Washington - White House 02

Anyone who's been to the White House has seen this character...a protester who has remained camped out on this spot for almost 30 years. We found her to be friendly, amiable, and very dedicated to her cause.

Washington - White House 01

Naturally while in the area we had to stop by the White House. This is along the edge of the South Lawn (I think).

I have been inside the White House three times, all on tours. It's too bad they have to be so careful now as a result of terrorism of all stripes...I understand that now a person must apply for a tour via his or her congressman.

But back in the day all you had to do was wait in line for a ticket, then come back and you could walk right in with the rest of the group. Really gave a feeling of accessibility. In Lincoln's day the huge stream of visitors was often greeted by the President himself.

On one of the tours I saw a friend from college, who happened to be in Washington for ROTC training. While we were in the walkway next to the Rose Garden I looked to my right, and there was Robert, in line right behind me! Just a few weeks earlier we were eating together in the dorm cafeteria in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Washington - Smithsonian 04

Sitting in the same spot I swung the camera to the right and snapped this shot. People, trees etc. in the background were cloned out by the cloud cover...

Washington - Smithsonian 03

Toward the end of our second day in D.C. we were hot and exhausted. On our way back from the White House we sat on a shaded bench. I can't sit anywhere for long without seeing some photograph that needs to be taken, and here it was no different. Not only do I look for patterns (subconsciously at first), but I'm always on the lookout for contrast. These flowers against the side of the Museum of Natural History provided the opportunity...

Washington - Smithsonian 02

For some reason this photo needed no white balance correction whatsoever - it is absolutely untouched, save for a reflection...the enemy of museum shoots. Might be the background color, might be different kind of lighting, don't know. Whatever the reason, it turned out well technically in spite of the obstacles mentioned in the previous posting.

Washington - Smithsonian 01

While in Washington the kids and I had to take in the Smithsonian...once we figured out how to get to it by Metro (word to the wise: keep your GPS maps updated). Because so much of it was indoors not many pictures were taken, due to the relative darkness (which keeps shutter speeds slower) and interior lighting (which is not processed well in the s7000).

This little guy, a spider monkey, was in a fascinating exhibit of skeletons. Because most of the lighting was incandescent, quite a bit of white balance correction was needed - in fact the yellows were reduced in saturation by more than 60%. For this and the next posting I was able to lean against the beveled windowsill for stability while the lens was set on the first degree of macro.

Washington - Lincoln Memorial

This shot was taken not so much because it's the Lincoln Memorial...rather the focus of the composition was the way those birds were lined up!

Interestingly, I found that the man and president Abraham Lincoln was not so much the focus of this place either; it was the "I Have a Dream" speech made by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr...at least for me, and many others I observed. It is etched in the granite of the top step the exact spot where that great speech was delivered. Also, there was a boom box a few feet away that looped the speech over an over again. The pictures I have of the kids are at that spot, overlooking the area where the vast number of peoples gathered for the historic event.

Don't get me wrong - Abraham Lincoln was among the five greatest presidents that ever lived (along with Washington, Madison, Kennedy and Reagan...strictly in my opinion), but the Rev. King shines among them as one who did more than any of them could have...and without firing a shot or resorting to violence. That, plus his focus on the character of a man, regardless of race, set him apart and placed him squarely among the great leaders of the world.

Washington - Viet Nam Memorial 04

A sobering memorial for a loved one...

Washington - Viet Nam Memorial 03

This one was more candid. The wall was great for reflection shots, as can be seen in the next couple of postings as well.

Washington - Viet Nam Memorial 02

This is my son and daughter, reflected in the panels of names. If it looks a little staged, in fact it was - I had them briefly hold their positions as the shot was snapped.