Ronny Salerno 7/5/20 Ronny Salerno 7/5/20

Banana Pudding

July 4, 2020 on the road.

Ronny Salerno 7/3/20 Ronny Salerno 7/3/20

From The Archives: Surf Cincinnati on 35mm

Surf Cincinnati was the place where I first indulged in a curiosity of exploring abandoned locales, the place that turned a childhood interest with photography into a passion. I loved “Surf” as a 90s kid when it was alive just as much as I loved wandering through its derelict state later in life. The park has always stuck with me, a subject that still shines influence on my writing and photography to this day.

Ronny Salerno 7/2/20 Ronny Salerno 7/2/20

[Kings Waffle] Chapter 11: (Just a Few of) The Waffle Makers

Oftentimes at Kings Waffle, the distinction of employee and friend is/was blurry. People who worked there became friends. Friends who you met there became employees. There were even a few who regularly rotated between both categories (and that’s not at all to say that an employee couldn’t be a friend, just that some folks fluctuated). I even once considered putting in a job application at times—if I was there enough anyways and I needed some extra cash, why not learn how to cook or serve tables?

Ronny Salerno 6/30/20 Ronny Salerno 6/30/20

LEGO

As the COVID-19 Pandemic made its way to Ohio and things began locking down, I dug out my collection of LEGO.

Ronny Salerno 6/28/20 Ronny Salerno 6/28/20

[Kings Waffle] Chapter 10: Waiting for the Lights

My best guess?

Even if the place wasn’t shut down with padlocks on the door, I’d still probably not know anybody inside. There’s a good chance I might still recognize some of the regulars or an employee, but I don’t know if they’d remember me. I haven’t been here in awhile. Nevertheless, on this day, at this time—Kings Waffle is where I want to be.

Ronny Salerno 6/22/20 Ronny Salerno 6/22/20

Demonstrations in Cincinnati on May 30, June 1, June 3, and June 8, 2020.

As demonstrations against racism and police brutality took place across the world following the death of George Floyd, I documented some of the local protests for Cincinnati Public Radio/91.7 WVXU. The following photographs were made on May 30, June 1, June 3, and June 8, 2020.

Ronny Salerno 5/21/20 Ronny Salerno 5/21/20

Death of The Dennison

The Dennison Hotel building once stood on the eastern side of Downtown Cincinnati's Main St. between 7th and 8th Streets. The building was part of the "Cincinnati East Manufacturing and Warehouse District," an area officially cataloged with the National Register of Historic Places.

Ronny Salerno 5/15/20 Ronny Salerno 5/15/20

[35mm Ohio] Covid-19 and Kodak 400

If you’re a regular follower of this site, some of these frames may seem familiar. I documented my experience with the COVID-19 Pandemic back on March 30th. A month and a half later, I’ve started writing and stopped writing this particular post here several times. I think, for now, I’m content to let the previous words stand on their own. Here, it’s just Kodak 400 shot through a Pentax K1000.

Ronny Salerno 5/13/20 Ronny Salerno 5/13/20

[35mm Ohio] Wilmington, Waterloo, Waterfront, and the Tri-C Campus District Station

Photographs made with a Pentax K1000 and Canon AF35MMII loaded with Kodak Ultramax 400.

Ronny Salerno 5/8/20 Ronny Salerno 5/8/20

From the Archives: the Cincinnati Skywalk in December 2008

I recently posed a question on Twitter: “If you could time travel to any location/point in history, where and when would you travel to?” The answers ranged from the first moon landing to meeting Jesus Christ, the Wright Brothers’ first flight, killing Hitler, the Treaty of Versailles, and sports championships. Among the thoughtful responses, though, not a single soul (despite my hint) said that they’d travel to the Cincinnati Skywalk system in December of 2008.

Ronny Salerno 5/7/20 Ronny Salerno 5/7/20

Fighting Falcons over Cincinnati

This morning, two F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th “Stingers” Fighter Wing flew over Cincinnati area hospitals in a salute to frontline workers during the ongoing pandemic. Based out of Toledo, the unit has been performing overhead passes across the state as part of regularly scheduled training missions. Staff of The Christ Hospital in Uptown donned masks and went to the roof as the jets roared by before continuing north.

Ronny Salerno 5/6/20 Ronny Salerno 5/6/20

From the Archives: The Pool at Pomerene Hall

Did you ever see that episode of “Are You Afraid of The Dark?”

Ronny Salerno 5/3/20 Ronny Salerno 5/3/20

Photographs of a Parking Garage - May 3, 2020

I hadn’t planned on a post for today, but as I pulled into the parking garage—I caught the tail end of On Being on NPR.

Ronny Salerno 4/20/20 Ronny Salerno 4/20/20

The Sidelined Delta Fleet in Wilmington, Ohio

In 1996, my dad took me to the Dayton Air Show for the ﬁrst time. 24 years later, we went to another air show of sorts.

Ronny Salerno 4/17/20 Ronny Salerno 4/17/20

[35mm Ohio] State Of Convenience

I’ve got this book called “Roadside Americana.” It’s a coffee table book and I don’t remember where it came from.

Ronny Salerno 4/16/20 Ronny Salerno 4/16/20

[35mm Ohio] The Heart of it All and the Center of the World

“Ohio, the Heart of it All” was the state’s former tourism slogan. It appeared at interstate borders, on license plates, and on rest stop brochures.

Ronny Salerno 4/15/20 Ronny Salerno 4/15/20

[35mm Ohio] Our Lady of Ohio

I loaded up on water and fuel at a dilapidated BP where the service was friendly, but the bathroom less so.

Ronny Salerno 4/14/20 Ronny Salerno 4/14/20

[35mm Ohio] The Great Dome Of Materials Park

After leaving the abandoned observatory, I made my way to the “World’s Largest Open Air Geodesic Dome” east of Cleveland.

Ronny Salerno 4/13/20 Ronny Salerno 4/13/20

[35mm Ohio] Warner And Swasey Observatory

I don’t quite remember how I first heard about this place or when I first added it to my map of potential locales to photograph for this project. Although the history and photography of abandoned places were the genesis behind this website, it had been awhile since I’d done any substantial urban exploration work…

Ronny Salerno 4/12/20 Ronny Salerno 4/12/20

[35mm Ohio] A Barn, a Cheesebarn, a Beetle, a Bridge, and a Bomb

Views along the roadside documented on a few recent trips with a Pentax K1000 and Kodak Ultramax 400.