the guide
If you're like a lot of photo enthusiasts, you love photography but want something to photograph. Well, Washington, D.C. is full of opportunities at every turn -- you just need to know where to go. Maximize your time and get inspired with the guide that shows you where, when and how to photograph the beautiful sites. It's available as a paperback, Kindle edition and an iPhone App.The guide is designed to be a part of your photography "curriculum." You'll not only learn about D.C. and where to go, but you'll learn tips and techniques to become a better photograper.
If you're like a lot of photo enthusiasts, you love photography but want something to photograph. Well, Washington, D.C. is full of opportunities at every turn -- you just need to know where to go. Maximize your time and get inspired with the guide that shows you where, when and how to photograph the beautiful sites. It's available as a paperback, Kindle edition and an iPhone App.
The guide is designed to be a part of your photography "curriculum." You'll not only learn about D.C. and where to go, but you'll learn tips and techniques to become a better photograper.
JohanCage
about
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contact
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faq
I have questions about a certain site. Can I send them to you?
Yep. See thecontactpage.
What about photographing the July 4 fireworks?
It gets very, very crowded in the following areas and you'll have to stake your spot early.
The following photo locations in the guide work well for photographing the Washington, DC fireworks: Ch 1- Arlington Memorial Bridge p. 5; pgs 101-102; Ch 11-National Mall, p.100; and Ch 27-The Washington Monument (p.263; p.264).
A few tips: You'll need a tripod to stabilize your camera, as the normal exposure times can be from 1/15th sec all the way up to 15 seconds and longer.
Try to stay upwind to avoid all the smoke.
Start out at an exposure of f/16 _ 8 seconds at ISO 200 and adjust from there (this can vary a lot but it's a decent starting point). Set this either using your manual mode or by using aperture priority if you don't have manual.
Use your camera's self-timer (or a remote release cord) to fire the camera without shaking it.
Don't forget to focus on something that is relatively near to the fireworks (or simply focus on infinity, assuming the fireworks aren't too close to you).
Bracket your exposure with your shutter speed (using your camera's auto bracketing feature could be a good idea).
Where's the best place to eat on the National Mall?
The Native American Museum. Go before or after the usual lunch time to avoid the crowds. The food is a creative array of native foods from many Latin American cultures.
What about the best place to get a coffee?
Probably the cafe at the National Gallery of Art (I believe they have an espresso machine too). They also serve wine, beer and food and there is a great book store next door -- all in a nice, modern decor.
What time of year do you recommend visiting?
Spring and Fall: The weather is the nicest and the crowds have diminished. Summer can get extremely hot and very crowded. If you do go in the summer, prepare yourself for heat by bringing water, wearing lightweight clothing and wear a hat. Try to get out as early as possible too, there's fewer people and it's much cooler (not to mention the light is nice!).
What is security like? Where can I use my tripod? Should I bring a tripod?
Security is ever changing, but the usual places like The White House, The U.S. Capitol Grounds, etc. are actually rather accessible for photography. Whether or not you can use tripods at a specific venue varies and is addressed in the guide. That said, a small, lightweight tripod that can fit into a backpack is a good idea if you think you'll be shooting at dusk, dawn or at night.
What kind of camera do you recommend I get?
This is probably the most asked question of a professional photographer.
The first thing I say to people who are interested in learning more about photography is to study photography. Read and look at books by photographers.The goal is to become visually literate. All too often there is an emphasis put on the equipment and technology. And boy howdy, there's a lot of both right now.
That said, my first recommendation is to stick with the major camera manufacturers like Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Minolta and Pentax. They all make good quality cameras and lenses, and have done so for quite some time. Next, consider how you'll use the camera. Do you want something small and light that you can easily bring with you? Do you need lightning autofocus because you'll be photographing your kid's sports? Do you see yourself learning about how to use a camera on full-manual mode? In this respect a camera is much like a bicycle, fishing rod or woodworking tools. How you'll use it largely determines what you'll use. It's a tool, and you just want to pick the right tool for how you're going to use it.
Ok, so what cameras do you use?
I use Canon, and always have. I like the way they fit my hand, and their design has always seemed to sync well with me. The book was photographed using everything from a Canon D30 (an early dslr), to aCanon Gseries point and shoot, all the way through to the pro-levelCanon 1D Mark IIIand1Ds Mark II.
You mention a table-top tripod a lot in the book? What is that? And a graduated neutral density filter?
Its a tiny little tripod that fits into your pocket. I used aManfrotto 709BRwith a259B extension. There are plenty of other good ones out there as well, but this is a simple and rugged tripod that can (in my experience) hold the weight of a today's big cameras and lenses.
A graduated neutral density filter sounds like something pretty whiz bang, but it actually is just a filter that darkens half of your image by gradually going rom dark to light. The "neutral density" means it doesn't change colors or anything else, it only darkens a certain area of the image. This helps to balance the exposure of a bright sky with a darker subject. The one I use all the time is made byTiffen.
Some people ask why not just use a software-based filter, such as the one in Adobe's Lightroom. Well, often the GND filter will darken the sky enough that there is actually data in the raw image, whereas without it there would be none -- it would be completely white. So sometimes the old fashioned method is still the best way.
What suggestions do you have for people who want to learn photography?
Look at really good pictures inreally good books.Take a lot of pictures. Learn to see. Look at the foreground, background and subject and learn how they all relate to each other. Put your eye into the viewfinder and don't immediately take a photo. Think about what you are seeing. Slow down. Think about what inspires you.
prints and stock
These images are available for commercial use, please inquire for rates: stock_photographingdc.com.(This page is currently being updated.)
photographingWashington, DC
