13 photos capture the stunning diversity of one very universal experience: dinner.
Dinner is much more than just what you eat.
In times when the world seems divided on just about everything, it's helpful to look at what we have in common — even something obvious.
That's what photographer Lois Bielefeld was aiming for with "Weeknight Dinners," a conceptual portrait series centered around typical evening meals, which she shot between 2013 and 2015. For Bielefeld, it was a way to document a near-universal experience that everyone can relate to. It's a display of common ground in one of its most basic senses.
Monday: Eric and Sally. 2013. All photos courtesy of Lois Bielefeld Photography.
The concept for the series emerged from Bielefeld's own interest in the social power of food.
Growing up, Bielefeld's chores included making a weekend meal, which was a family bonding event in and of itself. "I was less into the actual food until I got older and started regularly cooking and finding my own tastes," she says. "But even at a young age, I recognized food brings people together and is a way to explore different cultures."
For her, "Weeknight Dinners" is an extension of her own family's ritual, an exploration in other people's dinner habits.
Wednesday: Siena, Brian, Alivia and Leah. 2013.
Wednesday: Willie Mae. 2013
Wednesday: Emilio, Rhonda, Benedetto, Skylrae, Jacomo. 2014
Bielefeld chose to focus the series on weeknights for an important reason.
During the week, our rituals are shaped by the world around us. Work, school, and home — how we prepare for a meal between Monday and Thursday tends to differ from how we might dine on the weekends. For some, weeknight cooking might mean a plate of leftovers; for others, perhaps a microwave meal or carry-out. No matter what it is, no matter where you eat it, and no matter who you're with, it's simply a common part of most of our lives.
Wednesday: Glynis, Liam, Jorin, and Mona. 2013
Wednesday: Kathy. 2013
Wednesday: Natalia and Maryanne. 2014
The project also provides insight into how people actually are, as opposed to how they would like to be seen.
"My process is straightforward. I asked my subjects to prepare whatever they normally would for a weeknight dinner — nothing out of the ordinary," Bielefeld explains. "But I can’t control how people want to present themselves and occasionally I’d show up and there would be this elaborate meal with a Cornish game hen and fancy bowls with raspberries in it! But this to me is just as interesting and part of the series — how people want to be seen as opposed to their normal habits."
Monday: JoAlice. 2014
Monday: Nuco. 2014
Tuesday: Alden and Alan. 2014
As much as the project is about taking a look into the lives of others, Bielefeld hopes it inspires viewers to take a moment to consider their own place in the world.
The series is meant to be consumed as a series of large-scale prints where viewers can take time with each image and pore over the details in each room, gesture, meal, and subject. It's meant to inspire introspection.
"There is a strong sense of voyeurism and a subsequent self-identification that happens when looking at the photographs," she says. "I want people to see all of the similarities and differences that encompass our culture and hopefully be enriched by this. I also hope that they think about their own meal times and what is important to them."
Tuesday: Juanita and John. 2014
Tuesday: Seynabou, Rui James and Marie. 2014
Wednesday: Leo and Michael. 2014
For more photos from "Weeknight Dinners," visit Bielefeld's website.
"Now your fishes will be warmed."
"To have one’s eyes lined with ham."
"To lay your head in water."
"Repetition teaches the donkey."
"I only understand train station."
"To speak directly from the liver."
"Horse horse, tiger tiger."
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Medusa image of giant squid in Gulf of Mexico off of Mississippi Gulf CoastPhoto credit: 
Sign warning against feeding alligators next to alligator in Mississippi marshlandsCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
Mississippi Gulf Coast beach in BiloxiCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
2009 photo of giant squid caught in Gulf of Mexico near Mississippi GulfPhoto credit: 
Thank goodness this story has a happy ending.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."