Ulysses S. Grant: Overdue Repair Job

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Robin S. Kent

The Grant Memorial, Guarding the Capitol’s West Front (November, 2014)

The massive memorial to Ulysses S. Grant, like so many of Washington’s monuments and memorials, has long suffered from neglect. (See, for example, a January 2011 article in the Wall Street Journal). Now at last, as reported in today’s edition of the Washington Post, a restoration project is underway.

Scaffolding for the Grant Memorial Restoration (August, 2015)

When I first photographed the memorial I knew much about Grant, but nothing of the history of the statue. But I had available a most valuable resource: James M. Goode’s imposing reference, “Washington Sculpture” and found a story that fascinated me.

In 1901, a young, unknown sculptor, Henry Merwin Shrady, submitted design for a prestigious commission: a memorial statue of Ulysses S. Grant and the largest ever commissioned by the US Congress at that time. His 22 competitors were experienced, well-known artists and a furor erupted when the 31-yar old was selected. He was selected a second time when one of the losers demanded a retrial.

Artillery Group, on South Flank of Main Statue (January, 2010)

This one work would consume Shrady for the rest of his life, which tragically ended 20 years later and just a few weeks before the memorial’s dedication. Before he began his work, Shrady conducted intensive research on Civil War history, immersing himself in the details of uniforms, military practices, and the anatomy and physical movement of horses. He was loaned actual uniforms by the secretary of war. West Point and other military schools conducted special drills for him to observe artillery and cavalry maneuvers. And he investigated much, much more in his unending efforts to bring authenticity to even the smallest aspects of his work.

But despite his premature death, the memorial Shrady produced was unlike any other in the U.S. up to that time. It is vast, with a base 252 feet wide by 71 feet deep, and was the largest bronze-casting project ever undertaken. At its center stands an equestrian statue of Grant. Flanking him, albeit some distance away, are clusters of warriors: a Cavalry Group to the north and an Artillery Group to the south.

Cavalry Group on North Flank of Main Statue (November 2014)

(Note the tarnished green stains and missing sword blade; note also the face of the fallen soldier under the hooves of the lead horse-thought to be a self portrait of the artist)

Shrady obtained numerous postponements, fending off demands for deadlines while dealing with numerous challenges such as a fire that destroyed the foundry responsible for casting the bronze components and political fights over the proposed location of the memorial.

Artillery Group at Twilight (November 2014)

Setting Moon, Grant Memorial and Washington Monument

I’m looking forward to the completion of the renovation project, the memorial will have a totally different look, and new opportunities for photography. But when the scaffiolding is taken away, those who live here should go back and take a close look at what is by far the most dramatic work of sculpture in the city. In the meantime,

Keep Shooting……

Virginia Road Trip: Buzzard Rock and Thoroughfare Gap

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Robin S. Kent

Memorial Day weekend is great time to be in Washington DC—if you are a fan of motorcycles, parades, and ceremonies. We decided to go the other direction on Sunday, heading west toward Front Royal and the George Washington National Forest.

We had heard about an “easy hike” near Front Royal, called “Buzzard Rock” that features a nice overlook of the Shenandoah Valley. Not nearly as well-known as more popular hikes such as Old Rag, White Oak Canyon, or Dark Hollow Falls we guessed that it would not be very crowded.

Looking North from First Outlook

We arrived at the trailhead at 10:00 AM—later than advisable if you want to beat the crowds, but there were still a couple spots left in the small parking lot. It’s a 4-mile roundtrip, with a gradual elevation gain of about 650 feet along a fairly well-marked trail. It’s a pleasant walk up to the first overlook where one is rewarded with some nice scenery of the Valley below. There is also a good view of a fish hatchery along Passage Creek (Image below).

Fish Hatchery as seen from First Outlook

While the views at the top were nice, I would not place this trail on my top 10 list for Virginia hikes within a 2-hour drive of Washington. But that’s OK, because the more interesting portion of the day was still ahead.

Our mission was to find the secret route to Chapman’s Mill, a massive historic stone structure that is in full view (about 100 yards away) of thousands of cars on Interstate 66. My previous solo attempts had ended in failure, but now that I had the assistance of a skilled navigatrix and her wonder dog Smokey, I felt confident that success was finally within my grasp.

The Ruins of Chapman’s Mill, (walls now stabilized and braced)

To give you a small sense of the challenge, Chapman’s Mill is located on Beverly Mill Road and once you drive past the mill on I-66 heading east, you must drive 8 more miles and then backtrack the same distance on State Road 55 to get there.

Virginia 05 Partially collapsed Interior Wall (much work remains)

Chapman’s Mill was originally built in 1742 and, at 7 ½ stories, is thought to be the tallest stacked stone building in the United States. The mill is located in Thoroughfare Gap, a narrow passage in the Bull Run Mountains. The Gap was used by migrating buffalo and traveling American Indians long before Europeans arrived in the area.

Detail of Wall, Showing Stacked Stone Technique

The gap quickly became a major route to the rich farmland of the Shenandoah Valley, was a strategic route in the French and Indian Wars, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War and its importance as a trade route was enhanced with the arrival of a rail line (still operating today) in 1852. Virginia 06

Interior View, showing Rusting Cogwheel (about 6-foot diameter)

The mill was a major food storage and distribution center for the Confederate forces until mid-1862 and was burned by the Confederates when they departed the area. Rebuilt after the war, it continued to operate as a mill, passing through several owners until it ceased operations in 1946.

Interior View Showing a Stabilizing Cross Beam

Abandoned for years, it escaped demolition in the 1960s from the planned route for I-66 through the efforts of local citizens and preservation groups. In 1998, it was torched by an arsonist. The devastation was so extensive that the building seemed doomed to extinction. But shortly thereafter, a non-profit group obtained the property and launched a restoration campaign. Phases 1 and 2 (Stabilizing the walls, conducting archaeological research on the site) are completed and fudraising is underway to continue the restoration.

Smokey, the Wonder Dog, Contemplates the Scene

The mill is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for more information.

Cherry Blossoms–Not Yet!

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Robin S. Kent

Although the cherry blossoms have yet to fully awaken, there are plenty of other photographic opportunities right now in Washington, DC.

At sunrise two days ago, the tidal basin was almost completely deserted. The sky was clear which means you can get the shot below as the sun clears the horizon.

Sunrise, April 2, 2015

At sunrise the next day, rain clouds were coming in from the west but there were some openings in the eastern sky. Again, the tidal basin was deserted.

Sunrise, April 3, 2015

The rain started within an hour after the image above was taken but it was a light rain so I checked out the status of the pink magnolia trees in Rawlins Park (E Street, Foggy Bottom) that usually are open before the cherry blossoms.

Afternoon Rain Shower, Rawlins Park

Magnolia, Rawlins Square

While photographing the square, I noticed some white magnolias across the street at the Red Cross National Headquarters (20th and E Streets NW). A quick check showed that an evening shot might be worthwhile.

Evening, Red Cross Headquarters

This morning, I checked out the Enid Haupt Garden at the Smithsonian Castle on Independence Avenue.

Morning, April 4, 2015

If you want to photograph these trees, don’t delay. They go quickly and inclement weather is forecast for mid-week.You can also find them in the Sculpture Garden (National Gallery of Art) and at the George Mason Memorial near the Jefferson Memorial.

Scouting Report: Getting Ready for Spring

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Robin S. Kent

The signs are unmistakable: the calendar says March, sunrise is coming earlier each day, the temperatures are rising, and the snow is disappearing.

Jefferson Memorial at Sunrise, March 12, 2012

After all, it’s been 3 years since I got a decent image on March 12th. So yesterday afternoon (March 12th), I made a scouting run into the city to check out a few sites for possible photo opportunities. As I made the rounds, it appeared that conditions were promising for a sunset image (see below) so I kept my eye on the clouds building up as I explored the area around the National Mall.

The scouting findings may be of interest to photographers in the Washington, DC area, others can skip to the end and see what happened at 7:25 PM.

Solar Cycle: For the next few days, the late afternoon sun (when skies are clear) will be providing some opportunities as it illuminates the Federal Triangle Buildings along the north side of Constitution Avenue and the recently renovated Arts and Industries Building on Independence Avenue.

Fountains: As usual at this time of year, virtually all of the fountains are still shut down for the winter. This includes the fountains and pool at the World War II Memorial and the Reflecting Pool between the WW II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. In addition, the waterfall at the northwest corner of the Museum of the American Indian is dry and the waterfalls at the FDR Memorial are also turned off.

The Tidal Basin: There is a significant amount of ice still in the Basin, but this should be melted in a few days.

National Gallery, East Wing: The large construction crane is finally gone, although there is still a considerable amount of fencing and construction equipment on the south and east sides of the building. However, there are good angles on the west side of the building.

Ongoing Construction: The US Capitol is still under scaffolding, of course, and the white plastic wrap covering part of the scaffolding has been altered for the worse (who would have thought that was possible) by adding a section with a tawdry taupe color. The new African American Museum is still far from completion and news reports state that the opening date has been pushed back to early 2017. There is better news a few blocks to the west where the interminable construction project for a relatively small flood control wall (17^th Street and Constitution Avenue) is all but wrapped up. The unsightly wooden fence on the northeast corner of 17^th and Constitution is gone, leaving a rather graceful stone wall curving toward the Washington Monument. Across 17^th, the construction equipment has been removed and the landscaping seems completed. However, there are still some chain link fences protecting the larger trees along 17^th Street.

Upcoming Events

March 14: DC Rock ‘n Roll Marathon: The Start Time 7:30 AM likely will complicate efforts to photograph anything else so plan accordingly. Details here.

March 20: The Equinox. Check your Photographer’s Ephemeris app for an opportunity near you.

March 28: Kite Festival, the long-running kite festival will be in its usual location on the grounds of the Washington Monument starting at 10:00 AM. For details, click here.

April 4: Full Moon. Check your Photographer’s Ephemeris app for an opportunity near you.

Kite Festival

Sunset at the FDR Memorial

As the sun edged closer to the horizon last night, I made my way over to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial which is located on the west side of the Tidal Basin. DC locals might think this is a strange location to capture a sunset, but I thought it would be a good backdrop for a specific feature at the Memorial. The result is shown below.

FDR Memorial at Sunset, March 12, 2015

(Technical Data: Nikon D800E with 24-70mm f/2.8 lens on tripod, extended to 24mm; exposure 1 sec. @f/16, EV = -1.0 ISO 400.)

The Memorial, on 7.5 acres chronicles the four terms of Roosevelt’s Presidency. This section, with the five pillars and five panels on the wall, were intended to represent the social programs (New Deal) during his presidency. The design has been criticized as the “least successful” of the many sculptures in the Memorial, and I would agree that their intended symbolism is opaque. Nevertheless, I have found them to be an interesting photographic subject.

Coming Soon–Iguazu Falls (Really!)

Washington, D.C. — National Cathedral

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Robin S. Kent

The Washington Cathedral Nave, Looking West

The Washington National Cathedral is one of the great interior spaces in the city. This week, it will be especially interesting because all of the seating has been removed from the nave. In a special week-long program, the Cathedral is evoking the experience of Gothic cathedrals centuries ago when there was no seating. The program (“Seeing Deeper”) included two morning photo sessions, allowing photographers to sign up for an opportunity to take pictures before normal opening hours. Thanks to the sharp eye of my sister, I was alerted in time to snag one of the limited number of tickets for this morning’s session.

The Photographers at Work

The event was well-organized as the Cathedral staff understood what was desired by everyone in the group: An unobstructed long view of the nave with no other photographers milling about in the scene. We were guided to the east end of the nave where there was sufficient space to set up without obstructing the efforts of others. After about 20 minutes, we were released to wander about the main level and photograph whatever struck our fancy.

View from Southwest Corner of Nave

The other good news is that much of the construction paraphanalia associated with the repair of earthquake damage is gone, such as the netting that had been hanging from the ceiling to protect against falling debris. Some of the scaffolding is still there (see first image above), but the photography opportunities are much improved. Information on the other events associated with the Seeing Deeper program can be found at the Cathedral’s web site.

Washington DC — November Scouting Report

Posted on November 16, 2014 by Robin S. Kent

Breaking News: The scaffolding for the US Capitol Dome project is now completely up, but the unique illumination that makes it an interesting subject at night (see image below) may be about to disappear. A check on the east front of the building showed an enormous white plastic sheet enveloping about 60% of the dome and scaffolding on that side and a small portion of the north side.

US Capitol Under Repair (View of West Front) (Nikon D800E with 20-70mm f/2.8 lens on tripod; exposure 3 sec. @ f/16, ISO 400)

This week, I made two scouting runs into the city to determine the feasibility of an evening shoot in the coming weeks. Along the way, I checked the status of other sites that may be of interest to local photographers.

The Bad News

Fountains: A number of the major and minor fountains are no longer running, having been shut down for the winter. These include the Bartholdi Fountain, the Court of Neptune at the Library of Congress, the two small fountains on the plaza of the Supreme Court, the Joseph Darlington Memorial Fountain at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and 5^th Street NW, and the Mellon Fountain at the Federal Triangle. And, of course, the long neglected but potentially impressive Columbus Fountain at Union Station continues to languish along with the two smaller basins on its flanks.

The Tulip Library: The colorful annuals that were blooming in profusion not many weeks ago are now gone. But in the spring there will be a new display of tulips providing a great foreground for images of the Washington Monument.

National Gallery, East Wing: There is still one crane remaining alongside the building on the Constitution Avenue side. Close crop shots from a number of angles are possible, however.

Renwick Gallery: The renovation, begun earlier this year, is still underway and will probably last through next year. The Gallery is closed and well hidden behind the construction scaffolding.

Old Post Office: Also closed, also lots of scaffolding plus an enormous sign with the new owner’s last name prominently displayed.

The Good News

Fountains: Some are still running, but time is growing short. The World War II Memorial seems to be in full operation and likely will be one of the last to shut down. Others that still have running water include the new Disabled for Life Veterans Memorial (plus the flame was going strong this afternoon), the cascades on the northwest side of the American Indian Museum, the Senate Garage Fountain (although the illumination was turned off a few nights ago), the reflecting pool at the Japanese Internment Memorial (Louisiana Avenue and D Street, NW), and the twin fountains/cascades on the plaza of the US Navy Memorial (Pennsylvania Avenue and 7^th Street, NW).

Kennedy Center: The large temporary tent that had been erected on the south side of the building is now gone. Those wishing to take photographs from the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge pedestrian sidewalk or from vantage points on that side of the Center will no longer have to contend with this.

Upcoming Events

The 2014 Capitol Christmas Tree is making its way from Minnesota and is scheduled to arrive at 10 AM on November 21^st. The lighting ceremony will be on December 2^nd. Traditionally, the Capitol Police have suspended the requirement for permits to use a tripod on the Capitol grounds for the entire month of December. Hopefully, that will be repeated this year. Stay tuned….

Preparations for the National Christmas Tree and Pathway to Peace are well underway now on the ellipse, but much remains to be done. The lighting ceremony will be on December 6^th.

The National Hanukkah Menorah to celebrate the 8-day Jewish holiday will also be on the ellipse. The lighting ceremony will be at 4 PM on December 16^th.

So, get out and get shooting…

Washington, DC: October Scouting Report

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Robin S. Kent

Breaking News: There is a new Memorial in town–the “American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial.” It was dedicated in a special ceremony on Sunday, October 5th and was opened to the public yesterday. An excellent article by Phillip Kennecott, the Washington Post Architecture Critic, gives all the details which can be found here.

The Monument is located on a small plot of land bounded by three main streets a block or so away from the US Botanical Garden. I visited it on Monday afternoon to check on the photographic opportunities. As Kennecott notes, with one exception, the location is not surrounded by a majestic background. That exception is the southwest corner where there is a fabulous view looking toward the US Capitol Building (northeast of the Memorial) as shown in the image below. Hard to see in this size, so click on the image for a better view. Mid-afternoon is not the best time for a photograph, but I imagine that this could be pretty nice at twilight.

The main features include two infinity pools. The larger pool, shaped as a triangle, is only ankle-high and on calm days could provide some impressive reflections as suggested by the image above. The second, is star-shaped and is about knee-high and punctuated by a burning flame emerging from a bubbling fountain (see image below).

At the south end, there is a series of glass panels, with etchings of quotes and images. It is this section which is the most compelling and reminds us of the costs of going to war.

While I was there I wandered over to the US Capitol to check on the progress of the scaffolding. It has grown considerably since my last visit but they have more to add. The entire West Front is becoming increasingly absorbed by the renovation work. There now is a shiny aluminum catwalk traversing the north (left) side of the building emanating from an enormous construction support compound that houses the nerve center of the renovation project.

But the positive news today is the appearance of this new memorial and the purpose for which it was created. When you get a chance, check it out. The Federal Center SW Metro stop is only two blocks away.

Washington, DC—August Scouting Report

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Robin S. Kent

Breaking News: Local readers, photographers or not, should take into account that this coming Monday to Wednesday (August 4-6) could be somewhat chaotic in downtown Washington as the leaders of 40- 50 African nations will be here for a summit meeting.

OK, back to our normal programming:

Yesterday I thought it would be a good idea to zip down to the city and check out the status of possible shooting locations. The weather was cloudy and it looked like we might get a shower or two, so the prospects for actually stopping and doing some serious photography seemed remote. I almost didn’t take my camera, but a Little Voice said: “You might be sorry.”

As it turned out, the Little Voice was right. My first stop was Union Station which is still undergoing a massive interior renovation started months ago. The first sight when you walk in the front entrance is a mass of scaffolding, huge tarpaulins, and netting to protect pedestrians from falling debris. (See image below)

Union Station Washington, DC Under Renovation

But then I turned left and I was already glad that I had brought the camera. The west wing of the Waiting Area was free of construction and the station’s famous centurions were on duty and alert. Be aware, however, that there is a strict prohibition on tripods at Union Station, so one needs a high ISO and a wide aperture, especially on a cloudy day. (Technical Data: hand held Nikon D800E with 24-70mm f/2.8 lens extended to 45mm; Exposure 1/125^th sec @f2.8, EV= -0.67, ISO 800). Three images, photomerged.

The Centurions of Union Station

Over at the Supreme Court, a new repair project has just begun. The Capitol Police officer on duty told me that this set of scaffolding had just gone up this week.

Yet Another Renovation at the Supreme Court

Next stop: The U.S. Capitol Building. The long awaited and much-needed repair of the Capitol Dome is now underway and the scaffolding is being erected now. On the positive side, Congress is on recess and the shallow reflecting pools on the eastern plaza have been repaired and the water is running again (See image below).

US Capitol, East Plaza

Photographers that want to include the dome will have to accept the presence of scaffolding for perhaps the next two years. (See the list of the end of this post for details on the situation around the Capitol.) But there is a positive side: it makes one think about different approaches as exemplified by the image below.

The US Capitol, View from South Side

And down the hill on the western side of the Capitol, the flowers around the base of the James Garfield statue are looking great. I couldn’t resist this image, even with the scaffolding in full view.

James A. Garfield Statue and US Capitol

The following summarizes my observations on the drive:

Good news:

A lot of the fountains are running, including those in front of the American History Museum, the Library of Congress (Court of Neptune), Senate Garage Fountains, Supreme Court fountains, the Bartholdi Park fountain, the Haupt Fountains on Constitution Avenue across from the German Friendship Garden and most of those at the World War II Memorial (But see the Bad News Below).
Almost all of the scaffolding has been removed from the renovation project at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building. (But see the Bad News below)
The eastern plaza of the US Capitol Building is no longer a parking lot (as it was on Thursday) for Congressional VIPS as they have departed for the August recess. The reflection pools surrounding the two main skylights for the underground visitor center are back up and running and there must have been a bump up in the gardening budget because the flowers around the Capitol are looking better than I have seen in a long time.
The National Park Service Tulip Library, located near the Tidal Basin at Independence Avenue and Maine Avenue, is well past the tulip season. But the annuals that were planted after the tulip bulbs were removed are looking good. And it appears that an ugly wooden fence right across the street (ruining any possibility of combining these flowers with the Washington Monument) is in the process of being removed. I have been hating this fence since I first saw it 7 years ago.

Bad news:

The work on the western wall (Freedom Wall) of the World War II Memorial is still not completed.
Although the renovation of the Arts and Industries Building is complete, there are no plans to open it due to a lack of funds. So there may be some minor gates and barriers to prevent people from entering the space.
The US Capitol dome project includes a large construction support zone on the northwest sector of the grounds and a lot of netting inside the dome. Tours are still ongoing.
The Supreme Court front entrance now has scaffolding for a new project.
The impressively tall fountain (name unknown to me) at the intersection of 20^th and C St. NW is not running.
And, not surprisingly, the Columbus Fountain at Union Station continues its 10-year-plus streak of neglect, despite a recent renovation of the entire plaza surrounding it.

Scouting Report: April 15, 2014

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Robin S. Kent

The Cherry Blossoms are gone, the lunar eclipse was hidden by clouds this morning and it’s been raining all day. So what better way to keep on the move than to make a scouting run into the city? It’s that time of year when the fountains scattered around the Washington National Mall are being turned on. Three weeks ago, only the World War II Memorial was operating. But now many of them are running; of the nine that I checked, seven are happily pumping out the spray.

News Flash: We interrupt this post to announce that one of my images was selected for “Monochrome Madness,” an event produced by Australian photographer Leanne Cole, a professional photographer in Melbourne whose blog has over 23,000 followers. You can see her post with the 44 selected images here. Now back to our regularly scheduled post on Washington, DC fountains.

Fountains Currently Running

Navy Memorial Fountain, National Archives in Background

Navy Memorial (Pennsylvania Avenue between 8^th and 9^th Street NW): This is one of the better fountains in the city, and can’t be easier to photograph. You are steps away from a Metro entrance, benches are plentiful, and an excellent French boulangerie (Paul Bakery) is on the west side of the plaza.

Supreme Court (1^st Street NW, across from the Capitol Building): The two small fountains on the north and south sides of the front plaza are now running. While not very impressive, any photo that includes the basins looks much better now than when they are empty.

Court of Neptune Fountain, Library of Congress

Court of Neptune Fountain (1^st Street SW, across from the Capitol Building): New York sculptor Roland Hinton Perry was only 27 years old when he completed the fountain in 1898, when the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress was opened. This is not your average fountain and the physicality of the scene is quite dramatic when the water is running. The nearby Capitol South Metro Station is a short walk of two blocks.

Senate Fountain at Night

Senate Fountain (opposite the intersection of Louisiana Avenue NW and North Capitol Street NW): This is one of the few (perhaps only) fountains in the city with a variable color lighting system). Boasting a view of the Senate side of the US Capitol, it provides a number of photo opportunities in the evening light. The Union Station Metro stop is within easy walking distance.

Japanese American Patriotism Memorial: (Directly opposite the Senate Fountain in a small triangular park between Louisiana Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, and D Street NW): Technically this is not a fountain, but a flowing pool which is the principal feature of the park. Dedicated only ten years ago, it recognizes the mistake made by the US in the forcible placement of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans into ten internment camps.

National Museum of the American Indian (Intersection of Maryland Avenue and Independence Avenue SW ): The fountain is located on the northwest corner of the museum with the water cascading over large boulders and flowing along a channel on the north side of the building. The Federal Center Metro Station is about 3 blocks to the south.

Moonrise, World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial (17^th Street between Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue): The fountains are now running although they are turned off sometime during the night and resume operating just before dawn. However, the repair project at the west end of the Memorial is still unfinished. As a result, the two waterfalls on either side of Freedom Wall are still dry. Even so, this memorial offers more photo opportunities than any of the others on this list. No nearby Metro Station.

Fountains Still Dry

Banneker Fountain (South end of the L’Enfant Plaza on 10^th Street SW): Probably the least well known site on this list, the 30-foot tall column of water (when operating) is the central feature of the Benjamin Banneker Park. Banneker was an African American who had a role in the original surveys that eventually resulted in the layout of the city of Washington. However, the historical evidence is unclear on the specific details. The small park, designed by landscape architect Dan Kiley was constructed in 1967. Kiley is currently being featured in a major retrospective of his work at the National Building Museum. The L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station is about 5 blocks to the northeast.

Bartholdi Fountain (Across Independence Avenue SW from the US Botanical Garden): This fountain is the central feature of a small park maintained by the US Botanical Garden, It was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi who is better known as the creator of the Statue of Liberty. I will write a separate post on this fountain when the water is turned on.

I expect that both the Bartholdi and Banneker fountains will be running within a few weeks. Stay tuned…

Cherry Blossoms–Not Yet!

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Robin S. Kent

Like most local photographers, I am eagerly awaiting the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin and elsewhere in the city. Unable to contain my enthusiasm any longer I drove down this morning to check things out.

Already forewarned by Mitch Zeissler’s blog post yesterday, I did not expect to find any blooms but I did want to see what new parking restrictions the festival authorities had dreamed up. As the image above shows, there was a mystical fog hanging over the Tidal Basin and the trees are still a long way from their peak performance. Here is another view with a composition that might be worth going after in a week or so, no matter what the weather is.

In the right conditions, fog can add a unique dimension to a photograph. The image below was taken on March 22, 2012. The blossoms were very early that year. The fog in this image was not as dense as this morning, but the effect with the Jefferson Memorial is quite different that would have been the case on a sunny morning. A large version of this image is hanging in a conference room of a building on Pennsylvania Avenue (no, not that building). Technical data: Shot at 1/125^th sec. @ f/16, ISO 400; 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens set at 24 mm. I was quite close to the tree so this is a Photomerge of six separate images in Photoshop.

The Festival authorities have imposed the usual parking restrictions around the Tidal Basin. Ohio Drive is closed to southbound traffic and parking there is restricted to tour buses and vehicles with handicap permits. The small lot adjacent to the paddle boats concession is closed and is filled with media and commercial partners in tents of varying sizes and shapes. The tents will detract from images you may want to shoot from the Jefferson Memorial side toward the Washington Monument. People in other categories, however, will no doubt appreciate the health benefits of the long walks from the special parking areas set up on Haines Point. Just follow the pink signs if you drive. In truth, driving is a bad idea when the blossoms approach their peak unless you plan to arrive before sunrise. Take the Metro instead.

I’ll be updating the cherry blossom status with new posts in the coming days, but I would also recommend that readers check out the blog post by Mitch mentioned above; he has links to several live webcams that show the current conditions the Tidal Basin and the Mall.

	Bespoke Traveler on Martin Luther King
	Robin S. Kent on Martin Luther King
	Robin S. Kent on Low Light Photography (Part…
	Robin S. Kent on Martin Luther King
	Bespoke Traveler on Low Light Photography (Part…

photographybykent

Stop, Look, and See..

Tag Archives: Scouting Report

Ulysses S. Grant: Overdue Repair Job

Virginia Road Trip: Buzzard Rock and Thoroughfare Gap

Cherry Blossoms–Not Yet!

Scouting Report: Getting Ready for Spring

Washington, D.C. — National Cathedral

Washington DC — November Scouting Report

Washington, DC: October Scouting Report

Washington, DC—August Scouting Report

Scouting Report: April 15, 2014

Cherry Blossoms–Not Yet!

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: