Meier Camera

Participants take part in the annual Murph workout hosted by D1 Training Toledo on Monday, May 25, 2026, in Toledo, Ohio, as community members gathered for the Memorial Day tradition honoring fallen U.S. service members.

The Murph is a Memorial Day workout completed by thousands of people across the country each year. The workout consists of a 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 air squats and another 1 mile run, often performed while wearing a weighted vest. While originally popularized in the CrossFit community, many gyms and fitness organizations now host public Murph events as a way to honor military service members and bring communities together through a shared physical challenge.

The workout is named after Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a U.S. Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005 during Operation Red Wings. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the mission. The workout was one of his favorites and was originally called “Body Armor” before being renamed Murph in his honor. Events like the one hosted by D1 Training Toledo continue the tradition by combining fitness, remembrance and community participation.

Cinco De Mayo 2026 at Street Taco El Primo in Toledo.

Aaron Christopherson is promoted to the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu on Monday, April 13, 2026, at Rudo BJJ in Toledo, Ohio.

A photo story of Acoustics for Autism 2026.

iAm launched in 2008 and their mission is to provide support to families affected by autism. They provide scholarships, safety tools, and last year they helped over 500 families.

Craft

I was hired by the company to create images for their marketing and website updates. I took this photograph of Jerry on the job site. We spoke briefly, and he told me he’s enjoyed his career. The way he moved through the work made that clear.

Some people don’t just show up. They know their craft.

Presence

My wife and I went to a marriage dinner at our church for Valentine’s Day. I left my larger cameras behind, because I didn’t want the night to feel like work. I’m working on being present where my feet are.

I brought a small camera and a prime lens and made only a few photographs. This is one of DJ Matt.

That felt like enough.

Focus

I’ve covering a handful of St. John’s Jesuit basketball games this season, and I was able to make it to the CHSL championship game. I want to continue my portrait project, but I also needed to focus on the game. I was able to get this photograph of Ethan during a time out in the final minutes of the game.

St. John’s Jesuit High School defeated Detroit Catholic Central High School 48–47 to capture the CHSL Bishop Championship at the O’rena on the campus of Oakland University on Friday, February 13, 2026. The victory marks the first time a Toledo program has won the CHSL Bishop title in boys basketball.

Connection

Nick was working at Five Guys when I stopped in to pick up food for my family. I asked if I could make his portrait, and he agreed. He did something no one else in this project has done—he asked for my Instagram. It was a reminder that this isn’t just about me photographing strangers. Sometimes it turns into a real connection.

Rejection

It was almost 7:30 p.m. and I still didn’t have a photo for the day. The first person I asked said no, which was hard, but that’s also the point of this project. Nothing bad happened. No one laughed. No one took away my birthday.

A little later, while ordering dinner at Chipotle (easily my favorite fast food restaurant) I asked the person making my food. She agreed.