Downtown in red-white-blue

The giant camera strapped around our neck serves as a sign to say "we're tourists!" even though we're not. We just want to learn how to take pictures in low light settings.

It was past 9pm, everybody was out downtown and we couldn't figure out why. It's not like stores were open or the temperatures were welcoming, but pedestrians were everywhere! So much so that you had to be extra careful when driving. Oh yeah, it was Saturday night. We should get out more often.

Matt was behind the wheel this time and looking for a parking spot. On one deserted street (or so we thought) with no center lines, Matt casually drove down the center of it. Later, he stopped at a crosswalk for people, then almost turned left onto campus, when he changed his mind and continued straight. Unfortunately for him, some people had started out on the crosswalk when he swerved and drove through. The cop behind us saw us. A few moments later, Matt swerved to the left over the double lines to avoid hitting a person entering her car. Sure enough, about a block later, the red-white-blue lights went flashing and I got so excited! My first time!! As much as Matt was upset that he had been pulled over, I was eager to learn how this all goes (and where the important papers were in the glove compartment). Matt was sure the cop would assume he was drunk, but we knew we could pass that test and explain the reasons for all that swerving. Thank God the cop was nice! There was no alcohol test and no disrespectful tone. Our papers were in good order. All we got was a warning and spots in our eyes from the cop's super-bright flashlight. How is that safe?? We tried not to let the warning ruin our picture taking, and soon, we were trigger happy.

Here's the tree lighting we saw in Palmer Square:

Rebekah takes this one: (notice the parallel formed by his eyebrows and smile)

Matt just loves the zoom...

Nassau Hall with poor use of shutter speed.

Better. Too much? It looks on fire!



The end of the battery life: