The Mahoning Valley, Ohio

It didn’t take me long to realize that there is a lot of dissatisfaction in Ohio. Often, when I arrive at a rental car agency in a U.S. airport, I am greeted by a perky promoter of the region. Not so in Akron. When I revealed that I was a photographer, the rental car agent smiled ever so slightly and said with a hint of sarcasm, “You should get your boss to send you somewhere else next time.”

More often than not, I’ve been greeted by complaints and sardonic commentary as I have wandered the streets of Ohio. Sometimes the statements, like that of the rental car agent,...