The winning Mega Millions ticket and its mystery holder are the talk of Red Bud, Ill., as the town's 3,700 residents speculate about the would-be millionaire's identity.   

Denise Metzger, manager of the local Moto Mart convenience store, which sold the winning ticket, says she has no idea who the lucky winner is.

"I heard a lot of darn it, was it me? Or darn it, I forgot to get my ticket. Of course the language is a little more colorful than that," Metzger told NBC News.

Area residents speculated about the mystery winner's identity.

"If I won that much money, I wouldn't be telling everybody," Tina La Chance, an area resident, told NBC News. "You'll have more friends than you ever knew you had."

Three lottery tickets sold in Kansas, Illinois and Maryland hit the record-breaking $640 million jackpot. Each winning ticket was expected to be worth more than $213 million before taxes.

A second winning ticket was purchased in Kansas. Over the weekend, lottery officials revealed the sale took place in one of the state's 21 northeastern counties. Kansas law allows lottery winners to remain anonymous. 

In Maryland, the winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill, near Baltimore. Maryland does not require lottery winners to be publicly identified; the Mega Millions winner can claim the prize anonymously.

But Mirlande Wilson, 37, came forward Sunday and told the New York Post she had bought the winning ticket in Maryland.

Wilson and her co-workers at a Baltimore-area McDonald's restaurant pooled their cash to buy tickets, but, according to the Post, the woman claims she won with a ticket she bought for herself and has no intention of sharing.

“We had a group plan, but I went and played by myself," Wilson, a single mother of seven, told the newspaper. "[The ‘winning’ ticket] wasn’t on the group plan."

“She can’ t do this to us!” Suleiman Osman Husein, a shift manager and one of 15 members in the pool, told the Post. “We each paid $5. She took everybody’s money!”

The woman refused to show the alleged winning ticket, saying she would present it to lottery officials Monday. But a clerk at the 7-Eleven where Wilson bought tickets said lottery officials who reviewed the store’s video believe a man bought the winning ticket, the Post reported.

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A quick-thinking New Jersey mother protected her children and averted a potentially violent carjacking as she left the Jersey Gardens mall in Elizabeth, N.J., on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The woman had just pulled out of the parking lot when a man approached her car at a stoplight and grabbed the door handle, according to Port Authority of NY/NJ police spokesman Al Della Fave.

Della Fave said the woman locked the doors. Then the gunman banged on her window and fired two shots into the ground, he said.

For more, visit NBCNewYork.com

With her children, ages 8 and 16, in the car with her, Della Fave said the mother took off as fast as she could, leaving the gunman behind.

The mom then saw a Port Authority policeman not too far away and stopped to report the incident, Della Fave said.

Office Frank Conti credited the mother's two children "with tremendous recall," and based on their descriptions, Port Authority police officer Edward Gonzalez, along with Elizabeth police, soon spied a suspect's vehicle nearby.

Police surrounded the vehicle and arrested three suspects while confiscating a .22 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in the glove compartment.

The alleged gunman Terrell Melvin was wearing a monitoring bracelet on his ankle, police said.

Also arrested were the alleged driver of the car, April Sharpe, 31, and Darrell Washington, 26. All were from from Newark.

Charges against Melvin include carjacking, aggravated assault, weapons and other charges, authorities said. The other two suspects, who were not carrying identification, face carjacking charges.

None were available for comment, and it is not known who their attorneys are.

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Updated 3:30 p.m. ET:  A 17-year-old boy with a provisional driver's license was at the wheel of a converted semitrailer when it crashed on a Kansas highway Sunday, killing five family members and injuring 13 others, The Associated Press reported.

Adam Kerber's license includes several restrictions, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, including a requirement that all occupants of the vehicle wear seatbelts when available. Only two of the 18 people aboard were belted in, but it wasn't clear if belts were available for those passengers riding in the trailer.

The large extended family was returning from a trip to see a motocross race when the accident occurred, authorities said Monday.

The motor home, which was actually a modified Freightliner box truck, was carrying the family back to their homes in Minnesota and pulling a trailer, the Minnesota Star-Tribune reported.

Their vehicle lost control and crashed through a guard rail on Interstate 35 near Williamsburg, Kan., and plunged into a ravine, according to Kansas Highway Patrol.

The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the dead as Melissa Kerber, 24, and Tom Kerber, 25, of New Prague, Minn., and Jessica Kerber, 10, Joy Kerber, 14, and James Kerber, 14, of Jordan, Minn.

Pauline Kerber, 46, of Jordan, Minn., a widowed mother of 12, was in critical but stable condition Monday morning. Her son, driver Adam Kerber, was in critical condition.

Others injured ranged from 2 to 30 years old, according to a report in the Kansas City Star. They were sent to at least five different area hospitals for treatment.

NBC News affiliate KSHB 41 Action News said the side of the group's trailer had "G-Dogg Racing.com" on the side of it. Several motocross bikes were seen inside the trailer.

Passers-by stopped to help before first responders arrived. One of them, Mary Mohn, told the station: "We looked down the embankment and realized this was a very significant accident."

NBC News affiliate KSHB 41 Action News, The Associated Press and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

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By Bari Nan Cohen
Prevention 

Even though putting one foot in front of the other is the easiest form of exercise there is, it's still hard to find the motivation to bypass the car and head out on foot in your everyday life. But with a couple of tools—including a visit to Walkscore.com, which grades cities and neighborhoods on the ease of finding entertainment or provisions on foot, and Prevention.com's at-a-glance guide to the attractions that you'd never notice on a drive—you can get (ahem) one step closer to a more exciting pedestrian lifestyle. The closer a city on this list scores to 100, the better the walkability.

Whether you're in the market for a new 'hood or planning a trip, you can take advantage of these 25 cities where pedestrians give wheels a run for their money. Read on to learn what makes these metro areas walker-friendly.

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Lisa Poole / AP file

People walk through Harvard Yard at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass.

1. Cambridge, MA

Walk Score: 88.8

You never know what you'll find in this bustling college burg—and that's exactly the message of the city's Golden Shoes event, which is held each May. Stroll the streets in search of gold-painted shoes hidden in places where people like to walk. Plus, the Harvard hometown is so dense with history that exploring it on foot is the best way to take in the period architecture, and maybe soak up some extra IQ points by osmosis. Visit Bostoncitywalks.com to learn more about a guided tour of Harvard Square and other key Cambridge sites.

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Kathy Willens / AP

Pedestrians stroll along New York City's High Line, the elevated railway converted to a city park.

2. New York, NY

Walk Score: 85.3

New Yorkers have long used their own two feet to book it around town. But recent pedestrian-friendly enhancements all over the city have considerably upped how pleasant that experience can be. Two favorites: The High Line—which transformed 1.45 miles of long-neglected elevated freight train tracks into a birds-eye-view promenade above the shore of the Hudson River—and a more walkable Times Square.

3. Jersey City, NJ

Walk Score: 85.2

Just over the Hudson River in New Jersey is this charming walkers' hot spot, which is among the top-ranked "Best Fitness Walking Cities," according to the American Podiatric Medicine Association. Hop between neighborhood farmer's markets in its historic neighborhoods or earn your walking bona fides trekking Liberty State Walking Trail, which spans the width of the state to the Delaware Water Gap—a whopping 130 miles!

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Robert Galbraith / Reuters

The Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco has serious walking cred.

4. San Francisco, CA

Walk Score: 84.9

Hilly reputation notwithstanding, the city has serious walking cred in neighborhoods like Chinatown and the Financial District. San Francisco has also just launched a city-sponsored program called WalkFirst, which works to improve pedestrian safety and walking conditions with sidewalk buffers, revamped intersections, and better lighting in key pedestrian areas citywide. Walk San Francisco (walksf.org), an advocacy group that promotes pedestrian activity and safety, offers group walks as well.

 The 8 Best Cities for Outdoor Exercise

5. Berkeley, CA

Walk Score: 81.6

Head here if you want a better shot at a walk-to-work setup. Nearly 15% of Berkeley commuters walk to and from their jobs. You can also take part in "Everyone Walks in Berkeley," a city program urging residents to walk—to school, work, or just up and down the stairs—the first Wednesday of every month.

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6. Boston, MA

Boston has seriously stepped up its efforts to create a citywide walker's paradise.

Walk Score: 79.2

While the Freedom Trail has long been a way to stay fit while learning about the birth of our nation, Boston has seriously stepped up its efforts to create a citywide walker's paradise. To wit, WalkBoston—an initiative to make the city safer, easier to navigate on foot, greener, and more community-based, which they do by encouraging businesses and individuals to create a pro-walking atmosphere. They also offer awards to businesses that create inviting parks and seating areas, or individuals who advocate for increased pedestrian safety measures. WalkBoston's initiatives create a sort of universal access—with more than just a nod to citywide mobility for individuals of all incomes and abilities.

7. Paterson, NJ

Walk Score: 75

Not far from New York City, Paterson boasts a dense infrastructure that makes it easy to complete errands on foot. Plus, the city offers a mix of historic walking tours, as well as access to the nature trails that highlight important periods in New Jersey's industrial history—converting former industry-based spaces into outdoor "living room"-style park settings in Great Falls State Park—making it a bonus for recreational walkers.

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8. Chicago, IL

Courtesy of choosechicago.com

Chicago is known as a walker's dream

Walk Score: 74.3

Anyone who's visited or lived in the Windy City knows it's a walker's dream. Look around just about any central neighborhood and you'll see people getting around town the old-fashioned way—including many pedi-commuters. The city also offers plenty of free and low-cost recreational programs to choose from in the Chicago Park District. Just visiting? Check out the Chicago Greeter program: You'll meet a Chamber of Commerce sponsored local for a free guided tour of a neighborhood.

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Harry How / Getty Images file

Philadelphia is committed to keeping pedestrians safe.

9. Philadelphia, PA

Walk Score: 74.1

Philly is so committed to keeping pedestrians safe that its Center City district boasts the largest comprehensive pedestrian sign system in North America. And, the city of Brotherly Love is committed to creating more walking destinations for all ages. This spring, Sister Cities Park in Center City opens, with attractions like a family-friendly café, children's discovery garden and play area, and a fountain commemorating Philadelphia's global sister cities—adding to the city's already 10,000 acre park system.

10. Newark, NJ

Walk Score: 74

Mayor Cory Booker seems to have doubled down on pedestrian safety initiatives, making the tightly packed metropolitan zone more accessible for walkers. There's a strong focus on sustainability, with a Greening Newark program that includes free guided bird walks twice a month—so you can get a firsthand look at why Mother Earth is worth preserving.

Click here to see if your city is on the list

Joe Raedle / Getty Images file

The United States spends more than any other country but has the eighth-lowest life expectancy in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development survey.

This week, the Supreme Court considered President Obama’s health care reform law. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act expands health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. If the law is overturned, health care costs covered by the federal government would drop substantially.

While government spending on health care could decline, that will not result in lower health care costs. Based on data published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on global health issues, 24/7 Wall St. identified the countries where health care costs are the highest per person.

Spending a great deal on health care does not result in a healthier population. Of 34 OECD member countries, only three that spent the most per person have citizens that live the longest. The United States spends more than any other country but has the eighth-lowest life expectancy in the OECD. Japan, meanwhile, spends $2,878 per person -- about $5,000 less than the U.S. -- and has the highest life expectancy among developed nations. 

According to the OECD's Matthias Rumpf, health care spending does not result in better treatment. In countries that spend more, he says, people opt for expensive tests and elective procedures that drive up costs. To discourage excess in Germany, for example, citizens are penalized if they see a specialist without first consulting their doctor.

In most of the OECD countries, health care expenses come to more than $2,000 per person each year. In the case of the 10 countries with the highest costs, expenses are roughly twice that. In the U.S., spending on health care per capita comes to nearly $8,000 per person. Many proponents of public health care blame the U.S.’s highly privatized system as the reason for such high costs. But according to Rumpf, a number of factors influence the national spending on care.

How patients use medical services impacts health care expenses. Expensive diagnostic procedures and elective surgeries, like MRI scans and corrective knee surgeries, drive up costs. Conversely, irregular visits to the doctor impair preventative care.

In many of these countries, the source of high costs is drug prices. In four of the countries with the most expensive health care, pharmaceutical expenses come to at least $600 per person per year. In the U.S., those costs are more than $950 per capita.

Another factor that increases cost is poor health-related behavior of the population. Of course, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco use and poor exercise increase health problems. The incidence of these behaviors is different country to country.

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Many of the countries that spend the most per capita on health care have highly privatized systems. In the U.S. and Switzerland, which spend the most and third-most on health care, respectively, the government pays less than 65 percent of the total health care costs. In most of the countries in the developed world, public expenditure accounts for at least 70 percent of total costs.

Many of the countries with the highest expenditure per capita on health care also have among the most government-funded health care systems. The governments of Denmark, Austria and Luxembourg pay 84 percent or more of the total health care cost. Total public spending in these countries, without accounting for private health care spending, ranges from 6.5 percent of GDP in Luxembourg to the OECD-high 9.8 percent of GDP in Denmark. In most of the OECD nations, the government foots the majority of the health care bill.

These are the countries that spend the most on health care. 

1. United States

• Total expenditure on health per capita: $7,960
• Expenditure as percent of GDP: 17.4 percent (the most)
• Annual growth of total health expenditure: +2.2 percent (14th least)
• Life expectancy: 78.2 years (27th highest)

The U.S. has, by far, the highest total expenditure on health care per capita. America spends approximately $2,600 more per person annually than Norway, the second-highest spender. Only 47.7 percent of this amount is public expenditure -- the third-smallest percentage among developed countries. However, the actual amount of public spending, $3,795, is among the highest. The U.S. also spends the largest amount on pharmaceuticals and other medical nondurables. The country has fairly low rates of doctors and hospital beds relative to its population. It also has the eighth-lowest life expectancy, at 78.2 years.

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2. Norway

• Total expenditure on health per capita: $5,352
• Expenditure as percent of GDP: 9.6 percent (16th most)
• Annual growth of total health expenditure: +8.4 percent (4th most)
• Life expectancy: 81.0 years (10th highest)

After its neighbor, Denmark, Norway has the most nationalized health care system in the developed world. Of the country’s $5,352 expenditures per person, 84.1 percent are covered by the public sector. Access to health care in the country is high. There are approximately four physicians per 1,000 people, the third most in the OECD. Despite the high percentage of total costs covered by the public, the nation’s residents still pay more than $800 per person on health care.

3. Switzerland

• Total expenditure on health per capita: $5,344
• Expenditure as percent of GDP: 11.6 percent (5th most)
• Annual growth of total health expenditure: +2.8 percent (17th most)
• Life expectancy: 82.3 years (2nd highest)

Switzerland currently spends the third most on health care per capita, or the equivalent of 11.6 percent of the country’s GDP. Switzerland has one of the most privatized health care systems in the world, with 30.9 percent of expenses coming out of pocket. Because of the wealth of country, this comes to $1,650 per person, more than double every country in the developed world except the U.S.

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4. Netherlands

• Total expenditure on health per capita: $4,914
• Expenditure as percent of GDP: 12 percent (second most)
• Annual growth of total health expenditure: +16.4 percent (the most)
• Life expectancy: 80.6 years (14th highest)

Health care costs in the Netherlands amount to $4,914 per person each year. The Dutch health expenditure is equivalent to 12 percent of the nation’s GDP -- the second greatest relative health expenditure of every nation in the OECD except the U.S. Total expenses jumped by 16.4 percent between 2008 and 2009, the most among OECD nations. Despite this increase, total out-of-pocket expenses per capita are just $227 per person, the fourth-lowest in the OECD.

5. Luxembourg

• Total expenditure on health per capita: $4,808
• Expenditure as percent of GDP: 7.8 percent (seventh least)
• Annual growth of total health expenditure: +8 percent (6th most)
• Life expectancy: 80.7 years (tied for 12th highest)

Health care expenditure in Luxembourg is $4,808 a year, or 7.8 percent of national GDP. This is the greatest decrease among OECD countries. Of that, public expenditures account for 84 percent of the total, the eighth-highest rate among OECD countries. The country’s system faces some difficult challenges in offsetting unhealthy lifestyle choices. For instance, Luxembourg has the highest annual rate of alcohol consumption at 15.5 liters per capita.

Click here to read the rest of the countries that spend the most on health care.

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A blind guy driving a car? That was the latest step in Google's two-year-old program to develop a self-driving car.

A video released last week on YouTube shows Steve Mahan, who is almost totally blind, behind the wheel of a Toyota Prius, running errands to Taco Bell and the dry cleaners.

"Look Ma, no hands, and no feet!" Mahan says as the car steers autonomously along a carefully planned route. "This is some of the best driving I've ever done."

Google announced its self-driving car project in 2010, building on research started by a Stanford University that won a $2 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency challenge.

Although the Google demonstration followed a preplanned route, it shows the potential for such cars to work without extensive preparation, said spokesman Jay Nancarrow. But he said the company was not prepared to detail the vehicle's capabilities and limitations.

Autonomous cars outfitted with radar and laser sensors like the Prius would be liberating to people such as Mahan, who cannot drive on his own. “Where this would change my life would be to give me the independence and the flexibility to go to the places I both want to go and need to go, when I need to do those things,” Mahan said after his day in the car, which took place in January.

Even those without vision loss could benefit from the automation of driving because  computer-controlled cars would be able to drive in close formation to increase the traffic capacity of existing roads, said Google project leader Sebastian Thrun. This would save Americans 4 billion hours of wasted time and 2.4 billion gallons of gasoline, he estimated.

Thrun spoke at the TED conference last year about his personal motivation to develop a self-driving car. “As a boy I loved cars,” he said.  “When I turned 18 I lost my best friend to a car accident. Then I decided I would dedicate my life to saving 1 million people every year."

Tangi Quemener / AFP/Getty Images

Junior, a 2006 Volkswagen Passat, heavily modified and robotized by a team of Stanford University, crosses the finish line in first place of the DARPA Grand Challenge on Nov. 3, 2007, in Victorville, Calif.

His effort started with Stanley, a Volkwagen station wagon outfitted with sensors, which in 2005 was the first vehicle to complete DARPA’s challenge course.

“Since then our work has focused on building cars that can drive anywhere by themselves,” he said.

“Our cars have sensors with which they magically can see everything around them and make decisions about every aspect of driving. It is the perfect driving mechanism. We’ve driven in cities, like in San Francisco here. We’ve driven from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Highway 1.  And even crooked Lombard Street in San Francisco.”

Another video shows the Google autonomous Prius ripping through a snaking course of orange cones in a parking lot. This capability suggests the autonomous car need not proceed at the pace of a driver's ed student. 

Finally drivers would be able to focus on things they’ve already shown are more important to them than watching the road, like talking on the phone, texting friends, checking Facebook, eating and personal grooming. Maybe they could watch the YouTube video of the blind guy in the driver's seat.

By Kristen Dahlgren, NBC News correspondent

BUFORD -- Ever dreamed of being famous? Seeing your face on billboards? Owning the town? No, I mean literally owning the town! You can do it. The entire town of Buford, Wyo., -- lock, stock and convenience store -- is for sale.

There's just one catch: it's a town of one, populated by lone resident Don Sammons, 61.

He's become quite a celebrity for being the only resident in the tiny town along I-80 between Cheyenne and Laramie. 

Over the years Sammons has been the mayor, the postmaster, the shopkeeper -- and yes, if you had car trouble Sammons would tow you out.

Buford has its own zip code and is known far and wide for being the nation's smallest town, but it wasn't always this miniscule.  During the mid-1800s about 2,000 people lived in Buford, but when the railroad stopped making stops there during the middle of the 20th century, all the residents left. Almost.

Three decades ago Sammons and his wife moved to Buford because they wanted more space. But after she passed away and his son grew up and moved out, the town's population shrank to one.  For years, Sammons made a living off of that.

"I'm alone but never lonely," he told NBC News as he recounted how people would come from all over to see the one-man town.

And after the TODAY show came calling last July, Sammons said interest skyrocketed.

Now, eight months later, things have changed in Buford.  Sammons sports a diamond stud, a black suit, and more hair. And he’s decided to put Buford behind him.

He won't say exactly what's next (although he did mention a possible book deal and some palm trees) but, now, for the right price, Buford and all that goes with it could be yours.

On Thursday, April 5th, Williams and Williams auction house is putting Buford on the block. With a starting bid of $100,000, the winner could soon own Sammons’ house, the convenience store and only gas station for miles, the post office boxes, the old schoolhouse (which is now an office), and even the lease to a cell tower in the 10-acre town. Imagine the whole thing, zip code 82052, all to yourself.

Dwight Small, a potential buyer in his thirties from nearby Laramie, Wyo., joked at a recent open house that he would bring his wife and increase the population by 100 percent. When asked if he would put his face up on the billboards he chuckled and said, "We're not looking to be celebrities, just make a living." 

It's hard to ignore the curiosity factor. Auction reps say they've gotten interest from people in 72 countries and have sent out literature to 300 interested buyers.

So what's a town of one worth?

"Whatever someone's willing to pay for it," seems to be the answer.  As for Sammons, it’s been worth a lot. His eyes nearly grow misty as he talks about locking up for the last time.

But as he gets in his shiny new 2012 Jaguar and drives off with a wave, you can't help but think this is one man who isn't too worried about life beyond his one-man town.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney appears on a television monitor while conducting a Google+ "hangout" town hall at the Google Chicago headquarters March 20, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. BOTTOM: During Romney's "hangout," the traveling pool of journalists who follow Romney were sequestered in a meeting room called "Adventures in Babysitting," where handwriting on the wall told people to turn off an Xbox game when finished.

When Getty Images' Chip Somodevilla embarked on a four day assignment photographing the Mitt Romney campaign in northern and central Illinois, he found it a perfect opportunity to explore his new found photographic hobby: Instagram.

He had just started using the iPhone 4G in January and became intrigued with the camera’s instant gratification, its many shortcomings, and the social media network enjoyed by millions of other iPhone photographers (reportedly coming soon to Android).

“Instagram is just pure joy,” said Somodevilla. “Shooting photos for Getty is fun, that’s my job and I love it, but Instagram is a different kind of fun.”

“You have to be so much more careful when taking pictures with your iPhone,” said Somodevilla. “You have to really concentrate on taking the actual picture, and take time to learn the camera’s limitations.”

And the limitations are many, especially compared to the pair of Canon 5D Mark IIs he carries on assignment. According to Somodevilla, working around the limitations is where the fun begins. His editor, Pancho Bernasconi, Senior Director of Photography News & Sports at Getty Images, couldn't agree more.

“A change of format makes a photographer see things differently; it allows them to stay alert.” Bernasconi said. “If it makes them stop and think about the frame, breathe different air, then that’s good.”

As a staff photographer for Getty Images in Washington D.C. speed and accuracy is of the essence. “My number one responsibility is to deliver the best image first, especially when it matters, and that's a job I take very seriously,” said Somodevilla. That’s why you’ll never see him reaching for his iPhone when the picture really matters.

“If I don't post to my Instagram, no big whoop, I won't lose any sleep over that,” said Somodevilla.  “Miss getting the picture I was assigned to shoot, you better believe that I will definitely lose sleep over that.”

BUT, along comes an assignment like following a candidate on the campaign trail…

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, TOP: The empty stage after Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Illinois GOP primary victory party at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel March 20, 2012 in Schaumburg, Illinois. BOTTOM: European Pressphoto Photographer Tannen Maury (L) and AP photographer Steven Senne file photographs from their laptops on the Romney press bus.

“When you cover a campaign, you go inside the bubble,” said Somodevilla. “You’re thrown in the press bus for hours with TV and newspaper reporters, photographers and bloggers, and you go where the candidate goes.” Days can be long, and there is a lot of waiting. For instance, on one of the four days with Romney, Somodevilla spent ten hours on the bus for two press events.

With this extra time, Somodevilla thought he would develop his own Instagram style. He saw inspiration in the work of New York Times great, Stephen Crowley, and decided to explore the thousand-year-old art form of diptychs. A diptych is a set of images that work as a pair, where their association gives them more meaning than being displayed alone. 

For Somodevilla, they're like little visual columns.

“He is a sophisticated story teller, and these add another layer,” said Bernasconi. “Chip, in a way is acting like his own art director, telling little stories with a point of view."

Somodevilla admits there are no rules when he creates his diptychs, but they all have certain themes. Each diptych shares the same geography or moment in time, and they're usually shot at the same event. Often, a diptych doesn’t mean anything. They’re just a pairing of images that look good together.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney delivers an economic speech at the International House at the University of Chicago March 19, 2012 in Chicago, Illinois. BOTTOM: Members of the Romney traveling news media pool cover an economic speech from the press riser in the back of the auditorium at the university.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, TOP: Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (C) is surrounded by a wall of Secret Service agents during a pancake brunch at American Legion Post 246 March 18, 2012 in Moline, Illinois. BOTTOM: Romney supporters eat free pancakes while waiting for the arrival of the candidate.

"Pancake breakfast with Romney" was one of Somodevilla’s first campaign diptych creations. The inspiration was simple. He was waiting for Romney and so were the members of American Legion Post 246.

“When you’re covering the campaign trail, you're dropped out of the sky in a foreign land and people stare at you like an alien,” said Somodevilla. “You walk around, start talking to people and scour the room looking for real moments.”

It’s what he calls shooting around the frame. If there is an important image to be made, he’ll always reach for his DSLR first, and when he is sure he’s got the frame, then he might take a photo for Instagram.

"We (photojournalists) are a hard group to contain. We're always looking for something real," he said.

On another assignment, he made one of his more intriguing pair of images. "Romney at Google Chicago HQ," according to Somodevilla has been interpreted by his Instagram followers several different ways.

The pair of photographs was taken at Google headquarters in Chicago, while the press was kept in the affectionately named, "Adventures in Baby Sitting" room. The only access to Romney was watching him on a screen participating in a Google "hangout." The sign in the lower half of the diptych refers to the XBox that was in the room to occupy the journalists. Somodevilla states that the pairing has nothing to do with Romney, but everything to do with campaigning as a whole.

"The whole thing was so intangible," Somodevilla said. "And I thought this isn't real. If you want you can turn it on or you can turn it off." 

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, TOP: A television remote control and HBO program guide sit on the shelf of a hotel room March 17, 2012 in Moline, Illinois. BOTTOM: A large, table-top diorama of Moline International Airport includes a tiny scale model of Air Force One, the plane that ferries the president of the United States across the country and around the world.

He doesn’t always know the outcome of his diptychs. Often Somodevilla will shoot one image and find its mate later in the assignment, and that’s why he never uses the Instagram app to shoot his photos.  

To create a diptych, Somodevilla always starts with the iPhone camera. First of all, it’s easier to access when the phone is in standby, and secondly it allows him to edit his images with a little more thoughtfulness.

Second he takes the selected photos into his post production app of choice, snapseed, and adds selective focus and filters.

After the images are selected and the adjustments to the images have been made, he uses framemagic to create the diptych. Only then does he distribute the images on Instagram.

Somodevilla created his Romney campaign diptychs for fun, and had no plans to distribute the images through the Getty wire. The use of filters and effects goes against his definition of traditional news photography, even though Getty has made the images available to clients on their website.

If Somodevilla has any advice for novice mobile phone photographers it would be to take lots of pictures and push every button, “Pushing all the buttons is how we learn.”

Be sure to follow Somodevilla at somophoto on Instagram.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

In this diptych, In this diptych, TOP: A television news producer keeps track of exit poll numbers on a whiteboard during Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Illinois GOP primary victory party at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel March 20, 2012 in Schaumburg, Illinois. BOTTOM: A Rhythm and Blues band performs for the Romney supporters during the primary night party.