Jefferson Memorial Sunrise

I know, I often turn my nose up at common sunset & sunrise shots. But I loved the colors of this one. This is very close to what came out of my camera. I was walking around the Tidal Basin with my camera and tripod at sunrise and when the sky turned this GREAT color, I started shooting. I got some really fun shots ... and I like this one because it gives you quite a bit of the horizon, while the Jefferson Memorial is still somewhat recognizable. The black spots on the water are ducks. The *fuzzy* feel you get along the trees is actually more trees in the distance ... if you view it "large", you will see that the focus is quite sharp on the horizon.

 

Any thoughts you have are always welcome ... even if you tell me to stop doing sunrise/sunset shots. :-) Have a wonderful weekend!!

Sunrise shots aren't my forte, but I loved the colors when I took

this. Any comments or ratings are appreciated! :-)

Well, as one of the people that takes those boring, worn out, over produced, easy to shoot sunsets pretty often, I must say I like this one! :) There are great colors and the silhouette of the Jefferson Memorial makes it interesting (I admit though that I'm required to say that as a 2x graduate of Jefferson's University of Virginia). Did you consider trying to make the memorial more prominent? I'm from VA so I know what it is and what is looks like but it's sort of small in the composition. I think this still works, but zooming in on it more may be an alternative, pleasing composition. Lastly, I sympathize with you because you are from Northern VA, but as a country boy I must say that you are missing the best parts of our state walking around the doggone CITY!!!! :) I'm teasing--I'm from Tappahannock, a beautiful rural area and went to school in Charlottesville so I'm biased but there are great shots all over Virginia. I can't wait to finish residency down here and get back up there! Good work on this shot and thanks for always being so amusing in your introductions/critiques of yourself--on the computer screen you are one of the funnest people I know!

Hi, Lou Ann,

 

It's a good title, so the on-looker knows what it is. And the colors are very nice. I've taken some sunrise/set shots, but never got anything that I considered really good. The way the color carries across the whole body of water here is nice.

 

Best Regards,

 

Barry

Luv the Colour!

Tyler - I think you need to tell my students about me being the FUNNEST person you know on the computer screen. LOL!! :-)

 

Anyway, if you follow some of my comments around photo.net, you'll find that I am very, very tired of the doggoned city. I grew up in the Buffalo, NY suburbs, and moved to the DC area a little over 10 years ago. I am exhausted of the pace, the traffic, and the cement. But I always find myself awed when I go downtown and remember what an amazing place DC is. So ... when I'm super frustrated, I spend a sunrise downtown and get encouraged. I have definitely driven around the rural parts of Virginia (not often, but I have seen more of VA than I have of upstate NY!!) If you look in my portfolio, you'll see a few shots. It is a gorgeous state!

 

Let me go see if I can find a couple other shots that I took that morning ... there are some closer up shots, but I don't like the exposure on them as much....

Okay, here we go ... three more shots from that morning....

The closest up that I had that I thought was even "passable", but barely at that....

I was trying to silhouette the monument in this one ... got the silhouette, but don't really like the overall shot.

And finally, the only closer shot (but not too much closer) that I think is worth anything.......

Simple and effective, Lou Ann. I like the texture in the water.

Hello Lou Ann. I'm sorry I haven't been too active on PN lately. A beautiful shot, these colors are simply gorgeous.

People who get up before sunrise, get dressed, get in their car and drive to a location to do a shoot should get extra points on the PN rating system. In this case since the photo is, well, a picture of sunrise, I'd give even more points because the image proves that the photographer got up before sunrise, got dressed, got in their car and drove to this location to do the shoot.

.... that comment coming from a man who is up and on his computer before 6:00 a.m. (I am typing this comment having been at work for a half hour already....)

Besides, Howard, you can't PROVE that I got dressed to take this image ... just that I got up and got in my car and drove to the spot. :-)

Well, Lou Ann, you missed the horizon, but what can I say? I like the others (above) better in general, and it is so hard to get original shots of old standbys like the memorials in the DC area.

 

I always enjoy browsing your portfolio.

 

--Lannie

Beautiful colours. Have you given us a close look at the Jefferson Memorial? - can't remember it in your portfolio - looks an interesting Pantheon-type building. And if you had taken a bag of bread with you we could have had those ducks in the foreground!

 

I think my favourite is the silhouette version (with those ducks).

Colin--It is indeed a Pantheon type building. Jefferson when he was in Europe representing the USA went to Rome and fell in love with the architecture. I don't have any Jefferson Memorial pictures, but I do have many of his house, Monticello, as well as the Rotunda at THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, which was, of course, founded by Jefferson who had a strong interest in architecture (can you tell where I went to undergrad and medical school?) Both of these have a strong pantheon influence, as a matter of fact, the Rotunda is in many ways, a carbon copy with red brick and white columns. I don't know all the history and facts, but I assume the Jefferson Memorial was constructed very similar to Jefferson's preferred architecture. I don't have any pictures on the Memorial, but when I get home maybe I can add some of the Rotunda and Monticello, which are also "pantheon type buildings," if you guys would like. Maybe Lou Ann has some of the Memorial since she lives up that way.

 

Not sure if you (or anyone else) is interested in all my rambling but thought I'd share--hope ya'll don't mind!

Colin - here's a closer up shot of the Jefferson Memorial. Probably a bit too close for what you're thinking....