September 2017

Photographs and short stories from September 2017 that didn't necessarily fit into larger narratives or posts.

Frames made with a Canon 7DMKII, Canon 60D, iPhone 7+, and iPad Pro 9.7".

- Laura and Belle standing guard outside of our local coffee shop.

- Breakfast at the always delicious Sugar and Spice.

- Belle sunbathing.

- Belle never offers to drive, but insists on sitting in the driver's seat. Always.

- Streetcar passing one of the best bars in the city, the Bay Horse Cafe.

I finally finished off a Moleskine notebook and moved on to a new one from Shinola. The previous notebook was in use since 2015 and had tons of notes ranging from road trips, personal observations, professional work, and even everything to do with Fading Ads of Cincinnati.

- Vine St. looking up.

- Ran my first 7K and celebrated with watching the last FCC home match and beer.

- Main St. at night.

- Alleyway off 6th.

- Uptown.

- Clifton finds.

- Company cookout.

- Downtown jail on a day that finally felt like Fall.

- Sunday evening routine: camera and cycling.

- Looking towards Covington, KY and the Roebling Bridge down Walnut St.

- Fourth St.

- Fort Washington Way.

Attended an event at Great American Ballpark. With the season over, the Reds have already begun extending the netting down the first and third base lines. This will offer fans more protection, something that came to light after a recent incident where a line drive by former Red and current Yankee Todd Frazier hit a little girl in the stands. Frazier was clearly upset about the incident, although the girl will recover. I haven't seen too many people opposed to the extended netting and in reality, even if you're paying close attention, how are you going stop a 105 mph ball off an errant hit?

What's existed in Japan for years is now coming to baseball in The States.

I once worked with a guy who once said to me that "the best camera you have is the one that's with you." He was advocating that the camera on an iPhone 5 could be just as good in certain situations as a DSLR. I disagreed. It can work in a pinch, but it can't cover the same situations, tough lighting, or anything at a distance. iPhones (and smartphone) cameras have come a long way. Hell, I use mine quite often as these monthly posts prove, however: I'll always opt for my "real" camera even if its inconvenient to carry.

There's one thing I never thought I'd understand, though, and that's people using the iPad Camera. It barely touches the quality of an iPhone/smartphone camera and is lightyears behind any real camera. As someone who used to photograph weddings, few things infuriated me more than trying to snap shots of the bride coming down the aisle way as naive Aunt So-and-so lifted up her tablet to snap a picture.

The other day I took my iPad with me to to lunch. I had a lot of reading to do. I left my phone and camera bag at my desk to avoid distractions. I saw some nice light on the Red Fox Grill and wanted to make a photograph. The only camera I had was the iPad. It worked out ok and I applied a LR filter based off old Kodak film. Maybe that's overdoing it, I've been using these filters a lot, but the iPad worked in the moment.

Maybe that guy was right, maybe the best camera is the one you have with you after all. Even if it is an iPad.

For the love of God, though, don't use it at a wedding. They're paying for a professional for a reason.

- It's Christmas time in the city?

When artist Shepard Fairey came to Cincinnati in 2010 I was skeptical and dismissive. Over the past seven years I've learned to appreciate and truly enjoy his artwork. I love that this mural still exists off 8th Street. There's a little detail in it that I didn't think would still be relevant nearly a decade later:

Yet, here we are. There's a reality tv star as President and the party he represents stands against Science.

Perhaps Fairey's mural is more relevant than ever before.

- High ISO shots on Main St.

- Gourds at Brown's Family Market in Ross, OH.

- The best Thai place in the greater metro area, House of Bangkok in Fairfield, OH.

The stories from September 2017:

Last Day of Summer - Some photographs made while on a run through the neighborhood and skulking around a rail yard on the final day of Summer 2017.

Kentucky Kingdom: Six Years Later | Part 1 - A few years back, I photographed a closed and abandoned amusement park, the former Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. Unlike so many others, it has reopened. I went back to compare.

Kentucky Kingdom: Six Years Later | Part 2  - After checking out the "before/after" of a former Six Flags park, I took the time to enjoy it as a guest. Having once worked in the amusement industry, it was the first time in a decade where I actually went to a park to just ride, rides.

Frames from Sunday, September 10, 2017 - Street photographs made on a Sunday evening in the city.

The Abandoned Railroad Trestles of Ault Park and Their Future - Two forgotten railroad bridges are hidden within one of the city's most beautiful parks. They could be used for light rail, a new bike path, or both. But will they be used for anything?
71X Views - Inspired by a fellow photographer, some frames made while riding a bus out to the suburbs.

The United States Women's National Team's Fourth Appearance in Cincinnati. - Photographs made in and around Nippert Stadium as 30,000 people turned out to see the USWNT defeat New Zealand.

QC/D on Good Seats Still Available - I sit down with host Tim Hanlon to discuss the city's forgotten pro soccer team, the Cincinnati Comets.