The Set - New Gate Warehouse

Beefy and I have divergent preferences on the backdrop for my outfit photos. I seek out dirty, urban landscapes. He prefers a lovely view (usually of Cincinnati). Really, they are pictures of the same thing…I just like to get up close and personal with The Queen City’s industrial side. Since most of the gritty scenes are private property or in bad neighborhoods, it can be difficult to find a safe, reliable location for urban pictures.

Early in our relationship, we played Lord and Lady Capulet in a production of Romeo and Juliet (New Gate Celtic Theater Company). We rehearsed in a portion of a warehouse, behind the Hyde Park Plaza. After only a few rehearsals, we started taking pictures before everyone else got to the warehouse. Beefy would pick me up from work and we’d grab something to eat, drive to the warehouse, and do quick outfit photos near the loading dock. Later, when he directed me in A Piece of My Heart (also New Gate), we fell back into the same rhythm. Not only was the warehouse convenient, but it offered a variety of industrial backgrounds and great light!

Romeo and Juliet:


A Piece of My Heart:


By the time we had started work on A Piece of My Heart, we had become more adventurous with photo locations and only used the warehouse a couple of times. After we moved on to our performance space for that production, we didn’t use it at all.

And then, one hot and steamy day last July, I suggested that we return, not for rehearsal, but just to take a few pictures.


It’s a special place, now. We might not ever rehearse there again, but we’ve made a lot of memories. Romeo and Juliet was our first time on stage together. Piece of My Heart was the first (and last?) time that Beefy has directed me. Many of Beefy’s first photos of my outfits were taken at the warehouse. We learned how to work together to both put on a play and create images for my blog.

The warehouse stays on my short list of east side photo locations. In fact, I think the next time Beefy asks me where I want to take pictures, I'll say, "The New Gate Warehouse!"