11.1.21Max and Kelsey’s AnnouncementMy neighbors, Max and Kelsey, are from Kansas. To announce their pregnancy to their friends back home on social media, I worked with them to get a pleasant few images. We went down to the riverfront in Newport and snapped several photos with the city in the background. Manny, the dog featured just a few days ago in this daily photo project, made an appearance in a cute bib. We had a good time and it was nice to get out of my photo-bubble for once.

11.2.21Night MarketWhile the rest of Cincinnati went to Lucius Q to congratulate Aftab Pureval on his election win, I was quietly doing a job just opposite the market. This image is a composite. The shutter speed to get low ISO detail in the market was too slow for the streetcar, so I bumped it up to a higher ISO and speed when it rolled by, then combined the two in post.

11.3.21HBD AshleyShe’s 33 today. Her mom and I made her a cake!

11.4.21Haunted TerletPhotographing some soon-to-be-renovated buildings in Over-the-Rhine for a client. The building’s are stabilized but still pretty rough around the edges. One I shot today was almost entirely dark inside its back half, so I had to use my flashlight to get some of the shots. When I poke my head around one of the corners, I saw this.

11.5.21MuralizedAshley stood in front of one of the new murals on the side of the Kroger HQ building downtown. We went to Teak for dinner and she had a lackluster meal, sadly. She was really looking forward to it and everything.

11.6.21Antler JealousyMyrtle and Fletcher each wanted the antlers to chew on. Fletcher had them for the majority of the time, but when he wasn’t looking, Myrtle swooped in to claim them for herself. As she was chewing, Fletcher was nearby while trying not to let on that he was eagerly waiting for her to drop them. They both refuse to take them from the other when they’re actively chewing.

11.7.21City in the CloudsOn our weekly walk to Unataza this morning, fog had settled in the river valley and made for some interesting views. This little section of building caught my eye as it appeared to come directly out of the clouds.

11.8.21Covington AvenueShot this lovely house at the end of a stretch of Covington Avenue tonight for a realtor. The inside was even nicer than the outside. I got really lucky with that sunset, too. One of the best shoots I’ve had in awhile because the house didn’t require Photoshopping extraneous elements out of the rooms or recoloring walls/ceilings. The whole thing was set up and decorated perfectly.

11.9.21The Unknown ArtistShot a pre-show and stage show for the Longworth Anderson Series tonight at Memorial Hall. As always, a musician set up in the first floor lobby area while everyone mingled with their pizza and drinks. I didn’t catch his name (I’ve emailed my contact to get that info), but this was one of the few frames with flash and I’m pleased with how it turned out. I don’t normally like flooding a crowded room with flash when covering an event because it’s jarring to a lot of people, so I use it conservatively. Memorial Hall’s first floor is horrible for event photography, making the choice to resist spamming flash difficult.

11.10.21Fiery FoliageWent to Crescent Springs for a job this morning and I saw this extremely red tree. Against the blue sky, I thought it was magnificent.

11.11.21FacepalmAfter falling in love with DS9, I decided to watch TNG. Unfortunately, my obsession with completionism prevents me from skipping to the good seasons, so I’m currently choking down the first one. Despite seeing Armin Shimmerman in an early episode, as well as Colm Meany in small support roles, I haven’t seen an episode yet that’s given me any sense of understanding the appeal of TNG, but everyone says it’s the “best Star Trek” so I’m going to stick with it. Once Riker grows a beard, it’ll be smooth sailing.

11.12.21Odd JobHad an odd job today. I was tasked with photographing an apartment community, but it wasn’t a bougie, new development or that I typically get. Just a simple, honest apartment complex with little-to-no frills. About the only thing I could do to make it look even remotely above average was shoot across the lake at these trees.

11.13.21Final LAS of the YearShot my final Longworth-Anderson Series concert of the year. It was the most energetic one I shot in 2021.

11.14.21Fletcher’s BackWe got to watch Fletcher overnight. He’s such a sweet little dog. Super affectionate and playful, and he gets along with Myrtle well. They played together, slept near each other, and cuddled with Ashley together. I wish he was our dog!

11.15.21A New Project In An Old PlaceThe city hired me to make something creative for First Friday, and it’s a doozie. I spent the last few days designing it based on their original idea by mapping out every piece in Procreate and putting together an extensive PDF that I can both give to others and reference for the build. Since my home is too small for the build, they’ve given me a key to do what I need inside the old Marianne Theater on the Avenue. Every time I enter, I have to walk into blackness (no windows—it’s a movie theater) in order to get upstairs to the breaker box on the second level. Once there, I can turn on the string lights they’ve haphazardly strung through the main areas of the theater. Those brief series of moments when I have to willingly step into pitch blackness inside that massive auditorium to make my way to the stairs in order to throw the switch to turn everything on, a little part of me fears that I’ll see something or someone waiting around a corner. I try not to let the imaginary monster chase me up the stairs as I did when I was a kid, but I’d be lying if I said I made it a leisurely climb. That fear of the dark, though muted in adulthood, never truly went away for me. As soon as I hear the switch snap in the metal box and see the string lights flicker to life, the fear immediately dissipates and I resist scoffing at my own foolishness, knowing full well that I will repeat the process tomorrow. I go back downstairs and look around the room—one that’s seen better days—and I marvel at its tired, neglected beauty before taking drill to screw and hitting play on another episode of Heavyweight to drown out the lonely stillness of that place.

11.16.21ProgressI’m not ready to reveal the master plan just yet, but I can share the progress. Working alone inside the old theater, I have a frame and the front cladding on, but I still have much to do. I have a job at noon tomorrow, which will cut into my project time, but I plan on finishing the carpentry within the next few days. Then, I need to paint and shingle it!

11.17.21Nice Night for a WalkIt was a warm, windy night—perfect conditions for a dog walk. The light from the moon, ever-muddied by the comparatively simple camera of a smartphone, lit the streets when streetlights were too far spaced apart.

11.18.21Team PuppyI chose Team Puppy. Together, we battled the mighty Myrtle for rag-rope supremacy. I don’t remember who won because I was too busy trying to get a photo of it all in relatively low light conditions.

11.19.21The Dublin DefenseFighting a headache and weary from a day of physical labor down at the Marianne Theater, I went to see my friend’s 80s cover band at Bircus and snapped photos for them. I hope she likes them.

11.20.21At the Glendale LyceumThere was a 1920s-style, bootlegger-themed, black-tie event at the Glendale Lyceum tonight. I was hired to photograph part of the night for those hosting. Before everyone arrived, I snapped a few photos of the space because it was so beautifully arranged. Once everyone started arriving, it was immediately apparently I’d underdressed. I guess I missed the memo about what to wear.

11.21.21Sinus Infection?It’s not COVID. It’s probably a sinus infection. Hopefully I feel better tomorrow.

11.22.21Therapy BearFeeling poorly, I rested on the couch today to regain my health for the rest of the week. As a result, little Myrtle cuddled up with me for a bit when she was finished trying to get me to play tug-of-war with her. It was nice not working on anything for a day. It is 9:30 PM as I write this, and I’m feeling better.

11.23.21Hidden Things in the CourthouseThere’s a railing under this staircase in Courthouse for two reasons. First, it’s there to protect someone bonking their head on the underside of the staircase. Second, and more interestingly, it’s there to keep people off the floor because it’s hollow beneath. This is where one of the failed Cincinnati Subway staircases once emerged from the floor. It was bricked up long ago for obvious reasons.

11.24.21Let There Be LightAdding lights to the structure today. One step closer to completion.

11.25.21Covington on ThanksgivingSteve didn’t have a plate for Thanksgiving due to COVID exposure, so we brought him one. His street looks best at night.

11.26.21Tree’s UpThe day after Thanksgiving can only mean one thing: Christmas decorating time.

11.27.21Our Little FamilyJust a scene from the staircase. The painted plaque was given to my parents when they were married in 1984.

11.28.21Paint DayMyself, Ashley, and others all piled into the Marianne to paint the structure today. While 90% of it is finished, I still need to worry about a few small areas. And then there’s the matter of disassembly and transportation to the location on the Avenue. I am looking forward to making something small in my workshop again…

11.29.21Accidental PortraitI shot two apartments and two houses today. I was setting up a shot in one of the bathrooms when I misfired and got myself in the mirror. As I write this, my knees and back are sore from getting down on the floor to achieve the proper camera level, but it is my eyes that truly need rest. The faster I finish this caption, the faster I can go to bed.

11.30.21DIY Flight BoardsWith us both fully vaccinated and with nearly all of our friends and family following suit, we're gearing up to have people over more often inside since the weather is cooling down. Dinner parties in mind, we thought it would be fun to bring a little brewery hospitality to our own kitchen by making our own flight boards and getting a bunch of unique beer to share with guests when they come over. This is the first of four I plan to make. The edges are routed on the top and bottom, as well as the holes for the flight glasses to add better grip and style. It's unstained in this photo, but I plan to use leftover stains from past projects to give each one a different color.