A Stroll Through the Park Brings A New Perspective of the Capitol in Washington, DC
One of my favorite things to do on trips is an early sunrise photography walk. Sightseeing is great any time of day, but there is something special about a sunrise for me. Nights are pretty great too. Even better when visiting somewhere for a few days, to get the same landmarks and seeing the difference between day and night. But what happens when you make the effort to wake for an early, perfect sunrise shot and it never comes?
Last September, I visited DC and prioritized sightseeing over museums since there are so many memorials. Sunrise, nights were covered so I made sure to wake early to get that perfect sunrise shot at the Supreme Court and US Capitol. I woke in the dark and waited around. Always mindful to keep myself safe but the national mall guards and spotted them a few times.
The morning was cloudy and grey as I waited for the sunrise. There were only a few people at the Capitol Reflecting Pool. Doubts started forming in the minutes leading up to sunrise since it was so one-note. There were simply too many clouds blocking the sunrise. I made the best of what I could.
Learning to Pivot When the Clouds Block Golden Hour
With the lack of sunrise and golden hour, it just made me focus on the building itself. I got in close to capture the warm glow inside the Capitol. It also made me appreciate the architectural details on the exterior. But with grey clouds, the mood was slightly bleak. Even in the pictures.
Getting closer to the US Capitol, I headed through the park. Feeling like the morning was a bust, I started getting excited from all the different views of the Capitol dome. It started feeling a bit like a sculpture park in DC and St. Louis, trying to photograph a structure with plant life and landscaping being worked into the shot as well. Except there’s only one massive sculpture.
When You Realize There’s More to See Than What You Planned
But the US Capitol started peeking through in between all sorts of trees, providing different views. My impulsive walk through the park became a game of hide and seek. And I tried figuring out exactly how many different images I can get.
My favorite shot was the perfectly framed with landscaping and a balustrade. You’ve come across these for sure. It’s a fence with decorative balusters (supports) that sits on top of a retaining wall. In orders, the wall-fence thing. Maybe we just all call it the stone railing. From brick to stone, in both light and dark colors, this railing provided a great foundation for the image. With the tree leaves literally framing the US Capitol, this fell perfectly into frame.
Despite losing my morning sunrise, this was a major win for me. It also taught me to never just quit and go home. Make the commitment to get some decent shots and just make it work. Exploring the area was the right move.
Getting a Peek of the Capitol from the Park
This shot was early in my walk through the park, so it gave me boost. If anything, this shot might be too busy. Looking back at the image above, I started noticing a line of perfect triangular-shaped trees lining the bottom of the Capitol on both ends. On top of tree leaves over the top. With so much texture, I’m wondering if it’s overdone.
Discovering Olmsted’s and Wisedell’s Design on the Capitol Grounds
It wasn’t just Capitol shots; I came across the Olmsted Lantern. a relic from a historic design by Frederick Law Olmsted and Thomas Wisedell, lining two streets at the Capitol grounds. 14 lanterns were placed in the late 1800s, and recently some of these have been in restoration.
Of course, I didn’t know any of this when I first saw them. I thought they were beautiful and historical. It was one of those “they don’t make ‘em like they used to.” The flowers and leaves sculpted into the base surrounded by filigree is such a lost art. Wish I saw this more often.
One of the peeking Capitol moments happened in between these lines of trees. This was on weekday at 7am so there was no one around, not even people commuting. A few joggers but that’s it. I lucked out having it all to myself. No need to walk around crowds but going first thing in the morning was the right choice.
Similar to a previous post, Searching for the Canal Street Bridge, I started going a little nuts seeing how many different images and angles I can take. Every little detail matters: peeking from the side so only half the Capitol is shows or get a center shot, steps in the foreground or not, which tree is best, which side?
Olmsted Summerhouse on Captiol Grounds
As I near the end, I found this brick structure, but it was closed. Curious about it, turns out to be another Olmsted design. Olmsted’s Summerhouse was meant to be a refuge for Capitol visitors to sit and rest. Perhaps grab some cool water from the fountain when it was originally constructed in 1880.
After making my way through the park, all that was left to do was visit the US Capitol itself. On my first visit to the Capitol, I had a difficult time photographing around people. There weren’t that many but because it was so clear, I had my heart set of on getting no people in the background. Despite the cloudy day, I was able to get nearly empty shots of the National Capitol.
Keep Your Photography Productive Even During Fails
A great lesson to keep going after a photo walk failure. Even if you don’t get that perfect sunrise, or any sunrise, keep working to make the day productive. If your shots aren’t coming out the way you hope, pivot, and start exploring elsewhere. You’ll come across different sights and landmarks, and things might even come out better than your original plan.
