The annual Christmas tree lighting took place a few weeks ago in the National Grand Bank parking lot. I was too busy with the kids and friends to photograph the tree at the time. One day, while at National Grand Bank, I spoke with Jim Nye and he offered to turn on the lights a bit early so that I could get a certain composition. I awoke that Thursday and headed straight for the bank. It was still too dark for the image that I had envisioned so I spent some time shooting the marquees of businesses with empty streets thanks to the Winter parking ban. Finally, as the sun began to rise, I set up for this image. I was hoping to place the tree in a familiar setting and used the obelisk in Memorial park and Abbot hall in the distance to accomplish the goal. The still morning helped keep the flags in the foreground from blurring.
