Photo Blog

As a 4+ year resident of DC, I’m certainly guilty of under-appreciating the magnificent museums the city has to offer. One of those museums is the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. The museum itself, and particularly its modern courtyard, is one of the most impressive pieces of art in the collection. The courtyard’s architecture and shapes and patterns offer a wonderland of opportunity for any photographer.

Three summers ago, I got my very first digital SLR. It was my first summer in Washington, DC and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to develop my photography skills and photograph some of the most beautiful treasures America has.

Two years ago, I created a photo and film project for a college course encompassing some of the pictures I had taken that Fall. The video incorporated an excerpt of Hans Zimmer’s track “Time” from the Inception soundtrack. The final project in the class was referred to as our ‘Magnum Opus.’

The video is still something I am extremely proud to have created. However, with some additional work, I have achieved something that can truly be called a ‘Magnum Opus.’ The video above uses the complete music track and showcases just a handful of the greatest photos I have taken over the past two years.

I hope you enjoy it.

After living in DC for over 4 years, I finally made my first trip to Eastern Market on a Saturday early afternoon. I brought my camera and 50mm lens to tag along and as expected, there were some great photography opportunities. One stand at the market selling flowers had these incredibly vibrant yellow and orange sunflowers that provided for a colorful macro shot.

With the National Mall and its magnificent monuments closed, the World War II Memorial has regrettably become a flashpoint, used for political gain by Republicans attempting to indict President Obama for blocking veterans’ access to their memorials. Throughout all this, I’ve been reminded of something my grandfather, a decorated World War II veteran, often said–something he might want to point out to Republicans if he were alive today.

Despite our urging and several opportunities to do so, my grandfather never had much interest in making the trip to visit the WWII Memorial once it opened in 2004. Why? Despite his service in World War II, he insisted the monument wasn’t there for him. It was there for the guys who never made it back home.

The memorial may be there for all those who served, but the sacrifice of those who died in action–those who will never have the opportunity to visit the memorial–is greater than those who survived the war. Honoring and attempting to repay our veterans requires more than simply allowing them access to a memorial. It requires true support: family death benefits, proper health care, education, and other assistance–all vital programs Republicans have shamelessly curbed or sought to cut during the government shutdown.

I’m beginning to gain an appreciation for the power of limiting myself to black and white compositions with a 50mm f/1.7 prime lens. This shot from over the weekend took almost no setup and captured a very crisp, compelling photograph of my turntable. Hopefully more images with this combination are coming!