets regarding documentary photography is not properly getting into it before Carew Tower’s mall was turned into a garage. I didn’t really understand how to photograph a space properly until about 2014, and by that point, the mall was closed. But I’d walked through it frequently and eaten there a dozen times before its closing, and I remember its bleak emptiness fondly for some strange reason.Back in 2012, I used to walk the Skywalk every day on my lunch hour. I knew every little shop and restaurant along the two disconnected routes. They were familiar places I seldom went into, but I relied on them for some strange sort of stability during a challenging and uncertain time in my life. The Carew Tower and the many shops and places to eat were my favorite leg of the journey because it felt like the most “alive” part of the daily Skywalk journey. Hathaway’s Diner, Radio Shack, Auntie Anne’s, Smoothie King, Appointments, the I Love Cincinnati Shop, Back Rubs by Mary, Morton’s, Elite Nails, TJ Maxx, the food court with its multi-story skylit atrium, and so many other little things about it made that stretch feel unique. Barely any of those places are still there. The Skywalks are largely closed; the last connection built in the mid-90s between the Carew Tower and Macy’s was demolished during the pandemic. I didn’t appreciate any of this to the degree I should’ve at the time because I was so overwhelmed with sadness, but through rose-tinted glasses, I miss them.It makes me sad that the Tower is so empty today. It wasn’t even “bustling” when I frequented it daily, but comparatively, it was. I could go on and on about all my specific memories of it, but I’ll end it with this one. Maybe my fondest memory of the mall was the moment I found a piece of art that I just had to have behind a pane of glass in what I believe was a former Foot Locker. It was a painting of the Cincinnati skyline by a local artist with a space in the Pendleton Art Center. I emailed her about it and met her on the mall's second floor to buy it. She wrapped it up for me, and I took it home on the bus. The massive piece was wedged carefully between my knees as I sat at the back of the 30x express bus to Mt. Washington.
2.13.24
2.13.24The Yellow TruckApparently, when I was little, I told my relatives at one point that I wanted to own a yellow truck when I grew up. Not a yellow dump truck, but a yellow pick-up truck. I probably meant an early ‘90s Ford Ranger because that’s the model my dad drove, but I can’t help but wonder if little Phil would’ve seen this vehicle and liked it.
2.14.24
2.14.24MeaninglessWhen an inanimate object tells a sad story.
2.15.24
2.15.24LintIn today’s modern age, just about everyone has a camera in their pocket. As such, the inside of pockets have never been better documented.
2.16.24
2.16.24Cyclones GameIt’s been a minute since I’ve gone to a Cyclones game. They lost, but it was fun to watch regardless. We Googled how much the average player makes per season in the ECHL, and it’s shockingly low. I spent the rest of the game thinking about how these men make ends meet.
2.17.24
2.17.24WeekenderAbout a month ago, we planned a weekend away with the dog. Asheville is always a great option because the city and surrounding area are so dog-friendly, and with numerous outdoor hikes, it’s the perfect setting for a weekend full of fun. Pictured is the Grove Arcade in the center of Asheville’s urban core; it’s filled with shopping and dining, a brewery, apartments, and offices, and an adjoining outdoor area usually full of market vendors when the weather’s warm. We took Myrtle to the brewery for a pint, then wandered around the area to see what we could find food-wise.We’d planned for the cold weather but didn’t factor in the wind. Most covered patios already had people with dogs, so finding a place that wasn’t so crowded and out of the wind was key. We returned to Pack’s Tavern—a place we’d been to on our last trip—for dinner, and it was the perfect warm place to sit down with Myrtle and not bother anyone.We plan to hike tomorrow, hit up a few places for food and drink, and check out the River Arts District.
2.18.24
2.18.24River Arts DistrictWe’d planned to hike Mt. Pisgah, but the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway is closed mainly due to mudslides and snow, preventing us from getting to the desired trailhead. We wanted a hike with some sort of vista since winter isn’t the prettiest time of year to trek through the woods, so we opted to return to Chimney Rock as we did during our last visit. While some of it was closed due to falling ice, we still managed to climb to the top and get a good look at the surrounding area.Afterward, we played with Myrtle in the creek, checked out some shops, and then had a delicious glass of wine in the sun. After that, we returned to Asheville and wandered around its River Arts District.RAD for short, the River Arts District is a photogenic, industrial part of AVL that feels like a combination of Smale Park, Northside, and Camp Washington (if I had to draw a Cincinnati equivalent). It’s full of graffiti, loads of art studios/shops, and a pretty robust skate park in one corner. It’s bisected by train tracks and seems like it’s growing based on the massive new apartment buildings popping up around the area. Pictured is a telephone pole by the skate park with the most shoes on wires I’ve ever seen in one place.
2.19.24
2.19.24Temporarily ClosedWe stayed one exit down from downtown to save a little money on this trip. Instead of staying in a hotel for over $200 a night in the core, we found a four-star option for a total of $300 for two nights eight minutes away. Since AVL is a car city and we’d be using our car to get around anyway, it made sense to save on lodging.Anyway, this place (which I won’t mention through text to avoid SEO, and I’ll explain why in a minute) was a quarter mile down the hill from us. It’s temporarily closed while a chain that specializes in buying one-of-a-kind, run-down motor inns across the US renovates it. Built in the 1930s, it’s been a staple of the city’s tourism culture for nearly 100 years. I read the new owner plans to save the neon and characteristic signs, remove 10 rooms to accomodate a new communal space, and aims to do all of this by spring of this year. Based on how empty it was, I do not see that timeline happening.The reason I’m not naming it to avoid search results is because I wasn’t supposed to be on the property taking photos. I saw the D3 eating up solar energy and blinking its blue police light up by the office, but I didn’t really pay it much attention. Then, it suddenly activated and blasted its speakers about trespassing and my being recorded. I’d already gotten my shots at that point, so I simply walked back off the property. I don’t expect anything to come of it, but better safe than sorry.By the way, does anyone know what this aesthetic is called? It’s like a 1960s/1970s rustic kitsch that often toes the line between mid-century camping culture, Tudor architecture, and with a touch of medieval English style that used to be more popular in past decades. Thick wooden beams, chunky stone, yellow mottled glass in metal squared light fixtures, stucco walls, etc. Parts of Kings Island used to have this look back when I was young. I’ve always adored it and am at a loss for what to call it.
2.20.24
2.20.24Norwood’s Wacky Police StationIt will never not amuse me that Norwood’s police station looks like a Lego set from the ‘80s that doesn’t actually exist. I feel like I should, at some point, build this virtually in Bricklink.
2.21.24
2.21.24Doodle DeliveryDuring today’s warm and seasonable afternoon, I opened the back door to allow the screen door to let in some fresh air. I was toying with my camera in the dining room when I heard Myrtle start huffing and puffing outside. Curious, I got up and walked over to see the mailman delivering my mail. She wanted a treat from him, so she jumped up on the fence to make herself known. I opened the screen and snapped a photo at the moment of treat delivery.
2.22.24
2.22.24CNU CharrettesThe Congress of New Urbanism hired me to film and photograph “charrettes” taking place in Norwood, Camp Washington, Xenia, and Amelia over the next few weeks. The purpose of these meetings is to have out-of-town architects and urban planners meet with local officials in each community to develop plans for projects such as bike lanes (for Norwood). During that process, the meetings welcome individuals from the community to drop in and give their input to better align the projects with what residents want/need.I’ve been filming and photographing Norwood’s events all week, and today is the final day I’m working on it before I ship off to Palm Springs tomorrow.
2.23.24
2.23.24Palm SpringsJustin’s 40th birthday led a group of us out to Palm Springs, CA, this weekend. He is a Midcentury Modern fan obsessed with Southern California, so he wanted to spend his special day somewhere he’d love with his friends. As I’ve only seen 8,000 photos of that one house with that one car with that one mountain in the background and never been to PS myself, I went in gleefully blind. I find it more fun to go to a place with no expectations and experience it without knowing everything about it, especially when it’s a trip that isn’t about me picking the itinerary.The flight in was nice, my hotel (The Cole) is perfect for what I need, and it’s within walking distance of Justin’s nearby Airbnb. I met up with everyone around 2 PM; we went to an open house and then walked to dinner and drinks afterward.My first impression of PS was good! The desert landscape with a beautiful mountain backdrop? Gorgeous. The abundance of midcentury architecture is lovely to see, though I’m finding it’s not hitting me quite like I thought it would. I initially thought it was just because everything is MCM here and style fatigue was the culprit, but I didn’t feel that way walking past identical brownstones all over Brooklyn. Maybe I just prefer the dense verticality of late 19th/early 20th-century architecture over one-story suburban single families built after WWII?Regardless, it’s a postcard-pretty city with many old cars and a palpable feeling that the 1960s never truly left. I can see why Justin likes it.
2.25.24
2.25.24L3It’s Justin’s 40th birthday! We met up and walked around a rich neighborhood full of perfectly manicured MCM houses, and Justin got to photograph a bunch of places he’s been itching to get on film for a while. There was some time by the pool, too, but I didn’t get in due to the usual insecurity reasons.Before I met up with everyone this morning, I walked to get coffee and came across this hilariously named hotel. I still cannot believe this is a real hotel.Also, PS is less walkable in the area where I’m staying than I thought. While there are sidewalks in some places, the streets are often 45 mph, and sometimes the sidewalks just end without warning, forcing you to either walk in an unmaintained dirt lot or on the street itself. None of the neighborhoods have sidewalks, either. I keep having this experience where I think I can let my guard down, but then I have to walk in the street for a block as a Porsche races past at an obnoxious speed.The more I stay in PS, the more it feels like Fort Myers in the sense that there’s very little density of housing (maybe even less), it isn’t overly pedestrian-friendly, it has as many parking lots as it does single-family houses, and appears to be mostly a suburban retirement community. That said, I still prefer it over Fort Myers due to the better landscape and architecture.
2.25.24
2.25.24A ReminderWhile walking another rich neighborhood filled with houses that could easily be featured on the front of Architectural Digest, I started to wonder if I liked MCM at all. Logically, I know I do. But emotionally, I wasn’t connecting with it. I’m at the mecca of this architectural style, and I feel as though I’ve seen it all before. It didn’t give me that sense of wonder I normally get. Analyzing this as I walked through the neighborhood, I realized that contrast is key. The sign pictured above was the only thing I saw in any of these neighborhoods that added any contrast. When everything is perfect and manicured, none of it feels authentic. It all feels more like a movie set than an actual place. And with very few people out walking or on their porches, these neighborhoods felt soulless to me despite being in an aesthetically pleasing setting.But maybe that’s the point of Palm Springs? It’s a place where people go to relax in solitude compared to LA, not necessarily a place where community is the focus. It’s a place where you get scolded by a woman in a visor for being “too loud” while having a conversation at the community pool at 3 PM on a Saturday (that actually happened).Regardless, I’m just glad Justin is having fun in this place and his birthday is going well. That’s all that truly matters to me on this trip.
2.26.24
2.26.24Rollercoaster Travel DayI’m writing this entry a day later than the intended date. Honestly, I had a rollercoaster of a day traveling back to Cincinnati.PSP, the Palm Springs airport, was nice to fly into, but it wasn’t nice when leaving. Between lousy cell service, a lack of seating and dining areas, gates sequestered into tiny rooms with crowds blocking the doors to those rooms, and wifi that wouldn’t even reach the pictured grassy area in the middle of this small airport, it’s a bad place to wait for a plane.My delayed flight meant I had 30 minutes to catch my connection at DFW that evening. To say I was worried is an understatement. The gate I was flying into was two terminals over from where I needed to leave. However, I think what happened next could be considered in some circles as karma at play.As I boarded, I saw an older man sitting beside his wife in my window seat. I asked him to check his ticket, and he revealed he was supposed to be in the middle seat across the aisle. They all started slowly getting up, and I realized I had to just let him keep the seat. If I sucked it up and sat in that middle seat instead, we could speed up boarding and take off faster. I told him I’d move to his seat instead.I think this is where I earned enough good karma to make the connection. My new seatmates thanked me and said I was a good person. They welcomed me into their row. The older man thanked me, as did the nearby flight attendant. My seatmates asked me about my tight connection, and I explained my stressful situation.When we landed, the guy next to me on the aisle immediately stood and let me out. They all wished me luck, and a few others in rows ahead of me who heard my situation back in PSP let me past them, too. Then, I looked at my app and realized my departure gate had moved to the same terminal I was arriving at, thoroughly cutting down on the time it’d take to make the connection. The gratitude I felt at that moment for everyone who helped me, as well as that stroke of good fortune, was immeasurable.I still had to run like hell to make the flight, but I didn’t have to spend the night curled up in a corner in Dallas. I’ve never been happier to get onto a plane in my life.
2.27.24
2.27.24Back to RealityToday was good. I managed to get home around 1 AM this morning after yesterday’s long travel day and slept well in my own bed. I got coffee at my favorite little shop and enjoyed the overcast skies and spring-like temps. I know I’m in the minority, but I love where I live and always feel good when I get to come home. Travel is amazing, and I always want to go see other places, but I do not experience the despair so many feel when they return home.Work took me to Xenia where I filmed and photographed planners for CNU.
2.28.29
2.28.29Accidental CollaborationWhile photographing the new Whitfield Lovell opening at the Cincinnati Art Museum tonight, I was trying to get a photo of this man observing the work. Right before I snapped the photo, though, he turned around and moved into place, sort of bridging the art on the wall with the 3D space we were in. I liked the way his face turned the same way as the other portraits on the wall.
2.29.24
2.29.24Xenia’s HannafordThere’s a reason the Greene County Courthouse in Xenia, OH, looks so much like Cincinnati’s City Hall: it was designed by the same architect, Samuel Hannaford. It was completed in 1902 and has stood at the corner of Main and Detroit Streets ever since. Getting a clean photo of this building is challenging due to overhead utilities, but this view offered a relatively unobstructed view.I don’t know if I’ve ever written about this on here before, but I have an extreme phobia of tornadoes. To me, Xenia has and always will be the city flattened in 1974 during the Super Outbreak. It scares me to such a degree that I cannot even look at a photo of the tornado itself without my blood running cold and my heart rate ramping up. While searching for a map of the storm's path that day, I had to stop because seeing a black and white photo in my periphery or through my fingers blocking the image from view like a child watching a scary movie was too much. It’s a real phobia, and I cannot explain why it afflicts me since I’ve never been a victim of one personally. The reason I searched for something so anxiety-inducing was because I wanted to get an idea of how close it came to damaging this building that day. I can imagine people in the tower looking out at the black, deadly, giant monstrosity swirling in the distance before racing down to the lowest level for shelter and hoping their lives would be spared. The storm that day was rated F5 on the Fujita scale—among the largest in size and fastest in speed in recorded history. The fear those people must’ve felt in that moment shakes me to my core when I think about being in their position.It’s been well over 40 years since that day, and I know Xenia is more than its distant tragedy. But like any mention of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii or the World Trade Center in Manhattan, it’s hard not to instantly think of the worst thing you’ve heard about that place.
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