Washington ??

[tlcmommyx4]

We just booked our trip to Wahsington D.C. , and I was just wondering if anyone has some wonderful shots they would like to share. We will be going the day after Memorial day so I was thinking that Arlington would be a great. I remember some night shots and I just can't seem to find them. Thanks Michelle

 

[Marlton Mom]

Check out my flicker acct and dig around in there for some. I'm on my phone and I can't post the link to the pages.

Definitely do a "Monuments at Night" trolley tour and take your tripod. It can't be beat!!

Marlton Mom

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Check out my flicker acct and dig around in there for some. I'm on my phone and I can't post the link to the pages.

Definitely do a "Monuments at Night" trolley tour and take your tripod. It can't be beat!!

Marlton Mom

Thanks I will!!!!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Definitely do the monuments at night. My daughter has lived in the DC area for 14 years so we are familar enough with the area we don't use the trolleys. I always found Ford's Theater to be interesting. The museums and since I love aircraft both Air Space on the mall and Udvar-Hazy out by Dulles. I would definitely recommend Arlington, not only the cemetery but the view from the house overlooking DC is beautiful. The night view from the Washington Monument is also spectacular. The National Building Museum is also beautiful inside. DC is a photographers dream to photograph!! If you get outside of the city Mount Vernon is another area of beauty. Here are a few that I have posted here before:


Wash Cap WWII 30 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Capitol Building by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

National Building Museum

NB 3 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


White House 3 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Nam Statue by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr


Mount Vernon by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[Marlton Mom]

Nice pix Papa!

I liked the monuments at night tour because it took you around to a ton of stuff in record time.... but I did feel very rushed and I missed a ton of stuff because we were moving so quickly. Setting up a tripod and manually adjusting for exposure and composition is hard in the dark so remember to take a flash light. Not all the areas that you will be traipsing through on a tour are on paths that are adequately lit in my opinion (Korean war memorial!)

You also have to give people a chance to move out of your shot so that takes time as well.

Here is the picture from the opposite side of the WW II memorial looking at the Lincoln memorial.


WW II Monument by Marlton Mom, on Flickr

I had no idea that Gianna'sPapa's view (Picture 1) was behind me because we were in such a rush. The first thing that I thought of when I saw his picture is that he must have been using that Nikon 600,000 mm lens that I used to capture the Animal kingdom Fireworks shot with!

It really is true that every where you turn there is a wonderful photo op just waiting for you to "see" it!

You have quite the photo trip coming up! Are you considering renting any special lenses for this wonderful opportunity?

Marlton Mom

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Joanie I checked out your flicker account and your shots are amazing! Did you take the shot of the White House from a hotel roof?

Gianna's Papa OMG you have some amazing shots too!!!! How in the world did you get your shot of the White House, you look so close! I am going to ask you the same question, did you take mose of your shots wiht a tripod????

I knew if I came to the boards I would get some great stuff!! It looks like I should take my UWA for sure and maybe my zoom 55-250 lens. I am getting more excited by the minute. Thanks for sharing all you work with me!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Joanie I checked out your flicker account and your shots are amazing! Did you take the shot of the White House from a hotel roof?

Gianna's Papa OMG you have some amazing shots too!!!! How in the world did you get your shot of the White House, you look so close! I am going to ask you the same question, did you take mose of your shots wiht a tripod????

I knew if I came to the boards I would get some great stuff!! It looks like I should take my UWA for sure and maybe my zoom 55-250 lens. I am getting more excited by the minute. Thanks for sharing all you work with me!

The White House was taken with my 18-55 kit lens @18 mm. Its slightly cropped, but not by much. I stuck the lens between the vertical wrought iron posts. All the nighttime shots were taken with a tripod. The nighttime capital picture was taken from the steps area of the Lincoln with my 100-300 mm set at f32. I was trying to get max DOF. The daytime Capitol picture was actually taken as we were driving past the building. I was hanging out the back window it was a quick shot and I got lucky! We took the DGD in 2009 and I was able to get all my passes from my congresswoman. It was so much fun watching her as we went through the White House, Library of Congress, sitting in the Congress balcony, etc.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Here is one of my favorites from the National Portrait Gallery.

Portrait Gallery Piano2 by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

And my favorite Wall pic. (As many know this is special to me)

The Wall by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[tlcmommyx4]

The White House was taken with my 18-55 kit lens @18 mm. Its slightly cropped, but not by much. I stuck the lens between the vertical wrought iron posts. All the nighttime shots were taken with a tripod. The nighttime capital picture was taken from the steps area of the Lincoln with my 100-300 mm set at f32. I was trying to get max DOF. The daytime Capitol picture was actually taken as we were driving past the building. I was hanging out the back window it was a quick shot and I got lucky! We took the DGD in 2009 and I was able to get all my passes from my congresswoman. It was so much fun watching her as we went through the White House, Library of Congress, sitting in the Congress balcony, etc.

I just love all of your shots! I am going to have to get a new tripod that is for sure! I sure hope that I can get some of great shots like both of you have! Thanks again for sharing with me.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

And my favorite Wall pic. (As many know this is special to me)

The Wall by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr[/QUOTE]
This is one of my favorites as well!

 

[Marlton Mom]

I think you mean this picture:


Capitol building by Marlton Mom, on Flickr

It was taken from "the Old Post Office building" in D.C. which has a roof observation deck that is open during daylight hours.

Marlton Mom

 

[tlcmommyx4]

I think you mean this picture:


Capitol building by Marlton Mom, on Flickr

It was taken from "the Old Post Office building" in D.C. which has a roof observation deck that is open during daylight hours.

Marlton Mom

Your right, I am trying to get all my photo's that I would love to try and get on a list and I'm not sure what I was thinking. Are there any tours that you would either recommend or tell my to stay away from?

 

[Marlton Mom]

Your right, I am trying to get all my photo's that I would love to try and get on a list and I'm not sure what I was thinking. Are there any tours that you would either recommend or tell my to stay away from?

I honestly don't remember which trolley tour we took but we had to catch it at the "Old Post Office" building. The building had a food court in the basement and somebody recommended it to us for dinner, but it was pretty raunchy as far as food was concerned so we would definitely skip that if we had to do it again.

There was a tiny elevator that took forever to get to the top of the building and I'm not sure if there was a charge to get to the top, but that was the view that I was able to get for the Capitol building for that location.

Although the Trolley tours come highly recommended I'd say your best bet is to get Gianna'sPapa to take you around D.C. since his daughter lives near there. I hear his rates are VERY competitive and his audio tours can't be beat!!

~Marlton Mom

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Below are three hop-on/hop-off tours I am familar with. I have used Tourmobile on several occasions at Arlington. I like the ability to linger as long as I like. What I like is, with a map, it gives you a good sense of where everything is. Then, you can go exploring on your own.

http://www.tourmobile.com/index.php

http://www.trolleytours.com/

http://www.dctours.us/

And Joanie its funny you should say that, I have given two tours to friends and relatives who had never been there before!

PS If you are looking for a good restaurant, I recommend the below. They are two of our favorites. Founding Farmers is a co-op of farmers who supply fresh foods to the restaurant. They have a homemade ginger ale that my DW loves. Old Ebbitt is reasonably price regular food and close to the White House.

http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/

http://www.ebbitt.com/main/home.cfm?Section=Main&Category=About_the_Ebbitt


Founding Farmers by Gianna'sPapa, on Flickr

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Although the Trolley tours come highly recommended I'd say your best bet is to get Gianna'sPapa to take you around D.C. since his daughter lives near there. I hear his rates are VERY competitive and his audio tours can't be beat!!

~Marlton Mom[/QUOTE]

When then I'm sending out the invitation, but I will have to see if I can get a DIS discount hahah.
I am a little worried about some of the tours, because my DD is in a wheelchair and never having gone there before I hope we can get her all around there look like a lot of stairs. I will be by myself with my two children during the day while the DH is in his conference, but at night I will have another set of hands and eyes to help me out. I think I am loving the night shots more than the day. I do wish we could take a camera into the White House tour!!! Did you do that tour?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

No worries. DC is very handicap accessible.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Although the Trolley tours come highly recommended I'd say your best bet is to get Gianna'sPapa to take you around D.C. since his daughter lives near there. I hear his rates are VERY competitive and his audio tours can't be beat!!

~Marlton Mom

When then I'm sending out the invitation, but I will have to see if I can get a DIS discount hahah.
I am a little worried about some of the tours, because my DD is in a wheelchair and never having gone there before I hope we can get her all around there look like a lot of stairs. I will be by myself with my two children during the day while the DH is in his conference, but at night I will have another set of hands and eyes to help me out. I think I am loving the night shots more than the day. I do wish we could take a camera into the White House tour!!! Did you do that tour?

Yes, everything was setup through our Congresswoman. There are no cameras allowed and no place to store them. Do not try to take one because it will not get through security. They do not have lockers to store stuff. The White House is a self-guided tour that starts on the lower level then goes to the first floor. It doesn't take very long to go through it. We enjoyed it but you don't get to go in either the west or east wings. With the DGD it was cool because we had watched a press conference the day before from the East Room and the chairs were still set-up from that press conference. She was impressed! It was great just being on the grounds of the White House.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

Yes, everything was setup through our Congresswoman. There are no cameras allowed and no place to store them. Do not try to take one because it will not get through security. They do not have lockers to store stuff. The White House is a self-guided tour that starts on the lower level then goes to the first floor. It doesn't take very long to go through it. We enjoyed it but you don't get to go in either the west or east wings. With the DGD it was cool because we had watched a press conference the day before from the East Room and the chairs were still set-up from that press conference. She was impressed! It was great just being on the grounds of the White House.

I think that my DS would just think that a tour of the White House would be so cool as well. I didn't realize that this was a self-guided tour. I will make sure to leave my camera at the hotel.