It’s a natural tendency to make the star of your photo the focal point. You aim your camera and think to yourself, “Wow, check that out.” But sometimes it pays to put your subject to the side or in the dark, and let your viewer soak in the total scene as claudiabeatriz does with this sunset photo of the monument. I could do without some of the trees, but overall this photo works for me due to the warm color, composition (rule of thirds), and because the Washington Monument is probably my favorite icon in our city.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Max Cook

Hailing from the Mile High City, Max has also lived in Tinsel Town, the Emerald City, as well as the City of Brotherly Love. Now a District resident, he likes to write about cool photos by local photographers, the DC restaurant and bar scene, or anything else that pops into his mind.