Here are some photos I took recently of various memorials in Washington DC. I was in good company with several other photographers from The Exposure Group. One member of the group shared with us the history of these memorials and what makes each one unique. This information allowed us to better capture the essence of each memorial. Thanks to David Hamilton for all of the great historical information.

I started photographing scenes around the Tidal Basin and finished at the World War II Memorial just after sunset. Most of the images were captured using a specially converted black & white infrared camera, causing the greenery to appear white.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

 
Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

 
Vietnam Veterans Memorial and The Three Soldiers statue

World War II Memorial

In early April, I ventured out among the tourists to capture one of DC's annual attractions… the cherry blossoms.  This year, the blossoms peaked a few days sooner than predicted.  I made my way into DC one evening to see what I could capture.  By the time I got to the tidal basin, there wasn't as much daylight left as I would have liked.  So, I decided to shoot a few images and go back the next morning for sunrise.  The next morning, there were at least 100 more photographers claiming their spot to get the best vantage point. Much like last year, the cherry blossoms were not disappointing. Big thanks to Bobby of Thigpen Photography for tagging along and capturing a few images of me.

Last Fall, I had an amazing opportunity to travel overseas to Italy.  Most of the vacation trip was spent in Porto Rotondo, on the island of Sardinia.  The last day was spent touring the Vatican and surrounding area in Rome.  There were a few days of non-stop rain in Porto Rotondo, but fortunately the skies cleared in Rome.  Tip: If you enjoy taking pictures of landscapes, the best time to capture dramatic clouds is just before or after a big storm… see the infrared photo below.  Here are some images from my trip… Enjoy!

Sunday, I took some time out to visit the cherry blossoms at the tidal basin in Washington DC.  This was my first time seeing them (that I can remember) in more than 10 years.  Even though all the trees were not yet in full bloom, I was able to find enough that were camera-ready.  There are just a few more days left to catch the pink blossoms at their peak.  The National Cherry Blossom Festival began on March 28th and will continue until April 12, 2009.  Here are some images I created of the cherry trees, in color and infrared (black & white).

This week, it felt like Christmas in March. As the UPS delivery driver brought a package to my door, I calmly closed the door, and proceeded to rip the box open. Inside was a Canon 20D digital camera I had converted to infrared. Now, instead of recording color photographs, it sees only infrared (IR) light. Bright green foliage appears white, with blues appearing darker. This is the newest welcome addition to my camera bag. :o) Here are some images I created yesterday around a golf course. Enjoy!