us capital

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A lot has happened since my last blog post on protests in Washington DC. I have attended more protests and was able to capture a ton more images. As news about Black Lives Matter and protests continued every day, I tried my best to try to find unique locations and views of what was going on in the nation’s capital.

So after spending two days at the White House, I wanted to go somewhere different. I knew the BLM protests were happening all over the city, I just had to find them. So on Wednesday, June 3rd, I started a bit earlier in the day and went straight to the Lincoln Memorial. I saw some images of the National Guard all along the steps so I wanted to see it for myself.

But I may have been a little too early because there weren’t as many people as I thought there would be at the Lincoln Memorial so I headed to the US Capitol. The thing about these protests is that I don’t really know where they will pop up. I just sort of show up and hoped there will be people there.

So my luck at the US Capitol was about the same at the Lincoln Memorial. I overheard that I was about 30 minutes too late and most of the protestors that were there, had already left.

I made a loop around the US Capitol grounds and I was about to call it quits. I figured I’ve already captured some pretty good images that past few days, I knew I would be back for more so I didn’t want to push my luck. But there was just one more place that I wanted to check before leaving the city. I wanted to check out the Trump Hotel since it was on my way home and I figured that could be a good place for some action. On my way there, I noticed a bunch of police vehicles blocking off the road. I thought it was unusual but weaved in and out of the streets to try to get as close as I could to the hotel without being stopped. Once I got out of the car, I realized I was right in the middle of a walking protest! The police cars were there to make a safe path for the pedestrians. It was amazing to stumble upon them.

This group of protestors had just left the Trump hotel and was making there way back to the US Capitol so I had to follow them.

While walking to the US Capitol I couldn’t help but notice people helping people. People were handing out cold Gatorade and water, offering snacks and masks, and even medical aid.

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Every year Washington DC welcomes millions of visitors traveling to the National Mall to take in all the sights and history. Many will start coming in the springtime to catch a glimpse of the beautiful cherry blossom trees at the Tidal Basin. They are alluring, but can sometimes be elusive. Especially when you are dealing with nature, you never know exactly when they are going to bloom or how long they will even last. In general, they will stick around for a week to 10 days. This already leaves a short window of time to see them and that doesn’t include the fact that these flowers are fragile and can fall off their branches with a sudden gust of wind or rain.

So this guide is for all you flower nature lovers who may have missed the cherry blossoms and are here to see what else the city has to offer. Don’t worry because there’s a lot! From Saucer Magnolias to Star Magnolias, Tulips and Forsythia, there is no shortage of beautiful blossoms in the city. You just have to know where to go to see them.

But if you are only interested in the cherry blossoms, I’ve got your back. Click here for the cherry blossom guide!

The National Mall:

Washington DC, especially the mall area, is a very nice area to walk. I highly suggest just taking the day to wander and get lost. There is no doubt that you will run into flowers and beautiful trees while walking around the area. Even the side streets that lead up to the Mall have pretty florets to look at. But if you’re on a time crunch, here are a few specific places to go:

Enid A Haupt Garden

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Obviously most of my images are of the DC monuments because its home to me. In between travel, these monuments are the best places to go and practice my craft and to discover new angles.

No matter how many times I go, I never get tired of these amazing views.

Part 2: DC Monuments

In no particular order… Click the image to find the original blog post and the story behind it.

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Full moon rising at the US Capitol. One of the best places in the city to watch the sky.

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We had so many summer storms this year, it was awesome! This was the sunset right when as one was moving in.

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And this is the same evening as the previous image, just a different POV

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Cutest paddle boats ever. They make me smile every time I see them. Especially if they were lined up in a row like this.

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I love this image because it may never happen again. Click the image to find out why there will never be another one like it.

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Puddlegram. Another one from our summer storms.

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My favorite part of this image is that light reflection down the center, left side of the image. So cool to see how it reflects.

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It’s all about simplicity in this image.

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WOWZA! I still can’t believe I was able to capture a lightning bolt like that.

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And this was the morning after.

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Another lightning strike. This one is a little harder to make out but the mood on this was is just how I wanted it.

I was in Tokyo for the peak of the Cherry Blossoms this year. I was a little sad about it but still managed to capture the last bit of it.

I was in Tokyo for the peak of the Cherry Blossoms this year. I was a little sad about it but still managed to capture the last bit of it when we got back home.

Wonder what tomorrow is going to be? Check back tomorrow to find out.
In case you missed it, here are my favorite images from my travels in 2016.