An abstract photograph of an old tree in Washington, DC

An abstract photograph of a rotted tree in Washington, DC

A rotted tree trunk in Glover-Archbold Park in Washington, DC

A tree trunk in Glover-Archbold Park in Washington, DC

Columns at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC

While it’s tempting to focus on what’s at the top of the columns at the National Cathedral, I was drawn to the base of these columns because of their texture, the shadows, and the contrast between the base’s curves and the vertical nature of the columns that reached upwards toward the ornate ceiling.

An unused organ sits on display at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

The National Cathedral with a myriad of things to photograph. While this organ isn’t The Great Organ with 189 ranks and 10,647 pipes, it was impressive in its own way as it sat on display in a space behind a row of pews. The organ’s worn keys, pedals, and chassis are a visual reminder of the music that once emanated from it.

The Capitol Rotunda framed by the the greenhouse walls of the U.S. Botanic Gardens

In an earlier post, I briefly mentioned that there’s not much available light to work with inside the U.S. Botanic Gardens, especially on a cloudy day. I came across this composition after looking upward toward the only source of light in the large greenhouse and seeing the Capitol Rotunda peeking above the top of the greenhouse roof. The light landed on glass of the greenhouse walls and roof in a way that created the appearance of dark streaks in the sky, which helps provide a different visual perspective on an iconic building.

A black and white abstract photograph of a large planter at the U.S. Botanic Gardens in Washington, D.C.

This planter is located in a side room of the U.S. Botanic Gardens; it sat near the entrance to the room away from the hands-on exhibits where people could touch and feel things and quiz themselves on their knowledge of plants. The challenge with photographing at the Botanic Gardens was the sheer number of people who turned out for that day’s special exhibit on orchids. (I had no idea orchids were so popular or that there were so many varieties.) As a result, I wasn’t able to use my tripod in the low light conditions and was constantly wary of knocking someone over or being knocked over myself. The appeal of the planter was its intricate texture and gothic feel, which almost made it seem out of place among the cleanly designed learning exhibits.

July 15, 1996 - present

July 15, 1996 - present

As a puppy, Senna would rest with his feet tucked under him and head held high as if he were a young lion looking out over his kingdom. Because his temperament is naturally dominant, confident, and outgoing, he didn’t hesitate to bully my girl, Grendel, and become the alpha dog of the house even though he was a mere puppy and two years younger. He always had to be the first one through the door, have the closest seat next to me, and finish his food first. Sometimes, if I wasn’t careful to keep his separate from Grendel at feeding time, he would even try to push her out of the way and steal her food. Is it any wonder why I named him after the late, three-time Formula One world champion, Ayrton Senna? They share many of the same personality traits, namely assertiveness and a need to win.

June 8, 1994 - May 18, 2007

A star-shaped bolt holds up a retaining wall in Washington, DC.

I often come across items that I want to photograph when I’m walking my dog; and when I see something interesting, I stop and look at it for a few minutes to visualize ways that it could be photographed. I don’t necessarily photograph the item right away or even at all, but I usually keep examining it each time I walk my dog. Sometimes I do this at different times of the day to see the item under different conditions and light. Weeks may pass, but eventually I may venture out with my camera, and without my dog, to photograph the item.

This star is part of a large bolt that holds up a retaining wall next to a row house in my neighborhood. Apparently, it didn’t do a very good job of holding up the wall and Earth because the wall was demolished and replaced a few months after I took this photograph. Unfortunately, the new wall doesn’t have anything interesting on it to look at, but I’ll keep walking by with my dog anyway.