Jeanine shared this photograph from Indianapolis where she cooked at a local soup kitchen where her sister volunteers. Those who know Jeanine well know that she is never happier than when cooking with big pots.

I spent a good part of the day in my photography studio doing some product shots for work.  The example above was done with a single studio strobe fitted with a snoot (creates a narrow beam pattern). The arc-shaped highlight was formed by light reflected from the rim of the wheel.  I used a single softbox and a long shutter speed to capture the illuminated power indicators in the shot below.

Jeanine (right) flew to Indianapolis this morning to celebrate her sister Lauren’s (center) 62nd birthday. Susan (left) is her other sister who lives in Burlington, VT. Her long weekend getaway will include a trip to Louisville, KY to visit her niece and her family.  I wonder if the photographer who took this photo more than 50 years ago could have ever imagined that it would one day be available for viewing anywhere in the world on something resembling a flattened TV. I can only hope that some of my photographs will still be viewed in 50 years, perhaps by way of an optical nerve interface.

On the way to breakfast this morning I discovered a few new nooks and crannies lined with beautiful street art. It varied from abstract tagging to detailed photorealism.  I love the fact that the taggers respect the artistry of others and that these varied creations can all co-exist in the space of one block. Click on the bottom mural once and then once again to appreciate the incredible detail. I love the two little girls making eye contact with the viewer.

The software I use to post-process images was just updated to support my new camera allowing me to finally develop all the photos I have taken since it arrived.  This photo of the Old North Bridge from last weekend should have been featured at the time. Better late than never.

My morning commute is often pre dawn and takes me past the house pictured above which is lit up with holiday decorations. Although I have never been one for this sort of thing, I can certainly appreciate the passion and effort behind the display. I had my tripod with me this morning and decided to pause for the shot.  Click on the image and again on the new window to get a more detailed view. The thumbnail above does not do justice to the scene. 

I am accustomed to seeing turkeys in Concord all the time.  We have a lot of undeveloped land and many places for wildlife to flourish.  Coming across one in the middle of Cambridge across the street from my office was less expected. When a colleague alerted me to its presence I grabbed my camera and approached for the shot. 

The first snow of the year had me up at 6 am clearing the driveway so I could get out for some golden light photography. We received about 5 inches of wet snow.  Hard to shovel, great for snowballs and photography. This was my first real chance to shoot in good light with my new camera and I have to say I am thrilled with the results.

News of the administration’s move to shrink the Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument by half left me deeply saddened.  For those who have never visited, I can tell you that it is a place of rare and exceptional beauty if you take the time to explore it.  I plan to financially support the legal effort to challenge the President’s right to revoke the national monument status established by the Antiquities Act. I have not yet had an opportunity to visit Bears Ears but hope to do so one day.

Maya, working with two partners, completed another engineering project at Olin.  They mathematically modeled down force and wheel torque of a Formula 1 race car to estimate 0-60mph acceleration. Wish I had been given problems like this when I was in college.

On my walk back from breakfast, I paused to admire and capture a photo of a Greek Orthodox church near my office.

Superpedestrian held its annual Holiday Party at the Somerville Brew Company, known locally as the SlumBrew. Regrettably, our CEO had to fly to California this morning for an important meeting. He was determined to personally thank everyone for their part in our success this year and joined us briefly by videoconference. Jeanine and I had a wonderful time getting to know his wife, pictured here, a talented musician and composer with an effervescent personality.  It was a wonderful evening and I enjoyed introducing Jeanine to all of my colleagues.

Over the last several weeks I have bought and sold two dozen lenses as part of my transition from Canon to Sony. Because I mostly acquire used gear, I was able to make the transition with little net outlay.  I often sell lenses for more than I paid for them. I know the market well and never overpay on the buy side. When it comes time to sell, I clean the lens thoroughly and take the time to make compelling marketing photos for my listings. The same cannot be said for camera bodies which depreciate rapidly when obsoleted by newer versions. For those who are wondering, I took the picture with my phone.

Overcast skies this morning made for uninspiring photography and general fatigue from a long day yesterday had me settle for a 4-mile walk. I am gradually getting to know the area around the Superpedestrian office and there is no shortage of interesting subjects to shoot. I stopped at Whole Foods along the way to pick up food for breakfast. Little did I know that my $8.54 expenditure would trigger a credit card fraud alert that would create havoc for both Jeanine and I for the remainder of the day. Apparently, this purchase was much smaller than our normal expenditures at the market and this is deemed suspicious activity. I spent over 40 minutes on hold with Citi Bank before speaking with someone to sort the mess out.

My morning walk took me past MIT where I paused for perfunctory photographs. It was rather cold so I was happy for the brief indoor respite. Only the early morning hour affords an opportunity to capture these scenes absent the multitudes of students and visitors normally present.  I completed my 4.5-mile stroll in 75 minutes. Normally this would carve out a rather large portion of the workday. Not so when you leave home at 6:30 am and return at 9:30 pm.