ANGELA B. PAN

WOW December 1st already! The last month of the year and then it’s 2018! CRAZINESS! I expect to capture more scenes like this in the next few weeks. From what I’ve been hearing we’re supposed to be getting an extra snowy winter. And if you ask me if it’s going to be cold, it might as well as be snowing or else what’s the point? Am I right?

My favorite is the untouched snow. But in order to do that, you gotta get up extra early to make sure you’re the first one there. Either that or photoshop. HAHA. But people ask me all the time about driving into the city when it snows. The answer is, I don’t. My little coupe can’t handle icey, slippery roads at all. I’m sliding all over the place and it’s just not worth it. Luckily I live within walking distance to the metro, so usually if you see snow pictures from me, it’s because I took the metro in. Probably the only time of the year where I’ll really use the metro. Otherwise, I much rather drive myself.

This was taken as I was walking down from the Foggy Bottom metro stop. It’s the closest one to Lincoln but I just love this side profile of the memorial. And my favorite part of the image is the hint of green you see on the trees. Otherwise it would be a totally unintended black and white image.

My camera settings for this image is F5.6 at 1/60th of a second and ISO 100 with my Sony A7II and 16-35mm wide angle lens.

Happy December everyone! Let me know in the comments if you have anything fun plan for the holidays. Otherwise, don’t forget to check out this month’s free calendar downloads! Click here to check them out.

I’ve lived in Northern Virginia my whole life. I was born in Fairfax hospital and only time I left was when I went to college in Richmond, VA. But I’m not sure how much that really counts because I was back in NoVA every weekend anyways. So I’ve basically lived here my entire life and I remember all the things that used to be here. Like, who remembers when there used to be that big Best store? or when there was no Mosaic District and it was just a huge Multiplex Movie Theater? So seeing all these new buildings pop out of no where and new transient stations being built is so crazy to me, especially in the Tyson’s Corner/McLean area. That place has changed so much, but I think it’s all for the better. I love how the new Silver Line on the Metro will go directly to Dulles Airport. It will make it so much more convient in the future.

So just for fun, I thought it’d be cool to see what it’d look like from the Greensboro Metro Station at sunset. I’ve never been on the Silver Line before but I knew this had to be a crazy, cool view. I was right!! How awesome is that? Shout out to the Wendy’s that’s right next to this metro station. That was the first place I drove to on my own once I got my drivers license. LOL!

But there’s still one view that I want to get. I think the BEST view is that from 495 from Maryland going into Virginia. How do I stand safely on the highway to capture that view? Or is there another way? If you’re from the area, you know what I’m talking about! Man, the skyline has changed soo much it’s crazyyy and it’s only going to change more as the years go on.

Finally we got snow! After a super mild winter, I thought we weren’t going to get snow at all this year. The other day I said we were expecting at least 5″ but I think it only came out to be 2″. Then it turned into sleet. Man was it sleeting! That was definietly the worst part. It felt like mini ice cubes were attacking your face. At some points during the morning walk, I had to turn around and walk backwards. It was too much to handle. Then it made everything turn in to slush. Oh well. It was good while it lasted.

I shot this with my friend, Navin. Turns out the metro didn’t close down but they were just on a delayed schedule. Even still, I’m so happy I was able to get out there and shoot. I would of been so sad to have missed the opportunity. This time I took the Federal Triangle stop which is something I’ve never done before. Usually I’ll take Smithsonian or Foggy Bottom but I was feeling kinda adventurous 🙂 I’m glad I did because it forced me to walk a different way than I usually would have to the Washington Monument which then made me see it in a totally different way. If you’re interested, I was standing sort of close the National Museum of African American History and Culture but on the bottom of the hill. I love how the snow simplifies everything and it really just reduces the image down to the trees and the monument. The smaller trees in the background, close to the monument are cherry blossom trees. I also thought it was kind of cool how the flags perfectly align inside the two tree trunks.

I’m glad it snowed but I’d like to get on with spring now, please?

Guess What! It wasn’t really a secret, but I never mentioned. But I moved! Not far from where I used to live, but now I’m walking distance to the metro. So the other day, I didn’t have much going on and decided to hope on the metro to see where it would lead me. It was a lot of fun and hope to do it more often and explore the city even more.

Any cool metro stop suggestions?

I’m not one of those photographers who carry around their cameras everywhere they go. 1. it’s too heavy! The 5DMII is one heavy arm accessory! 2. Usually when I take pics, I always have my tripod and sometimes it gets awkward to carry around.

But this day, I’m glad I had my camera. I set it up on a little ledge that I was leaning against and found a good angle to get all these amazing lines.