Flamebird Frames: A week of moments across the Twin Cities, Aug. 2-8

In the comics and on every Superman show ever, every reporter at the Daily Planet chases the story that lands on their desk. But some of the best ones aren’t assigned; they’re stumbled into.

This is the idea behind Flamebird Frames, our new weekly photojournalism showcase. The name borrows from Superman lore: specifically paying homage to photographer Jimmy Olsen, who reports alongside Lois Lane and Clark Kent, chronicling whatever adventure crosses his lens because, in Metropolis, everything makes it to the Planet. This section applies that same logic to the Twin Cities.

I call it the Lois and Clark method. Wherever the story shows up, whether it’s a red carpet, a rescue or a quiet afternoon on a lake, it gets told. No moment is too small to matter, and no adventure is off-limits, whether it’s captured on camera or on the page.

Here’s what caught our eye this week.

Aug. 2: Halloween arrives early at Eden Prairie Center

Spirit Halloween is returning to Eden Prairie Center, transforming storefronts on the mall’s upper level into a seasonal costume and decor shop. The store’s return on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, marked another sign that fall retail season has arrived in the Twin Cities. By the way, did you know interior photography is against the mall’s code of conduct? Security made sure I learned this the hard way.

Aug. 3: A tiny hero watches over the newsroom

Monday’s frame stayed close to home. A Superman action figure stood atop a scale model of the Daily Planet building, the same structure that inspired this publication’s own masthead logo.

Aug. 4: Love above the skyline

Ellie Gerst, the Chief Business Strategist at the Daily Planet, posed for engagement photos on Tuesday atop the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis. The historic Art Deco skyscraper served as a stunning backdrop at sunset. While she plans to keep the other 1,800 photos for future occasions, she allowed me to share one of them.

Aug. 5: Kahan turns Target Field into a singalong

Two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan brought his Great Divide Tour to Target Field on Wednesday, drawing a sold-out crowd to the home of the Minnesota Twins for his first Twin Cities stop since 2024.

Aug. 6: Finding positivity during treatment

Thursday’s frame turned the lens inward. I read contributor Jonathan Tyler Patrick’s “The Power of Positivity” while receiving an infusion for my autoimmune disease, a reminder that the people telling the Planet’s stories have their own.

Aug. 7: St. Paul’s skyline glows again

The iconic sign atop the First National Bank Building had defined the downtown St. Paul skyline for nearly a century before going mostly dark since 2024. It was officially relit during a special ceremony Thursday, Aug. 6, and will once again illuminate the skyline every evening. Friday’s frame caught it shining again for the first full night while also capturing the rest of St. Paul’s splendor.

Aug. 8: A quiet paddle through Loring Park

The week closed on a calmer note, with canoers making their way across Loring Lake in Minneapolis’ Loring Park on a summer Saturday, along with a brief jaunt in Minneapolis’s North Loop and Mill districts.

Flamebird Frames is the Daily Planet’s weekly showcase of photojournalism, highlighting the most impactful images captured by our staff and contributors over the past week. The showcase spans breaking news events and community gatherings, as well as quiet, street-level moments in the Twin Cities (Metropolis) and beyond. We’re hoping to feature photos from outside sources.

Have photos to share? Visit our contribution page to see how you can share them!