Fall in the Midwest

There are many examples of the Midwest’s influence on culture My favorite examples are in photos and fabric. But this past weekend, I got to fully appreciate where I grew up.

Friday started with me driving home early to meet with my parent’s neighbor to discuss a brochure and postcard I’m designing for him. I got confused on the meeting time and realizing I had time to kill, I stopped at the Medina Antique Mall to pick up a housewarming present for my friend. I wanted to get her something for her “Lady Room,” the female equivalent to a man cave. Personally, I think man caves are cliché and lame, but a room that is over-the-top ultra feminine, especially when it is a feminist decorating it, this I can support.

I digress. The antique mall is in a practically deserted strip mall on Route 18. I remember coming to this store as a child. At the time it was about a 40 minute drive from our home and the was the closest major grocery store. Now it houses the Antique Mall, a bar (Dirty Cowboys) and some school. It looked so seedy and sad. Though the Antique mall was incredibly awesome and had everything you would ever want (including sweater clips-like the ones I saw on Glee!) I scored something for Michelle and found accessories for my Mad Men costume.

I continued home but first stopped at the Amish stand across the street from my parents. Dropped $10 and left with a box of apples, onions, potatoes, a butternut squash and a pie. Awesome. Now I just need to figure out how to cook a butternut squash.

The day was grey and foggy and I had time to kill after my meeting so I did some shooting. When they completed the work expanding 71, ODOT just left machinery behind. The perfect subject for my current project:

Notice the shotgun shell casing. Some local boys were bored and shot out the windows.

Other than my meeting with the Amish guy, I also came home to work a festival for my brother. Pioneers in the Park was small, free and I expected it to be lame. But instead, there were firemen selling chilli for $2.50, someone was making butter that you could sample, and there was hot apple cider being made over an open fire. That Saturday morning, on my way to the fest, the sun was out and I was amazed by how bright and vibrant the changing leaves looked. Maybe because it was such a relief from all the grey days before it.

Flats

Scans from my recent shoot in the Flats.

s.

Nature Preserve and Menilik’s Palace

The bedroom of Menilik’s Palace. If I could have a palace, it would be this one. I like the rustic feel and the view is amazing.

This is from the Nature Preserve in Arba Minch and another one of my favorite photos. I can see this printed big and framed and in my living room.

Another view of the Nature Preserve.

Addis Ababa

A construction site across the street from the mall where Sara and I watched The Hangover, down the road from my hotel. One of my favorite shots.

Lion Zoo 2

I had a scanning marathon earlier this week. So the next couple of posts will be images from my past trip to Ethiopia. First, the Lion Zoo. It isn’t far from the Museum where I worked. I had to pay to shoot there, but at least I know I can walk around and shoot what I want and not potentially offend someone.

Oh heck yeah, the Lion Zoo also has tortoises. I love seeing tortoises at any zoo. They are so big and slow and old.

Panoramic Pinhole Holga

I treated myself to a new toy once I returned from Ethiopia. This a shot from an over-grown lot in Ohio City.

Multimedializ in the…um…Media, and the Buffet that Isn’t

From my last post, you know I have a photo on the National Geographic Blog. This was a result of Yohannes’s work that was announced last week. After that I received a number of emails from my excited friends with links to articles they read and if I was associated with the research. (Not really, unless drinking with these people counts.)

Ted sent me a link from the Times.

Arielle sent me the link from Crain’s Cleveland.

Derek sent me a link from the Columbus Dispatch.

In addition to the photo, I’ve received a shout-out from my friend’s sister in her blog here and here. Nothing big, but it is funn to read about me in a blog that I enjoy so much. Also, there were 2 write ups about me in the current issue of the ASMPONC newsletter. Not available online, but I’m excited that Cleveland photographers are possibly reading about me (and thinking, I should collaborate with her!)

I recently created new business cards. Three, actually. They are kinda like a collectors’ set and they are so, so sweet.

My friend, Chris, designed my new logo. And I think it’s just perfect: modern, edgy and a little girly. Just like me! (Except I’m a lot girly.) This was my first project that I designed in InDesign and actually sent to a commercial printer. I took the files in person so I could talk to someone if I had any problems and I got to see and feel the different types of card stock. At this point, I turned in to a geeky kid in a candy store. “I’ll take that, that and that!” So each image is printed on a different card stock that I thought would work best. My favorite is the field image, which is on 16pt 100% recycled card stock. It is thicker and more natural, less white, than the other two.

Today, I picked up postcards to advertise my wedding photography.

But enough about me. Ted and two of his architect-friends are curating a show, All You Can Eat: A Buffet of Architectural Ideas for Cleveland.

From the description on their site: All You Can Eat  is a collective exhibition of architectural ideas for vacant sites in Cleveland, Ohio. If Cleveland has a surplus of anything it’s vacant land, and the organizers have faith that others, like them, have favorite sites around the city upon which they’d love to unleash their new (or old) tricks. This exhibition hopes to provide the impetus and opportunity for many to unleash said tricks in a publicly visible way.

The opening is October 30th at the Sculpture Center and is definitely  worth checking out.

National Geographic Blog

I have a photo in a National Geographic Blog post!

Check it out here!

Sunday

Finally slept in past 10 for the first time in what feels like months. Woke up to my cat snuggling with me. Made chocolate-chip pancakes. Scanned negatives and ran. Soon I’m headed to the west side for a evening, fall bike ride. And hopefully dinner at one of my favorite west-side restaurants. It’s turning out to be a very relaxing Sunday.

Flats

Today, we went back to the flats for me to shoot. Plus we did some exploring in Ohio City. Here are some of the out-takes: