Postcards From Boston
I love Cincinnati dearly. I’ve been here all my life. I’ve helped support progress and have the utmost respect for those who also strive to see this city reach its true potential, whether it’s their lifelong or adopted home. I’ve been an advocate and preached the glory of the Queen City to all those who’ll listen, whether they be local naysayers, visitors, or people I meet while traveling. Every now and then though, I contemplate what it would be like to leave, go someplace else for awhile.
What Could've Been: The Cincinnati Subway and its Boston Inspiration
At the station known as Central on Boston's MBTA Red Line, you can get a good glimpse of what Cincinnati almost had, if only we had finished our subway...
Opinion: Upgrading/Replacing US Bank Arena
It’s been just over 21 years since Hamilton County residents voted in favor of raising the sales tax and building two new sports facilities.
Lament of the Forest Park Restaurant
North of Cincinnati, in the city of Forest Park: there was once a wonderful, little diner.
Stadium Seats and Stories From the Gardens
Over this weekend, I was lucky enough to add an original seat from the Cincinnati Gardens to my pair of Riverfront Stadium seats. I loved the Gardens and have a lot of great memories from there. I'm still hoping that I can maybe do one more story on the place and see it one last time before its date with the wrecking ball.
The Circus Came and Went One Last Time
In January 2017 it was announced that the 146 year-old Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus would cease to exist. While a handful of dates were cancelled, Cincinnati would be one of the final touring stops. Evoking some childhood nostalgia, I went for the first time in 15 years. One last time.
The Extraordinary Story of the Cincinnati Comets
All that remains of the Comets' story is a small Wikipedia page, a few online factoids, and articles in newspaper archives. I think the team's story is one worth telling—one that should be remembered alongside the story of American soccer’s evolution, of Cincinnati’s departed NBA team, and of the city's missed chance at an NHL team.
Fading Advertisements: Obama on Liberty Street
After spending the past two years documenting fading advertisements, this one doesn't really follow the theme of all those I featured in the book. Nevertheless, in a way, it was an advertisement of support for the 44th President of the United Sates and for Ollie's Trolley, the business it stands behind on Liberty Street in Cincinnati's Over-The-Rhine neighborhood. Photographed on January 19th, 2017, I felt it was an interesting thing to document on the eve of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. One historical election to the next.
The West Chester Collection
Photographs and stories from living north of Cincinnati, Ohio in the suburban town of West Chester for the past year.
Demonstrations in Cincinnati on November 12, 2016
A photographic record of the demonstrations that took place in Cincinnati, Ohio following national and local news events.
The Fall of Celebrity Themed Restaurants in Cincinnati
Willie's Sports Cafe in Covington was once an iconic sports bar named for and once partially owned by a local radio host. It's the latest in a long line of celebrity inspired restaurants in the area to close up shop.
The Paul A. Johnson Pencil Sharpener Museum
In Eastern Ohio, the roadside collection of a humble reverend who's legacy is preserved in the form of unique office supplies.
Retail Remnants: Demolition of the Pogue's Garage
"Pogue's garage" in Cincinnati ran along 4th St. between Race and Elm. Its demolition is another sign of the changing times and development in the city's urban core. Stale and sterile in appearance, the structure probably won't be missed by anyone. However, the story it's connected to is one of the Queen City's retail history and if anything, at least this parking garage once offered a great view from the top.
Music Hall's Bridge and The Neighborhood That Never Was
The elevated pathway from a parking garage directly into the back of Music Hall was once a lifeline for patrons. Now though, that bridge is dying and along with it: the notion of old “urban renewal” projects. Yet, despite a renaissance for both the historic building and surrounding area, many want to keep what others see as a barrier between pedestrians and the city around them.
In Memory of Ed Moss
There's this quaint little Jazz club in northern OTR where the walls are lined with oriental rugs to keep the sound inside. It's a peculiar building, jutting out at the intersections of Vine St. and W. McMicken Ave. One price gets you a delicious buffet of hot, home-made food and all the music you can handle as Ed Moss and his Society Jazz Orchestra play with any guests who stop by for the night.
Hara Arena
Just outside of Dayton, Ohio, people had the opportunity to bid their final goodbye to a place of memories and spectacle. Taking in an event at Hara Arena was a collective experience shared among many. As it prepared to close its doors, the the world lost one more classic hockey barn.
For a Few Hours, a Fading Advertisement Returned to Prominence
A visual artist traveling across the nation and world stops in Cincinnati to bring a fading advertisement briefly back to life.
The Dayton Arcade
I had heard about it for years, occasionally seen photographs, but to see it in person. I was taken aback.
Some Things Are Worth Saving
A downtown landmark with historic roots faces an uncertain future at the crossroads of demolition and preservation.
The Lost Airport of Lebanon
You might remember Nick. He's the one known as the "Supreme Chancellor," in my ongoing Kings Waffle series. True to form, this story begins at our local diner, our Waffle House.
We were sipping coffee one day as the sun started to go down and the evening light of summer started to pour in. The best kind of light. I nagged Nick: "we should go shoot something, find something to photograph."
"What about the abandoned runway right next to my work?" he said.