2.1.23The Reward For Muscling Through ItWhile helping flip a heavy slab of wood at the shop today, I tweaked my back to the point where standing and walking was too much and had to drive home to lie down. This isn’t the first time this has happened, but the thing that worried me most was that I had an event to shoot at the Art Museum later in the evening. I laid flat and rested for the rest of the afternoon and managed to feel better enough to hobble my way through the event and get the job done. I think I managed to keep it together without anyone knowing, but there’s no way to be sure. Anyway, while there, I stumbled upon this incredible piece by artist Emily Brock entitled ‘Deli—Going to Lunch” (1991). According to text, it’s a “slumped, cast blown and lampworked glass” sculpture of a recently vacated deli counter. I initially marveled at the technical beauty of the piece before considering the point the text below it made about the scene appearing hauntingly empty. The table looks freshly used, complete with a napkin on the floor, with a discarded apron on the floor behind the counter, but everything else seems to be perfectly in place. After reading that, I briefly imagined it being within The Last of Us’ fictional world on outbreak day and enjoyed the idea that two disparate works of art could be accidentally linked by head cannon like that. That was my reward for sucking it up and working the event despite the physical pain and discomfort.

2.2.23Ill-Advised WalkWoke up with the pain in my back still screaming at me, so I had to make the unfortunate call to delay today’s shoot to next week. Ashley’s on a work trip, though, so Myrtle looks to me for food and nourishment (and entertainment). While I can walk, and while it doesn’t cause me great harm in the moment to do so, I pay for it later. I took her on a slow walk around the neighborhood to stretch her legs and I think she appreciated it. Ordered a pizza when I got home, watched Star Trek: First Contact and an episode of TNG before going to bed. Tomorrow I see a doctor for this and I hope it helps.

2.3.23The DoctorDay two and a half of this back pain. Went to see a chiropractor in Alexandria and the waiting room was perfect. Between the fake plant casting a shadow on the ceiling to the tropical fluorescent light inserts, the wallpaper, framed photos, and stack of magazines, I felt transported straight back to the 90s. It was comforting in all the right ways. The doctor gave me some info on what’s happening with my back and adjusted my spine. I felt surprisingly great after the visit, but then I took Myrtle on a long walk down by the riverfront and regretted it later. I am unable to sit and chill with ease.

2.4.23Getting Back Out ThereI decided to go out tonight with friends for a few drinks after being largely sedentary at my house for the last few days. The night ended at cozy Jerry’s.

2.5.23She’s OnboardDespite wearing an Apple Watch years ago and deciding to go back to it recently, it took Ashley’s boss flashing one on her wrist to persuade Ashley it was time to get one, too. As we approached the glass mouth of the well-lit Apple cave, I had the sad realization that I am not cool enough to influence my wife.

2.6.23CharlesMy back is feeling better, but I’ve contracted flu. I wish I had a better photo for the day because it’s an important one. I learned late yesterday that my grandfather passed away the night I was out with friends. He and I reconnected briefly back in 2021 (August 18th) after a long time without contact and went out to dinner once after that a little while later. It was nice seeing him and catching up on what he’s been up to over the years. Honestly, it meant a lot to me that we could get together and carry on after so many years apart. But I never felt I really knew him well as an adult; most of our time spent together was when I was young and still figuring out the world. I have vivid, positive memories of being with him through my childhood, and I’m grateful for those times. When he was present and engaged, he was a fun and interesting guy. One of the flaws of Armstrong men is our predisposition to find the path that requires the least amount of interpersonal conflict, which sometimes isn’t the best route. I won’t go into why my dad and I didn’t have a regular relationship with him here, but it goes without saying that the three of us clicked pretty well that day in his garage in 2021. Unfortunately that would be the last time three generations of Armstrong men would be together in the same place.

2.7.23Clay & LeahHad a video meeting with Clay and Leah today in what would be the first time the three of us sat and talked in real time “face to face” in years. I’ve obviously had a great deal of contact with each of them individually over the years, but this was the first time since 2016 the three of us got together at the same time. We talked about some work we’ll be tag-teaming for Clay’s business and reminisced briefly on our days at CR. I owe these two a great deal for believing in me way back in mid-2016 when they got me involved in CR. It changed the trajectory of my career and life for the better.

2.8.23The Search For a FridgeToday’s big task involved finding a cheap replacement fridge for the shop. John and I took the van out to a few reuse places and settled on a simple 6-foot tall $200 white fridge from Building Value in Northside. Pictured is the Reuse Center in South Fairmount, which never fails to be photogenic.

2.9.23MandrakeAshley and I are headed on a dual work trip to Columbus and Indianapolis over the next two days. She has stores to visit and I have a shoot just outside of Indy, but we’re going to squeeze in some fun while at it. Today we went to Columbus and I met up with Chris at North Market across from our hotel while she took the rental car to go do her thing. He and I bopped around town taking photos and swapping opinions on everything from what’s happening in current Star Trek shows to making a comprehensive list of every country he’s visited (95 and counting). We ended up at the Mandrake Rooftop for cocktails and caught the sun going down. There was already a wind advisory in place due to a front moving through the region, but on the 10th level it was even windier. If not for the camera’s wrist strap hugging my arm tightly, I don’t think I would’ve attempted to raise my gear into the air to clear the perimeter glass to get this shot.

2.10.23Bottleworks & MoreIndy was our destination on day two. We checked into the Le Meridien downtown and Ashley went off to check stores while I walked around. It was a grey, ugly morning, so an indoor activity was first on my list. I walked Circle Center Mall next to our hotel and lamented its starkly obvious decline in the face of today’s digital retail revolution. Despite some recognizable brands and stores, it’s largely filled with one-off salons, trinket stores with forgettable names, an empty Regal Theater lobby, and a surprisingly active food court. If you’re reading this, you’re most likely my age or older and understand first hand what malls once felt like and how sad it is to see them gasp for air like this. Anyway, both the Soldiers & Sailors Monument and Indiana War Memorial were both closed, so I checked out Indy’s City Market (not great) before heading to Mass Ave (fine) and ending up at the Bottleworks Hotel and The Garage Food Hall (very good). Later, we had several fruity cocktails at Inferno Room in Indy’s Fountain Square neighborhood (also good) and called it an early night around 10 PM.

2.11.23Pizza & LibationsRemember when I said this was a dual work trip and then I spent the last two days messing around while Ashley visited stores? Today was my day to shine. On our way out of Indy, we went south to Bargersville so I could photograph a bar back and overhead surround that Single Batch made. Because I wasn’t involved in this project, I don’t know the details of how it was installed, but John needed photos of it for his portfolio.

2.12.2322K StepsI walked all over NKY and downtown today for a mix of business and pleasure. My shin muscles are barking at me, but it felt good.

2.13.23Trophy PizzaJustin’s brand new pizza place, Trophy Pizza, in Evendale opened within the last week. He’s been working on it for awhile now and it’s so good to see his business busy and thriving already. It sells NYC-style slices you can eat in the dining room or take to go, and you can also order whole pies (as well as several other menu items). It’s delicious and I’m not saying that just because he’s a good friend. Get yourself over to Trophy Pizza and taste it for yourself.

2.14.23In Need of TLCThis part of Central Parkway has always been a mess. A variety of beat up cars have been parked prominently in view of the Parkway in the past, though right now there doesn’t seem to be any behind the rickety old chain link fence. There used to be a “support troops” above the pro-police sign, but I guess that’s gone now. I imagine the owner of this unsightly property had a falling out with the US Army (or more likely it just blew off the building).

2.15.23The TruckJohn’s confident in this old beater’s ability to maintain modern highway speeds and not explode. I, however, am less so. I admit I know next to nothing about cars nor do I really care about them beyond choice models‘ aesthetics and their ability to make travel easier, so maybe my fear of this ‘69 Chevy somethingorother is illogical. Regardless, it didn’t break down or explode on the highway and we got what we needed with fewer than 10 Boomers asking us if John would sell it to them, so overall it was an easy trip.

2.16.23Plant WallWe rearranged our bedroom furniture and changed up the layout, resulting in a very barren wall. Today I got the components for simple shelving and installed everything so she could decorate with plants. The wall adds a whole new level of coziness to the room, I think.

2.17.23The Only Opera I LikeIt was a stressful day on site at the Woodburn Exchange installing metalwork. Even though Joe did the majority of the heavy stuff, I was trying my best not to let my worry show as we hoisted precious steel into the air with rickety crank lifts. Keeping that stress bottled for the sake of getting it done without issue took its toll on my nerves, so when I got home, I just wanted to go to Elusive Cow, sit at the bar, enjoy a beer and some food, and go home. Some Bellevue neighbors came in part way through our meal at the bar and sat next to us, which was nice. We chatted for a bit before Ashley and I continued on our way. As we walked home, I remembered Schneider’s was selling their famous Opera Creams and went in for a 1/2 pound box. As a bonus, the owner gave us two freshly made cherry cordial opera creams for free. “They’re still cooling, so save them for Sunday,” he said. “They’ll taste their best if you wait two days.”

2.18.23MittenfestWe went to Mittenfest today and the only photo I took was this one. We went with Steve and Erica even though neither of them especially enjoy beer. They were good sports about it and we still had a wonderful time. And any time we can bring little Myrtle to an event, it’s a good one. The amount of people in the park was honestly astonishing; I didn’t expect a February event like this to be so well-attended. Then again, it was the picture of beautiful weather.

2.19.23“Microphone Check, One, Two, What Is This?”Had to set up a step-and-repeat without a backdrop for an event I shot at the Kenwood Country Club tonight. Whenever I have to do this, I arrive early to figure out the lighting so I don’t have to waste anyone’s time when they step into Phil’s Photo Zone®. This was the test shot for that setup. I don’t feel comfortable sharing any of the photos from the actual event itself since it was a private affair.

2.20.23AustinburgCovington has all these little sub-neighborhoods with their own signage and boundaries. From Austinburg to Peaselburg and all the other little pockets of identity scattered throughout NKY’s massive riverside neighborhood, I feel like I could walk all of it and still not see enough. I work closest to Austinburg, and while out on a lunch-time walk, I wandered past its mosaic-tiled sign about two blocks up from the shop. In a perfect world where I had infinite time to do everything I wanted, finding and cataloging every neighborhood and sub-neighborhood sign would be a fun photo project. I’ve had the idea for years to do it with Cincinnati, and I even started doing it at one point, but the sheer number to find and photograph as well as the size of the area I’d have to cover would take me longer than I’d like.

2.21.23Not Enough ClaysI’m in the process of creating a group photo for the medical practice Clay works for, but the tricky thing is getting nine very busy doctors into a space at the same time. So, in order to make a seamless group photo with schedules that never align, I’m going to photograph nine people at different times over two sessions with the same lighting and splice each of them into the same photo in a different position. Clay was my stand-in for this process and I made this test composite as proof of concept. While I’m not new to crafting this type of image, the stakes are far higher for this than they’ve ever been and I need to make sure I get this right.

2.22.23Infinity RoseApparently this rose will last indefinitely. Ashley got it in Miami. If I remember (the critical part of this), I will check back in on this rose a year from today to see if this infinity rose has, indeed, lasted.

2.23.23Beautiful Day for a RideAfter my second shoot of the day was cancelled by the client, I made the executive decision to not be inside for the remainder of the day. It was too beautiful to waste it indoors. Vince and I met up at Yeatman’s Cove and rode around Cincinnati, tagging the end of Mill Creek before heading northward to Northside and continuing on through Spring Grove Cemetery. We checked out a greenhouse his buddy maintains nearby, ate a blood orange straight off the tree, and headed back to Northside Yacht Club for a beer before riding the evening light home to Bellevue. In all, I did 27.5 miles and it felt amazing. I wish I could do long rides in perfect weather every day.

2.24.23A ProposalSam (kneeling) proposed to Sophie at the edge of Smale Park tonight. He asked me to photograph the moment for him, so I sat in the dark far enough away that she wouldn’t see me and snapped several frames the moment he popped the question. Sam is Steve’s good buddy from college and I know him primarily through Steve, but I’m thankful he felt comfortable enough in our friendship through association to ask for my help capturing this moment for them.

2.25.23The Last Moment of SobrietyI am writing this entry two days after the day in which this photo was taken because Saturday night wreaked havoc on my liver to an obnoxious degree. Kevin organized a movie night that started with a bunch of guys from the neighborhood meeting up for drinks at several bars before our 8:30 PM showing at the theater. The back of Miller’s Fill In has this amazing duckpin bowling machine from the Stone Age that we played for awhile before heading onto our next location. It would be the last thing I’d see and do before being unable to walk a straight line for the remainder of the evening. We laughed our asses off at Bridgeview, reclined with triple bourbons during a movie about a cocaine bear, stumbled upon margaritas just before closing time, and narrowly lost to strangers in a rousing game of doubles’ billiards in Bellevue’s smokiest bar before essentially crawling back to Grandview Avenue where we all lived. It was one of those nights where it felt like it just went on forever and ended with a bang commensurate with the rest of the evening. My body, not wanting to ruin a good time and being extremely cool about it, waited until the next day to have a talk with me about my choices.

2.26.23The Only ReliefHere’s a picture of Myrtle looking radiant in the back seat of the car, hoping we give her a taste of a burger. Ashley took me to get Wendy’s because I was hungover from last night’s Cocaine Bear bonanza and I needed fast food to absorb whatever was making my stomach feel like it was navigating the ocean during a hurricane. I lost an entire day to self-inflicted sickness but the night before was amazing, so it was worth 24 hours of blech. Myrtle, in all her fluffy splendor, temporarily took my mind off my illness and recklessness.

2.27.23WeirdosThe statues flanking the main staircase of the Scottish Rites building on Madison Ave in Covington are the goofiest sphinxes I’ve ever seen. They have these Art Deco bodies with heads that don’t seem to match. Their strange style leaps out at me every time I walk past and look at the building. Scottish Masons and their organizations remain a mystery that I could probably just read up on and understand more fully, but whenever I do my brain completely zones out and I get lost in alternate thought. It may be that I’m just simply not interested in the subject. Regardless, these weirdos are totally up my alley.

2.28.23Solitary Group PhotoI’m proud of this photo for a specific reason. On the surface, it just looks like a regular group photo of nine people dressed identically against a neutral architectural backdrop. But here’s the thing: none of these people were in the room together when I took their photo. Every one of them was alone in the room. Because of conflicting schedules, we couldn’t get anyone together at the same time, so I set up lights and a tripod and had each of them come in and pose in nine different positions during several blocks of time over two weeks. Then, in post-production, I composed them all together to create the group photo. I’m still tweaking it, so this isn’t the final version just yet, but it’s very close. I’ve done this in the past with myself in various poses for fun, but this is the first time I’ve used that practice professionally.