Washington DC Monuments and Memorials Half Day Photography Tour

The half day safari will end at about 1:15 PM. Participants are welcome to join the instructor for lunch at the food court in Union Station following the experience. Lunch is not included and may be purchased on the day of the safari.

Which photography techniques will be emphasized?

At each point on our Safari I will review techniques of composition, exposure and lighting. Trained in Paris by a protege of the famous French photographer, the late Henri Cartier Bresson, I place a great deal of emphasis on good composition, i.e. aiming the camera in the right direction and pushing the shutter button at just the right time! I also stress doing it right the first time, to avoid unnecessary work in post-production.

What camera equipment do I need?

Any camera will do - from point-and-shoot to digital SLR or mirrorless camera. We will even show you how to get the best images out of your smartphone camera. For best results I suggest that your camera have its kit lens (such as the 18-55mm) a wide angle lens equivalent to about 28 mm (in 35 mm format), a circular polarizing filter for SLR's, a telephoto of at least 100mm, and enough media and batteries for about 100 exposures. DON'T LEAVE ANY OF YOUR LENSES AT HOME! YOU WILL REGRET NOT HAVING THE LENS YOU LEFT BEHIND!

You should also learn how and when to put your photos into black and white for some of the subjects.

What if it rains?

Please don't get discouraged if it is cloudy or rainy that day. Cloudy weather is good for portraits, and rain gives us nice reflections on the sidewalks. Some of the memorials even look better in the rain! (For example, the soldiers at the Vietnam Three Servicemen Memorial will have tears running down their cheeks as they see their own names on the Vietnam Memorial.) Just bring an umbrella. On cloudy days you can get really dramatic pictures by using black and white.

If there is a heavy rain, you're in for a REAL treat! We will take you to covered locations such as the National Building Museum, the US Botanic Gardens, or the Library of Congress.

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