The Circle of Lights

On this Christmas Day, I’m taking a break from my weekly Recommended Reading feature and am instead sharing some Christmastime photos I made recently.

Every year since 1962, the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers strings lights from the top of the Indianapolis Soldiers and Sailors Monument to the ground. The Circle of Lights is visible for a good long way from Monument Circle, which stands at the heart of Downtown Indianapolis.

Here’s the lit monument from a block south, on the old National Road.

The Circle of Lights

Margaret and I walked over to the monument so we could photograph the lights, and the monument, up close.

The Circle of Lights
The Circle of Lights
The Circle of Lights
The Circle of Lights

I shot my Nikon Df with a 28-80 f/3.5-5.6D AF Nikkor lens attached. I set the camera to choose ISO automatically so I could get fast enough shutter speeds, but it wasn’t perfect and about two thirds of my images were blurry. But these that turned out look pretty good.

As we walked around the outside of the monument, we noticed the patterns and pictures being projected on the Circle’s buildings. My favorite was Circle Tower, which reminded me of sticks of Fruit Stripe gum.

Circle Tower
Circle Tower

Happy Christmas to you and yours!


Comments

23 responses to “The Circle of Lights”

  1. David Winskill Avatar
    David Winskill

    A Merry Christmas from a grey and oddly warm London.

    Best wishes for a safe and peaceful New Year.

    David

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It’s sunny and oddly warm here today! Crazy weather. Happy Christmas to you!

  2. Greg Clawson Avatar
    Greg Clawson

    Merry Christmas Jim, to you and your family. Peace on Earth, and goodwill to all mankind.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Happy Christmas to you as well!

  3. brineb58 Avatar

    Happy Christmas!!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Likewise! Enjoy your holidays!

  4. Steve Bryan Avatar

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from sunny Florida. Former Indy resident here. Always enjoy your posts. Also, enjoyed reading A Place to Start this year.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Same to you! And I’m pleased that you bought my book.

  5. Stewart Harding Avatar
    Stewart Harding

    Love that last picture. Merry Christmas Jim.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Stewart! Hope yours was happy.

  6. Darts and Letters Avatar
    Darts and Letters

    Merry Christmas, Jim. You’re right about the Circle tower looking like Fruit Stripe gum, btw! Neat.
    -Jason

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I wonder if that’s what they were going for!

  7. Dan Cluley Avatar
    Dan Cluley

    The Circle Tower is great, but I think my favorite is the one looking up the monument from inside the lights.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks – that’s my favorite too!

  8. Steve Mitchell Avatar

    Lovely lights! Merry Christmas Jim!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Steve! Hope yours was happy.

  9. J P Avatar

    It has been a long time since I have trekked downtown to see the Christmas decorations, so thanks for this sampling.

    I can’t say that I’m a fan of the trend towards the patterned floodlights, but I am probably in the minority.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      The floodlights worked better on some buildings than on others. The IPL building had some indiscernible pattern on it, for example.

  10. brandib1977 Avatar

    Merry Christmas from southern Ohio where it was a very wet, gloomy Christmas!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I hope you and your family enjoyed your Christmas despite the gloom!

      1. brandib1977 Avatar

        We did. An aunt and uncle came for lunch so there was good company, gifts and lots of food!

  11. fishyfisharcade Avatar

    Merry Christmas Jim. Hope you had a good one and have a happy new year.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Nigel – I hope your holiday was happy!

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