Last Saturday I had to run over to Cincinnati’s west end to drop off something to a supplier and figured I’d shoot some stuff while I was out. I’ve had a list of shots I’ve wanted to get in that part of town for a while. Most importantly I wanted to sneak into an abandoned church next to my supplier’s shop. The First German Reformed Church along Freeman Avenue has been on my list for quite a while so I was excited over the prospect of shooting it. There’s only one way to “get in” to the abandoned church. A 24″ pathway between 2 buildings. I was a bit paranoid as I worked my way down the path, but as I got closer to the one opening I started to feel a bit cocky. I was actually getting ready to trespass to shoot an abandoned church. I was about 4 feet from the opening when I noticed fresh footprints in the snow right in front of me. I mean very fresh! If you know anything about Freeman Avenue in Cincinnati, you know it’s not a great place to be with a few grand in camera gear, in an abandoned building, where there MAY be someone with you! Well so much for the church. I chickened out and hit the road. I will however make my way back. I’ve just got to!

Not to be deterred by my willingness to stay alive I decided to hit some of the other spots I’ve been wanting to shoot. I’ve recently become interested in old signs and the west end of Cincinnati is filled with them. From an old brewery, a wide variety of churches and pawn shops to recent signs of “Hope”, the west end is filled with visual eye candy. Depending on your taste of eye candy of course!

Check out the entire gallery here. Enjoy!

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I found this little church on my way to Prestonsburg, Kentucky last week. I typically stop and shoot these “little white churches” and go on about my business. I often find them on my way home from a camping trip on Sunday mornings. I’ve thought many times about stopping and attending a service, but I’m paranoid they may be snake handlers! Joking aside, maybe one day I’ll work up the courage to stop in one of these little churches.

Here’s just a couple more. Enjoy!

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For the past few years I’ve gotten up on New Years Day and gone out for an all day photo trip. This year I missed New Years Day by a couple of days. This gallery is from my first photo trip of 2010, January 3. My goal was to shoot a Mail Pouch barn in Adams County, Ohio. I did end up shooting that particular barn (Adams County barn), along with 3 others, a couple of Churches and some other barns. The last Mail Pouch Barn in the gallery is the only Mail Pouch Barn in the country with all four sides painted with Mail Pouch advertising. There are a few close-up shots of Harley Warrick’s signature.

Here’s my first road trip of 2010 gallery. Enjoy!

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Ok, so I’m out on a photo trip for the day last Sunday and I drive through New Vienna, Ohio. I come across this awesome looking old Church. I grab a couple of lenses and head out to start shooting. I get 2, yes 2 shots off when this lady comes up to me and yells “Get away from my Church!”. She asked who I was and what I was doing taking photos of “her” Church. She asked if I made it a point of shooting people’s private property. I told her as a matter of fact I do! After that one smart ass comment I decided it would be best to not get into it with her. I don’t know if it was because I was shooting a Church or I felt guilty because I actually skipped Church to go out and shoot for the day.

I was only able to take the time to get 2 detailed shots off before the “encounter”. But once she went back inside I shot this overall photo with my iPhone. Crap, I had a few grand in high-end photographic equipment sitting next to me in the car and I’m posting a photo from my iPhone. I’m pretty sure next time this happens I won’t be as polite!

Here’s the detail shots! Enjoy!

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Last week I spent most of the week on a mountain top just outside of Morehead, Kentucky. Yes it was a good time but after a while you kind of get tired of “the mountain”. So I decided to get up one morning and go on a photo excursion. I actually found a Mail Pouch Barn on US 60 about 1 mile from where I was staying. I have passed this barn at least twice a year for the past 12 years and have never noticed it! I also found a few cool church signs and another Mail Pouch Barn on US 60 at the entrance to Carter Caves State Park.

There’s not a bunch of images in this gallery, but I think they turned out very nice. Take a look and see what you think.

Here’s the entire gallery. Enjoy!

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Ok, time to bring out some of the old stuff. I set up my Zenfolio site before I started this blog and I have some galleries I’d like to share from the past. This gallery is from a trip to Mexico Betsy and I took. This is specifically panoramics from the trip.  Some really cool churches as well as some countryside type shots.

Here’s the entire gallery. Enjoy!

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I was out on Route 50 near Marathon, Ohio today and ran across this barn. Can’t hide a good Mail Pouch Barn for long! It’s a shame this barn has been covered. I can appreciate the owner’s spiritual message, but covering a sign that appears to be in great shape really should be a sin!

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This is a gallery I put together when I first opened my Zenfolio account. This is a variety of barns, Mail Pouch Barns, old churches and more. These were taken at various times and locations. From around Campbell County, KY, parts of Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia. Since I shot most of these I’ve attempted to document my shots much better so I’m not even sure where some of the images are from. Big mistake! I’ve vowed to document better because people ask, and I suppose I should know.

As I said there are a ton of images here, some of what I think are my best stuff to date.

Here’s the entire gallery. Enjoy!

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They claim to have 31 covered bridges in this eastern Indiana county. I was attempting shoot them all, but it’s going to take a second trip.

This was a special “capture as many bridges in a day” trip for my wife and I. It’s after a 3 and a half hour trip from our house I wanted to make sure I made it worth my while. It really turned out to be an awesome day of shooting. I also found some nice old churches and barns.

Take a look at this gallery and see if you agree. Enjoy!

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Covered bridge, and a Mail Pouch barn in the same shot!

Whenever my son has a soccer game away from home I look into the local area on the net and see if I can turn it into a photo trip as well. When I did a Mail Pouch Barn in New Albany Indian search this is what I found. This doesn’t come around every day so I knew I had to shoot it.

I also found a couple of nice old churches and cemetaries to shoot.

Check out the entire gallery here. Enjoy!

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