A Photographer Walks Into a Bar — and Gives You a Portrait.
Cleveland Photographer Angelo Merendino Brings Free Black-and-White Portraits to Forest City Brewery …Next Session on August 20
What happens when a professional photographer sets up a studio inside a brewery during happy hour and invites complete strangers to sit for a portrait?
For Cleveland photographer Angelo Merendino, the answer has been a room full of people, conversation, and laughter — twice.
Merendino, a working portrait and editorial photographer based in Cleveland, is bringing his ongoing community portrait project Pints & Portraits, back to Forest City Brewery for its third installment on Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 4–7 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Every person who sits for a portrait receives a black-and-white digital file of their portrait. Each portrait is made one person at a time. Solo sitters only — bring your friends, but you’ll each get your own moment in front of the camera. No dress code. No charge.
Merendino’s work spans commercial, editorial, and portrait photography. His work has been featured in The New York Times and Men’s Health Magazine and he has shot projects for Susan G. Komen, Pfizer, and BASF. He is perhaps best known for his intimate long-form documentary project chronicling his wife’s battle with breast cancer, which received international attention. More of his work can be found at angelomerendino.com.
Pints & Portraits is more personal. In early spring, Merendino was struggling to find both creative and personal inspiration, and the project grew out of a desire to reconnect with people and have fun making photographs. The resulting portraits — honest, direct, beautifully lit black-and-white images — are a testament to what happens when we get together, talk with and listen to each other.
EVENT DETAILS
Event: Pints & Portraits
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Happy Hour)
Location: Forest City Brewery, 2135 Columbus Rd, Cleveland, OH 44113
Cost: Free and open to the public
