Purple Stairway

Purple Stairway [91/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

91/366

We went to the temporary collection of the Harvard Art Museums today (the main art museum is being renovated). Pictured above is the view from the stairs to the galleries. I'm still in a leading line phase, I guess. :-)

This photo marks 3 months of my 366 project. I can't believe we are 1/4 of the way done already. Here's to 9 more months of photos!

Minimal Fence

Minimal Fence [90/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

90/366

Trying to do something a little different with a fence shot today, and be a little minimalist. I tried a bunch of other things that didn't really work out, so this shot will have to do. Happy Fence Friday!

Pineapple

Pineapple [89/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

89/366

A really busy day today, so hardly any time to think about a shot. My wife was making pineapple fried rice for dinner when I got home, so I decided to grab a quick shot of the pineapple before it went in the pan. Not my best work, but good enough to use.

That Library Vibe

That Library Vibe [88/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

88/366

I spent some time on Wednesday afternoon working at the Boston Public LIbrary. The Bates Reading Room (pictured here) is a magnificient place to write. There is a wonderful vibe to libraries, full of people but quiet and productive.

First Baptist Church, Cambridge

First Baptist Church, Cambridge [87/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

87/366

The First Baptist Church of Cambridge in Central Square, constructed in 1881.

I am rarely out and about around sunset these days, but today we went out to dinner and were passing through Central Square in Cambridge on our way to the subway to head home at around 7:30 pm. The silhouette of this church across the street struck me, and fortunately I had my camera with me (as I almost always do these days).

Spring Flowering

Spring Flowering [86/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

86/366

I've taken a few minimalist spring flower pictures already, but with the flowers in full bloom all around I wanted to include something a bit different in my 366. The cherry trees that were budding on Day 82 are now wildly in bloom, and I could not resist photographing them today in the evening light. An alternate version is in the comments. Happy spring, everybody.

Drive Away! Drive Away!

Drive Away! Drive Away! [85/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

85/366

After having a lot of fun on Day 75 playing with neat exposure tricks, I've wanted to do something like this shot. I finally had the time to play around tonight, and while I am still learning a lot about how to pull off these kinds of shots, I think this turned out okay.

Bathtime!

Bathtime! [84/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

84/366

Had a quiet day at home today, just me, my wife, and my son. We played, got some chores done (includiing getting Isaac a haircut), and in general had a relaxing time. Sometimes it is nice just to hang out and not do much.

Indian-spiced lamb kebabs

Indian-spiced lamb kebabs [83/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

83/366

As the parent of a nearly two year old, it has been a while since I've made anything for dinner that takes longer than 30 minutes. I do miss cooking more complicated meals, however, so today I took advantage of the fact that my parents were coming for dinner and we were eating late to make a semi-complicated meal: curried ground lamb with onions and ginger, Indian-spiced lamb kebabs, curry tofu, rice, and chapatis. Pictured here is the lamb kebabs (actually sauteed in my cast iron pan, not grilled) in raw, marinating with spice rub, and cooked form. The pictures aren't the greatest in the world, but I really liked the combination in a triptych.

The Promise of Spring

The Promise of Spring [82/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

82/366

Today was another crazy summer day in March. These cherry trees, near my house, are not yet in flower, but I liked the look of the buds, waiting to burst into flower. The first buds in spring always really appeal to me -- something about the promise of the beauty to come catches my imagination.

Feels Like Summer

Feels Like Summer [81/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

81/366

The weather the past couple of days has been surreal, with temperatures getting up into the 80s. It feels like summer, not March. These cherry trees near my office were in fine form yesterday, dazzling against the crisp blue sky.

The Joy of Spring

The Joy of Spring [80/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

80/366

For the "Get Pushed" Flickr group, I was paired with porschelinn, who challenged me to take "a self-portrait conveying some sort of emotion. Doesn't matter whether it's happy, sad, angry, excited, etc. Imagine something you'veexperienced in your life and react to it in front of the camera." This was a tough challenge for me, as I've only taken a few self-portraits and they tend to be of me in front of a computer.

I wanted to do something to celebrate the first day of spring (here in the northern hemisphere), and decided that joy would be my emotion. I've also always wanted to try a jumping shot and so figured why not? Here is the result. Definitely something different for me. I had a lot of fun with this, and it is great to be pushed to expand your photographic boundaries. Thanks for a great push, Porsche.

Papadum Chutneys

Papadum Chutneys [79/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

79/366

We went out for Indian for dinner tonight at a newish restaurant near our house, in search of a replacement for our favorite place that closed recently. It was quite good. These are the chutneys (mint/cilantro, tamarind, and spicy onion) that they serve with papadum to start the meal. The tamarind chutney was a big hit with the toddler.

Not the most exciting picture in the world today, but it was a busy day at work after a busy weekend, and I had no energy to set up anything more complicated at 8:30 pm after getting the kid to bed.

Surreal Crocuses

Surreal Crocuses [78/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

78/366.

A beautiful day today that feels like summer, and the flowers are out in full force. I took a few shots of the crocuses in our front yard, but as I have already used a similar composition in my 366 project I decided to see what I could with some extreme processing. I kind of like the over-the-top look here, generated by playing with the tone curves to make the image mosty monochromatic.

Proud

Proud [77/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

77/366

This is my mom.

On Saturday we went to go see a photography exhibit at the Museum of African American History in Boston called Portraits of Purpose: A Tribute to Leadership in Boston 1980-2012. My mom's portrait was included in honor of her role as founder of Discover Roxbury, an organization devoted to building bridges, increasing understanding, and promoting the economic and cultural development of Roxbury, a predominantly African-American neighborhood of Boston.

Photography was not allowed in the actual exhibit, but you can see her portrait here. The photos on the right are, from top to bottom, the sign for the exhibit, the inside of the African Meeting House (part of the museum), and part of a Frederick Douglass quotation carved on the wall.

A Bit of Color

A Bit of Color [76/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

76/366

Here's a bit of color for what was a cold, rainy, dreary Friday here. Happy Fence Friday!

Working on Three Things At Once

Working on Three Things At Once [75/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

75/366

It was one of those days at work today - a long day, with too much to do, where I felt like I was working on three things at once all day. If only there had actually been three of me maybe I would have gotten everything done.

Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School [74/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

74/366

I was at the medical school for a seminar today, and grabbed a few quick shots. It would have been nice to have my wide angle lens, as I had to take a step into the street to get even this much of the sign carved in the marble.

Five Spice Powder

Five Spice Powder [73/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

73/366

I'm coming down with another cold, and I was very busy today, so not much time to shoot. I've been wanting to do some more spice shots, so here is five-spice powder plus the constituent parts (Sichuan peppercorn, cloves, cinannom, fennel seeds, and star anise, clockwise starting in the bottom right). We use it a lot in stir frys and in noodle soups. I couldn't quite get the lighting how I wanted it, but it'll do for today.

Glad to be Home!

Glad to be Home! [72/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

72/366

I got back from a conference in Chicago very late last night. It was a great trip - productive and fun - but it is nice to be home. I don't travel alone much and was definitely missing my family.

North Milwaukee Furniture Stores

North Milwaukee Furniture Stores [71/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

71//366

On my final day in Chicago, after the conference ended, I met a friend from college who lives in Wicker Park. It was great to catch up, and to walk around Wicker Park, which has a very different feel than the downtown neighborhoods I spent most of my time in during the conference.

I am now finally caught up with my travels, and you can see the whole set of Chicago pictures.

The View Outside

The View Outside [70/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

70/366

Another shot from my trip last week to Chicago. Saturday was the busiest day of the conference, so I had very little time to shoot something. Took this shot while in my hotel room dropping off my coat after lunch. Nothing special, but it'll have to do.

Mirrored Sky

Mirrored Sky [69/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

69/366

I've been a huge fan of Intelligentsia coffee (roasted in Chicago) for a while, so I knew I had to find time to get coffee at their cafe in the Loop. On Friday morning (the third day of my trip to Chicago) I had a bit of time to walk the 15 minutes from the hotel to get coffee. It was a gorgeous day, and the Intelligentsia cafe is close to Grant Park, so I stopped to take a few pictures of the Chicago Bean (aka Cloud Gate) on my way back. It was quite a lot of fun to play around with the effects I could create using my wide-angle lens, such as this shot of the Michigan Ave skyline reflected in the Bean.

The Continuing Sammich Saga

The Continuing Sammich Saga [68/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

68/366. Still getting caught up with pictures from my travels last week.

There has been a spate of 'sammich' pictures in the 365: the 2012 edition group on Flickr: started by jakehester, continued by .avina., and most recently picked up by :Elizabeth:. On the second day of my conference in Chicago, I went with some friends to the Purple Pig for lunch. When I saw this coppa and provolone sandwich on the menu, I knew I had both my lunch and my shot for the day.

Reflected

Reflected [67/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

67/366

I arrived in Chicago almost five hours before the conference started on Wednesday, so had time to check into the hotel and go for a little photowalk along the Chicago river in the 60+ degree weather. It was a bit cloudy and gray, so I decided to focus on black and white images.

I was quite taken with how the skyscrapers reflected each other; I think this is my favorite shot of the day. The Trump Tower is on the right, and the IBM Building is on the left. Several more shots are in the comments on Flickr.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

Leaving On A Jet Plane [66/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

66/366

Packing to leave for a conference in Chicago tomorrow, and looking forward to seeing lots of colleagues and friends. I'll be (mostly) offline until Monday, but will be bringing my camera, of course. Anybody have favorite places to shoot in downtown Chicago?

Cousin Zachary

Cousin Zachary [65/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

65/366

We had dinner with my brother, his wife, and their 2.5 month old son on Monday night. He has a great smile, as you can see.

Biolabs

Biolabs [64/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

64/366

Working late on a Sunday getting ready for a conference this week. Not much time to shoot, so here is a photo of the doors to the building I work in. Not my best work photographically, but it'll do.

Big Whale, Little Whale

Big Whale, Little Whale [63/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

63/366

We went to Paleo Day at the Harvard Museum of Natural History this morning. One of the coolest exhibits in the museum is the Great Mammal Hall, renovated to match the original 1872 arrangement of specimens. In the hall hang several whale skeletons, including this pair (a Right Whale and an Atlantic Harbor Porpoise).

Shabbat

Shabbat [62/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

62/366

Trying to avoid another snow shot for the 366 today, so here is a shot from dinner. We had a lovely Shabbat dinner with my aunts and cousins tonight. I've now got reasonably good pictures of wine (this) and candles, so all I need is a good vertical shot of Challah and I can make a Shabbat triptych. :-)

Walking Together [61/366]

Walking Together [61/366], a photo by timsackton on Flickr.

61/366

Another long day at work, another snowy evening, another photo done. Sorry to be a bit repetitive with yesterday's shot.