10.1.22Journey AheadI haven’t mentioned it here until now because it’s been an evolving situation over the last few days, but it’s time to commit it to this record. Hurricane Ian devastated my in-laws’ city of Fort Myers the other day. They’re physically alright, but they’re in need of help. Their house was badly damaged by wind and water, their vehicles were totaled by an insane storm surge, and they have a lot to fix and figure out both for themselves and for their neighbors. Long story short, we’re flying into Miami, gathering supplies and a rental car for them, and driving to them tomorrow. The next five days are likely going to be rather difficult. The photo is of a Georgian suburb as we flew into Atlanta for a layover. I do not remember taking this photo. I’m not bringing a proper camera because I’m there to work.

10.2.22Necessary RepairsWe drove to Fort Myers early in the morning. Ashley knows some people in Miami who very graciously gathered supplies for us before we headed out—gasoline cans, food, bottled drinks, batteries, etc. We loaded up the rental and sped toward the devastated city with a pit in our stomachs. The two hour trip went quickly until we finally reached the outskirts of Fort Myers where stop lights failed to direct traffic and piles of debris lined the cleared roads. The closer we got, the more mangled the buildings and signs. There seemed to be no pattern to the destruction; a McDonalds sign would be shredded to ribbons right next to a car wash with only a little roof damage, followed by an RV park that clearly wasn’t reopening any time soon. It took us 30 minutes to drive six miles to their house because of the unstable traffic flow. When we finally got there, we immediately got to work on cleaning up the yard, tarping the damaged roof, and assisting elderly neighbors with their own homes. The only good thing about this horrific storm is it decided to hit in late September and not the middle of July when the temperature is at its peak.

10.3.22A Day of Tireless ErrandsWe spent the day ripping baseboards off the walls and drilling holes in the drywall to force circulating air through it. They got almost an inch of water during the peak of the storm surge and water was still puddled behind the walls. I am thankful they replaced all their flooring with ceramic tile last year because this would’ve been so much worse with any other flooring material, especially carpet. We saw plenty of homes with soaking wet, putrid rolls of carpet stashed by the street. We delivered goods to a couple in need who got six feet of water in their home, had to shore up some contractural stuff with Hertz, and ran to the hardware store to replace the power tools they lost in the flood. It was a long, hard day.

10.4.22Another Long DayThere’s little else to say that I haven’t already said in previous posts. More errands and work on the house. More people in need to stop and help and sort out. They have a generator powering theirs and their two neighbors’ fridges, and the fans are still blowing on the walls to try and dry them out, but there is no grid power. We’re doing laundry in a bucket on the driveway while Chinook helicopters fly large storage containers to and from Fort Myers Beach—the epicenter of the devastation. We’re just waiting on insurance adjusters, grid power to kick back on, and so many other things we can’t control. Tomorrow we leave this place and head back to Cincinnati. I hope we don’t leave them stranded.

10.5.22Goodbye, Fort MyersWe’re tired. We’re also going home. Because there was little else for us to do to my in-laws’ house this morning, we took them to Naples to eat lunch in a restaurant in an effort to claw back a little normalcy after a terrible week. It was more for their peace of mind than our own. We said our goodbyes to Fort Myers, picked up a lift from Naples to Miami, and flew home on a direct flight to CVG. I know this will sound dramatic, but it felt a bit like the end scene of Jurassic Park when they’re all helicoptering off the island with the nightmare behind them. Thankfully, two hours after we left, they got grid power back and their home would start to feel somewhat normal.

10.6.22AnniversarySafely back in Cincinnati, we celebrated our third wedding anniversary with a huge dinner at Walt’s Hitching Post. The bread (pictured) is the stuff of dreams. I’m certain, if there is such a place, they serve this in Heaven. We ate so much (not just bread, other menu items), we barely made it home before going to bed and passing out around 9 PM. After the week we had, we needed to catch up on sleep.

10.7.22Routine ResumedThe crisp autumn air felt so good on my bike ride into the wood shop today. Pedaling through an old neighborhood decked out in Halloween decor while making my way toward a job I enjoy was something else. It was so nice to be back in town. I felt thoroughly satisfied when I arrived on Scott Street in Covington and greeted my coworkers. I felt like I hadn’t been there in ages even though it had only been a week. Joe finished the credenza he was building so I took some shots of it in the “studio.” This one had drawers.

10.8.22Big Bone Lick BuffaloWe went to Big Bone Lick State Park this morning to see the buffalo that live there. The last time we went was March 7th, 2020. I got a much better photo that time (you can see it in the archive if you navigate back to that day). They were too far away this time and I only had a 28-200mm on hand. That said, I got to see a baby buffalo! He settled down into the spot next to his father immediately after this photo was taken.

10.9.22Five Years OldMyrtle is five years old today. I love this little creature more than most people. She’s a constant source of hilarity, companionship, sweetness, and fun. As is custom, we made a little birthday portrait before heading out for the day. Also, Tiffany and Steven get married tonight! Looking forward to that.

10.10.22Gutierrez DeliJohn and I delivered a credenza to a client then slipped over to Gutierrez Deli for burritos. Stores like this—the ones with barely any organization and piles of produce stacked on top of carts on either side of tight, cozy aisles—are my favorite. They’re such a refreshing change from the impersonal, sterile, highly-efficient supermarkets we’ve grown to accept as normal. I got a bag of Cheetos torciditos (cheese with a hint of chili behind them) and a pina colada aloe drink with my burrito. Whatever the burrito lacked in seasoning it made up for in quantity. There was no leaving Gutierrez Deli with a stomach half-filled.

10.11.22That Time Eyeball Lights Made Me Feel GoodWhen I was little, Halloween was one of the most exciting times of the year. My otherwise neutral environment grew more colorful as the calendar marched steadily toward October 31st—the leaves blushed, porch decor went wild, and the evening light changed in a way I couldn’t explain. October ushered in an atmosphere of cartoonish fun with just a dash of fear sprinkled in for good measure. Fear of the little-too-scary mask in the pop-up Halloween store. Fear of the impending winter. Fear of this new school thing that I didn’t entirely enjoy for reasons. Subconsciously micro-dosing fear was energizing, though. While I slow cooked in the Halloween broth that was blow-up skeletons and plastic jack-o-lantern buckets from McDonalds, I planned my costume for The Big Night® at the end of the month and hoped to hell the weather held out so I didn’t have to wear that fucking coat over it. The grim reaper does NOT look good in a puffy blue winter coat! While I haven’t trick-or-treated for many years, I still feel a pang of that familiar fearful excitement this time of year when I see certain decorations, and I absolutely love when it happens. For half of a fraction of a millisecond, I feel the childhood wonder that grown-up Phil doesn’t experience anymore. These little eyeball lights—an innocuous enough Halloween decoration—got me tonight.

10.12.22BassSummer Kodama plays bass with Ada Lea at Memorial Hall on Wednesday, October 12th. The band performed about six songs before Calexico took the stage. Photographed for the Longworth-Anderson Series.

10.13.22Glass SightingThere’s a standing rule for this photo project: if the day’s activities involve crossing paths with Chris Glass, he must be included in that day’s published photo. He’s the only other person I know who’s committed to a daily photo project, and I read his website religiously (chrisglass.com). I ran into him organically at the ribbon-cutting for the new John Arthur Flats in Northside today. Yes, BLINK returns tonight after a three year hiatus, but I like Chris more than BLINK.

10.14.22BLINK 2022I think the experience of BLINK 2022 is best summed up by this quote from Zan McQuade on Instagram: “I walked 6 miles to see some art but honestly it was too many people and not enough art.” I’ve been out in it both nights so far, and the American Building’s projection is the only one that really stands out to me. I don’t want to be negative about the festival on social media, but her quote is perfect. I believe, at this point, BLINK is a festival of diminishing returns. The first year was absolutely incredible and one of my favorite nights I’ve ever had in the city happened that first evening. I photographed the hell out of the first and second years, even selling images to create an official BLINK book, but this year I just haven’t really found much worth shooting aside from this. A lot of it is derivative and not as clever as previous years or simply retreads of previous years’ content. And there are noticeable absences, like the Roebling Bridge not being lit up in any BLINK way. There are a few projections that simply lay animations over murals that don’t seemingly pay any attention to the contours of the mural itself, and there are issues with drone shows being late and projections not even happening (re: the Kenner mural on Court Street). I’ve seen all that OTR and Downtown have to offer, so tomorrow night I will check out Covington’s collection of projections and hope those are better.

10.15.22Saturday Night BlinkingCovington didn’t offer anything better, really, with the exception of Mother of God Church. That projection was easily the best one of BLINK 2022 (even better than my pick for favorite from the previous night). However, what Covington lacked in blow-your-mind-Blinkness it made up for in being more chilled out than downtown and OTR, which is why Myrtle joined us for our adventure. A random lady gave us a glow stick for her to wear, we got coffee and hot chocolate, and ended the night by sitting at Covington Landing and watching the drone show.

10.16.22Solo Jazz Italian IceI saw this while at a stoplight in Morrow, OH.

10.17.22Album Art?I feel like if you slapped an explicit tag on this image, it would make for a satisfactory album cover. Also, it was 11:50-something and I realized I’d not bothered to make an image that day while laying bed. Not my most inspired, but it’s honest.

10.18.22Forgotten OfficeI went back to the former slaughterhouse on Baymiller today to get updated photos for the client. This abandoned office looks exactly the same as it did when I visited in May. I doubt anyone’s even walked into it since I was last there.

10.19.22Colossal HassleIt took seven men to carry a 12-foot-long maple table up five flights of stairs, myself included. We made a custom conference table for a client in the Republic Bank building in Covington for their new office space they’re building out. And that wasn’t the only thing we carefully lugged up the stairs: a smaller conference table and two side tables also made the long trip up to the top. Of course the elevator had to be broken. In a moment of quiet rest to catch my breath, I took advantage of the view and snapped a few photos. I will likely never be up here again.

10.20.22Flower PressingAshley’s been collecting and pressing flowers recently. She started putting flowers onto paper and into frames tonight for the first time. I really like this new hobby of hers.

10.21.22Long Day, Longer CornstalksWe delivered a bunch of mahogany tables we made in the shop to Fifty West Brewing during the day. That evening, I went to Memorial Hall and had a bad experience with the volunteer staff there while shooting a show for the concert organizer. Then, I hung out in a corn field. It was a helluva full and weird day.

10.22.22The WallBeen wanting to do this for months and finally got to execute on the idea. I designed and built a retaining wall in my front yard using old railroad ties today. My dad came down and helped me haul bags of gravel and rock from the store as well as lift the 200-pound timbers into place. He had to leave in the early afternoon, so I finished it up on my own. It took pretty much the entire day to get it level, secured, and stacked in the photo above. I only really ran into one issue while building it, but a longer drill bit solved that and it all came together rather elegantly afterward. It’s sturdy, secured with a deadman, leaves room for gas line access, and elevates the front yard for future plantings (this week’s project). I’ve hated our ragged front yard for months, so finally getting a chance to build this wall and take the first step toward getting rid of all the useless grass is so satisfying.

10.23.22Sharon WoodsSharon Woods in autumn is some of the best fall foliage I've seen this year. This year's season has been among the best in recent memory. I took a boatload of photos in the park, so choosing just one for this project was tough.

10.24.22A Walk Through NewportWe walked through East Newport this evening to get a little exercise in with the dog while searching for a place to eat. The autumnal sights and smells didn’t disappoint. Ever the sucker for Halloween decorations, I enjoyed the creepy moving animatronic on the roof of this gorgeous house. There are a dozen other photos from the walk I wish I could share here, but this is the one for today.

10.25.22BoldShooting a space with fun colors and bold patterns is so much more fun than documenting empty rooms. Sure, it’s harder and takes longer to properly white balance, but the results are always better. If you’re flipping a house or want to showcase a rental, always stage it if it’s within budget. I can’t think of a time when leaving it empty is better for photos. People’s imaginations aren’t always up to your own, and seeing a furnished space can make the difference for a prospective buyer or renter. With the right designer or someone with an eye for decor, a good room becomes great.

10.26.22Newport’s FrankensteinI don’t know what this is, but it’s a monstrosity. Saw it while walking to work today and had to take a photo. RIP to what was probably a beautiful building at some point.

10.27.22Party at the Art MuseumShot another event at the Art Museum tonight. This one was localized in the Great Hall, aka my nemesis. It’s very hard to photograph people in this space because it’s naturally dimly lit, so I’m often shooting as wide open as possible at 10,000 ISO. And the ceiling is so high up that it’s almost impossible to bounce enough light for portraits with flash. The only time I have any luck is when I can bounce it off the wall. That said, if I’m trying to photograph someone in the middle of the room, forget it.

10.28.22Phil’s IllIn case you didn’t get the title, it’s “ill.” As in: I am unwell. Truth be told, I started feeling ill two days ago and managed to take enough meds to get through the Art Museum event last night, but only barely. My energy is gone, but a COVID test returns a negative result. Had to cancel today’s work and focus on resting. As such, I phoned it in today with this project. Forgive me.

10.29.22Final Curtain CallTonight was the final Longworth-Anderson show at Memorial Hall for the year. It was also my final shoot for them. I’ve been doing work with the organization for two years, and after this last year, I’m ready to move onto other things. It’s been a pleasure working with them, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I like shooting shows at this venue, but I’m tired of the formula. With it being the same thing every time, I don’t look forward to doing it anymore. I’m not a fan of repetition in life in general. And I’ve missed things I’ve wanted to go to this year as a result of having to shoot these shows (like the BLINK bike ride and a free show at Cincy Shakes). I’m really looking forward to reducing the amount of nights I work and being more available for events I want to go. I think it’ll help guide me back to a healthier work/life balance.

10.30.22Update to the WallThe grass in the front yard is gone, replaced by plantings and pinestraw. Though it took a few days over two weekends to complete, I’m very satisfied by what we’ve managed to create here, and I’m so glad we did this ourselves instead of waiting for and paying a landscaper to do it for us. No longer will I have to look at a patchy front yard devoid of purpose; it’s now something I take personal pride in and it will be home for pollinators in the spring while improving the overall first impression of the house. I sat on the wall and drank a beer in quiet victory after everything was planted and done. It feels truly wonderful to make changes to your home without having to ask permission or wait on someone to do the work for you.

10.31.22Happy Halloween!We had about 35 kids show up this year and I actually ran out of candy by 7:30. Note to self: don’t start giving out handfuls until 7:15 at the earliest.