Not only does is the Library of Congress beautiful, but its got to be one of my favorite interiors in DC. The first time I visited it I think I was so blown away by the architecture that I got kinda overwhelmed. I didn’t come out with that many images and I knew there was so much potential for more. So, I went back again and got a little frustrated by all the people there. Umm don’t you know I have a daily blog to keep up? HAHA JK. It was pretty cool to hear people’s initial reactions to the interior.
This was my second time at the Library of Congress. The first time was in the middle of the afternoon and I tried to capture the fountain, but never posted anything because I was never really satisfied by the image.
I finally got the idea to go at night. I figured the contrast of the dark night with the spotlights and water would look really good in HDR. I think my favorite part of this image are the details. I love looking at the different parts of the fountain and discovering something new.
Wow, how have I never been to the Library of Congress? It is BEAUTIFUL! As soon as I walked in, I was stunned. I would have to say this may be the prettiest interior I’ve seen in DC. I really wish I could of shot the reading room. Talk about gorgeous!
Flashback to January 2021 in Washington DC. At the time, I had no idea things would change so much around the city. The new year started off quiet but there was a buzz around the city with the upcoming inauguration. What was it going to be like with COVID? We had already watched the Inauguration flags and setup starting months prior, were people going to be allowed to attend? How would they regulate the crowd?
However, on January 6th protestors stormed the US Capitol in an event as we had never seen before. My eyes were glued to the television screen and my jaw on the floor as to how this could all have happened. It left a feeling of uncertainty, disbelief, and overall tension in the city. I was planning on going downtown later that evening to work on a photo project, but with the storming of the Capitol, that would not have been possible. So I made the plan to head down first thing the next morning. After I was done taking pictures for the project, I could not help but to drive around the US Capitol to see what it looked like.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours at this location photographing the sunrise, sunset, lighting strikes, past inaugurations, attended photo walks, and created some great memories on the grounds. I just could not believe how different it looked after one day. As I was driving around, I remember seeing trucks transporting the fencing to the US Capitol. This was going to be the last time I see the US Capitol so open and without fencing in a long time.
Monday, January 18th I found myself taking a little walk around in the same place. Just two days before the Presidential Inauguration, this was definitely not the US Capitol I was used to. I remember parking my car and sitting there for a while, very hesitant to get out. I was scared to see what it looked like and to feel the energy.
Helicopters flying by almost every minute
Thousands of National Guards
The fencing was up and National Guard was everywhere. It blocked off so many streets that I was looking at maps to see exactly where was I was relative to the Capitol Building. It was the eeriest feeling I’ve ever had taking pictures around Washington DC.
Confused by what sights to see on your short visit to Washington DC?
There are so many monuments, memorials, and museums. Where do you even start?
If want to know the absolute best of the best things to see in Washington DC, keep on scrolling. This guide is for you!
I’ve lived in the Washington DC area my entire life and in that time I’ve gotten to know the city very well. It has changed so much in the past few years that it may be hard to keep up with all the new and fun things to see. Sometimes I even think it’s hard to keep up with all that is going on. There have been new museums, memorials and points of interest that would be fun for a solo traveler as well as families all at the same time.
So in this guide, I will share some highlights of my favorite sights as a Washington DC native and photographer.
