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Jamaica Plain sisters devastated at fiery loss of family home

When Kathleen Kieran arrived at 306 South St., her childhood home that her family has owned for over 50 years, she was overcome with emotion as she walked through the multitudes of Boston firefighters, to a position in the front yard, near the front door. Firefighters, including Lt. Bill Gillis of Engine #14, intercepted her travels and guided her to a safer spot away from heat and smoke. Patricia Adams, Kieran’s sister, who still lives in the home, then took her from the firefighters and guided her toward the back of a Boston EMS truck where the sisters would stay for several minutes as they gathered their thoughts. The four alarm fire that started near the 1pm hour, destroyed the large old building. Firefighters don’t believe the fire to be suspicious. Please see my photos below, and the Boston Herald story, written by Erin Smith, here

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When I heard the first police radio transmission of today’s dramatic Boston truck crash I hopped in my car and accelerated away from the Moakley Courthouse, where I had been stationed for Boston Herald coverage of the James “Whitey” Bulger trial. I hit extreme traffic that was barely moving inside the Tip O’Neill Tunnel. I finally made it as far as the Zakim Bridge when I was passed by Boston EMS and Fire department trucks. I heard a trooper on the police scanner say that the roadway was going to be fully shut down for “a while.” I donned my yellowish-lime safety vest, that media photographers MUST wear while working on a roadway, and made sure my press pass was around my neck. Shortly after the Zakim bridge I pulled over as far left as I could go and ditched my car. My car was fully out of the way of any other emergency worker’s vehicle that was still enroute. I then grabbed my cameras and jogged the Rte 93 upper deck until I arrived at the accident scene adjacent the Sullivan Sq. down ramp (see my photos below, and with Herald scribe John Zeremba’s story at the Herald’s website). The Massachusetts state troopers,  Boston Fire and Boston EMS personnel were AWESOME & accommodating. The real problem was the extreme rain, as I could not keep my lens’ front glass dry, and making sure that I didn’t lean over the railing too far 🙂

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One of the most beautiful Boston sunsets in a long time.

Tonight had it all. A rainbow, over Winthrop, some lightning, some thunderstorm cloud tops that were illuminated by the setting sun. Very cool! Here are some photos I snapped from Winthrop tonight.

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Another day, another beautiful Boston rainbow

I snapped this from our Somerville front porch during a late dinner. I don’t think I have ever seen such a unique sunset. It was beautiful as this JetBlue plane climbed over Somerville after departing Logan.

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I snapped this photo yesterday.

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Rainbow over Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Monument

I snapped this photo of Charlestown’s Bunker Hill Monument during yesterday’s rainbow. I used an old (1955) collapsible 50mm lens, on a Leica M9. Shot from the lower deck of Rt 93.

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Lightning flies above Boston’s Logan airport

Lightning, associated with a line of heavy thunderstorms, briefly delayed some flights tonight at Logan airport. The arrivals and departures used many different runway configurations to avoid flying into the storms. Here are four photos where lightning is seen in the same photo as an airplane, from varying distances.

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Photographing tonight’s Supermoon, a jet-setting surprise.

I did not go out searching for an airplane flying “through” tonight’s Supermoon, though an airplane found me. I, along with many other Winthrop Beach moon-watchers, were disappointed that it took nearly a half hour after moonrise for the moon to show itself. A deck of clouds and haze blocked the lunar delight until it was quite high in the sky. It was still glowing red, even at that steep height. I was chatting with a nice couple from Arlington when I saw a speck moving from left to right about to “hit” the moon. It was tiny and I could barely make it out. I enlarged it on the back of my camera to see the 5 photo sequence. The moon was still hazy and soft, so the photo is not as sharp as I would have wished for. I was using a Canon 800mm.

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Could this be the last photo snapped of James “Whitey” Bulger?

As a Plymouth County sheriff’s vehicle pulled into the bowels of the Moakley Federal Courthouse on June 5, a shadowy figure took form for a split second as the dark, heavily tinted windows that kept him from view were suddenly bombarded with bright, early morning backlight. The backlit shaft of bright light was emanating from the waters of Boston Harbor. Using a Canon 800mm lens, I was able to fire off 4 photos in less than a second, then he was gone, disappearing into the blackness of the window tint. When I shot this I did not think, as I do now, that this would be the last shot I got of Mr. Bulger. Law enforcement personnel have taken steps to insure that he will not be visible again. The first, and most important step taken, is to drive him into a garage door closer to the water and more distance from the photographers, insuring that the shaft of backlight, that I mention above, does not line up with Bulger and the car windows. The second step is that the current vehicle  they are using, for Whitey’s transport, has darker window tint. Please see my photo below and catch bostonherald.com’s continuous coverage of this fascinating trial.

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Boston Marathoners reclaim the finish line today.

Runners who did not finish the April 15th marathon due to the terror attack had the chance to do it today. The Boston Strong OneRun started at 10am in Kenmore Square and ended shortly thereafter at the Boylston St. finish. Many runners became quite emotional t the finish. Here are 2 of my photos. Look for more coverage in Sunday’s Boston Herald. 

An emotional Elise Wulff, at right, is comforted by Erin Roy at the Boston Marathon finish line after the two finished the Boston Strong OneRun today, May 25, 2013, in remembrance of those who didn't or couldn't finish April 15. Wulff ran her first marathon April 15th, in hopes of raising money for Voices of Hope, but could not finish due to the bombings.

An emotional Elise Wulff, at right, is comforted by Erin Roy at the Boston Marathon finish line after the two finished the Boston Strong OneRun today, May 25, 2013, in remembrance of those who didn’t or couldn’t finish April 15. Wulff ran her first marathon April 15th, in hopes of raising money for Voices of Hope, but could not finish due to the bombings. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel

(05/25/13-Boston,MA)  Kaitlyn Brant, who ran the April 15th marathon with her dad, pauses as she crosses the Boston Marathon finish line today, May 25, 2013, flanked on each side by from left Jessica Campbell and Courtney Haskell during the Boston Strong OneRun in remembrance of those who didn't finish the race April 15.

(05/25/13-Boston,MA) Kaitlyn Brant, who ran the April 15th marathon with her dad, pauses as she crosses the Boston Marathon finish line today, May 25, 2013, flanked on each side by from left Jessica Campbell and Courtney Haskell during the Boston Strong OneRun in remembrance of those who didn’t finish the race April 15. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel

 

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