Author Topic: Pictures in DC (Read 2968 times)

nonac · « **on:** November 22, 2012, 05:57:44 PM »

Leaving for Washington, DC for two weeks, never been there before Most of my photo opportunities will be at night. I'll be taking a 5d III, 24-105, 135, and a 70-200 2.8 II. Plus tripod, remote release, no flash. Any suggestions for good spots to shoot on the National Mall or any other areas? Thanks

canon rumors FORUM · « **on:** November 22, 2012, 05:57:44 PM »

TotoEC · « **Reply #1 on:** November 22, 2012, 06:24:26 PM »

Get onto the top steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Setup your tripod and shot the Mall with the Monument as a backdrop. Use you widest lens. If you can, do the shoot in the evening or sunrise. Then get to your hiking shoes and visit: NASA museum, the Natural History Museum as well as the American History Museum. Enjoy!

al2 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 22, 2012, 06:35:30 PM »

Depends on what you want shoot. The Jefferson Memorial is good at night. It can be amazing in the spring with cherry blossoms. Most of the federal buildings are well illuminated and can be dramatic at night. Georgetown and the Adams-Morgan area can provide a completely different feel.

canon816 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 22, 2012, 06:38:14 PM »

Shoot the White House from Pennsylvania Ave at night.

CTJohn · « **Reply #4 on:** November 22, 2012, 07:13:30 PM »

Quote from: TotoEC on November 22, 2012, 06:24:26 PM

Get onto the top steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Setup your tripod and shot the Mall with the Monument as a backdrop. Use you widest lens. If you can, do the shoot in the evening or sunrise. Then get to your hiking shoes and visit: NASA museum, the Natural History Museum as well as the American History Museum. Enjoy!

Agree, but make sure the reflecting pool is full. I was there a couple months ago and they were doing repairs on it.

scrappydog · « **Reply #5 on:** November 22, 2012, 07:42:11 PM »

Take a look at my Flickr page for ideas. I have a DC set. The bulk of my shots are taken in the DC area because I live in the area.

The monuments and memorials along the Mall are all good options for the 24-105. The WWII Memorial at dusk is wonderful (facing the reflecting pool and Lincoln Monument) because they light it up and it is a large, impressive memorial. I recently shot the Korean War Veterans Memorial at night, which is nice. Arlington Bridge shot in Arlington facing DC at dusk or dawn. You can shoot the sunrise and sunset from the Key Bridge, which is between Rosslyn and Georgetown. If you can do a sunrise shot, shooting from the top of the Lincoln Memorial facing out across the reflecting pool is nice. A perspective shot at the Vietnam Memorial is nice because it tapers down to a point at the horizon line and you can get the Washington Monument and reflections off the wall, all in the same shot.

I'm not sure about the telephotos. I love shooting at the National Zoo with my 70-200 (and the 135 would be nice). If you go to the zoo, be there at 8:30am to get the best shots and avoid the crowds.

If you are into plants and flowers, the National Arboretum is a nice place to go. The cherry blossom trees, which are not in bloom, are along the tidal basin. There are beautiful tulips planted there, as well as the Jefferson Memorial.

scrappydog · « **Reply #6 on:** November 22, 2012, 07:45:19 PM »

Quote from: CTJohn on November 22, 2012, 07:13:30 PM

Agree, but make sure the reflecting pool is full. I was there a couple months ago and they were doing repairs on it.

It's fixed now. It's full of water and developing algae.

canon rumors FORUM · « **Reply #6 on:** November 22, 2012, 07:45:19 PM »

bseitz234 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 14, 2013, 02:25:28 PM »

Posting a question here, too, that I've asked in another thread in the hopes of catching a broader audience. For anyone who's been to DC, did you find it was worth having a UWA lens? Or, if you didn't have one, did you wish for wider than you have? I'll be going in the beginning of April, hoping to catch the tail end of the cherry blossoms, and considering grabbing a 10-22 before I go. I have very varied interests, haven't done much landscape, and haven't been to DC in years so I'm not sure what the sweeping wide scenery is like. The widest lens I have now is a 17-55, and the only body I have is a 7d, hence my hesitation about 17mm not being wide enough.

Thanks all! (and sorry for the cross-post, other thread if you want to follow it is here: http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=5020.0 )
-Brian

rexbot · « **Reply #8 on:** March 14, 2013, 04:03:11 PM »

I did an early morning set, and it was well worth getting up. I showed up at the Lincoln Memorial about an hour before sunrise and walked around the mall a bit - Lincoln, Washington, etc. Got to the MLK monument just before sunrise. Very, very few people out (of course), which meant it was easy to setup a tripod to shoot.

FWIW - these are all from a Canon G11 with a little Tamrac Zipshot mini-tripod. I can't blow 'em up big, but they came out pretty well with such a small kit.

I don't think that a UWA lens would have helped with the monuments - you generally have plenty of room to stand back on the outside; and for inside stuff I just shot details (like the Lincoln shot here). And I like the angle for the Washington Monument shot with the capital building in the background instead of the usual straight-on with the reflecting pool.

bseitz234 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 14, 2013, 09:50:22 PM »

Quote from: rexbot on March 14, 2013, 04:03:11 PM

I did an early morning set, and it was well worth getting up. I showed up at the Lincoln Memorial about an hour before sunrise and walked around the mall a bit - Lincoln, Washington, etc. Got to the MLK monument just before sunrise. Very, very few people out (of course), which meant it was easy to setup a tripod to shoot.

FWIW - these are all from a Canon G11 with a little Tamrac Zipshot mini-tripod. I can't blow 'em up big, but they came out pretty well with such a small kit.

I don't think that a UWA lens would have helped with the monuments - you generally have plenty of room to stand back on the outside; and for inside stuff I just shot details (like the Lincoln shot here). And I like the angle for the Washington Monument shot with the capital building in the background instead of the usual straight-on with the reflecting pool.

Thanks very much for the shots, and insight! I'm certainly not opposed to early mornings- sounds like a great idea!

scrappydog · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2013, 10:14:31 PM »

Quote from: bseitz234 on March 14, 2013, 02:25:28 PM

For anyone who's been to DC, did you find it was worth having a UWA lens?

Brian, yes the UWA can be helpful with some shots. For example, wide panoramas and narrow interiors. Below are a few shots to give you some ideas.

The interior of the Lincoln Memorial on full frame at 17mm x 3 (shift pano):

Washington Monument (HDR panorama) by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

Panorama of the Capital Building on full frame at 24mm x 5:

U.S. Capital by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

Panorama of Great Falls (on the Maryland side):

Great Falls by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

The World War II Memorial Fountain on full frame at 17mm:

National World War II Memorial by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

bseitz234 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2013, 02:36:39 PM »

Quote from: scrappydog on March 14, 2013, 10:14:31 PM

Quote from: bseitz234 on March 14, 2013, 02:25:28 PM
For anyone who's been to DC, did you find it was worth having a UWA lens?

Brian, yes the UWA can be helpful with some shots. For example, wide panoramas and narrow interiors. Below are a few shots to give you some ideas.

The interior of the Lincoln Memorial on full frame at 17mm x 3 (shift pano):

Washington Monument (HDR panorama) by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

Panorama of the Capital Building on full frame at 24mm x 5:

U.S. Capital by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

Panorama of Great Falls (on the Maryland side):

Great Falls by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

The World War II Memorial Fountain on full frame at 17mm:

National World War II Memorial by scrappydoggy, on Flickr

Every time I see that shot of great falls (I've definitely seen you post it before- either here or POTN?) I want to hop in my kayak... stop tempting me!

You do bring up another interesting point that I never think of, though, which is stitching a panorama... seems like a less expensive way to get a little more of a view...

scrappydog · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2013, 10:31:17 PM »

Quote from: bseitz234 on March 15, 2013, 02:36:39 PM

Every time I see that shot of great falls (I've definitely seen you post it before- either here or POTN?) I want to hop in my kayak... stop tempting me!

You do bring up another interesting point that I never think of, though, which is stitching a panorama... seems like a less expensive way to get a little more of a view...

I may have posted that shot here, but not on POTN. Even if you don't go in the water, it's worth visiting Great Falls. The Maryland side has more options for good shots than the Virginia side.

The 24-105 with a tripod and head with a panning base can help make up for the lack of a UWA lens. An L-bracket would be helpful.

Shooting at night can be fun. Bring warm clothes, as DC is fairly cold right now (it was 28 degrees this morning). If you are shooting at night, a flashlight would be helpful.

Check out my Washington DC set on Flickr for some ideas of what to shoot and possible angles. Also, here is a link to a DC-based photographer whose photos may be able to give you some ideas: http://www.abpan.com/

aznstuart · « **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2013, 10:33:40 PM »

Here are a couple I took a week ago in D.C. I mainly used my 5D3 with 16-35 II. I used my tripod only for the Washington Monument picture. The rest were handheld. I didn't end up bringing my 70-200 II and didn't end up needing it either. The only times I wanted more reach were to get the White House and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. For those I had my 24-105 which was much lighter to carry than the 70-200 II. Be prepared to walk a lot!

I echo the previous poster about going in the morning. I went during the off season, but there was still quite a bit of a crowd, even at night!

I think an UWA is essential if you're really going for the full shot.