Category Archives: Featured Photo

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Featured Photo


Matthew, Cowboy. 7th and H, Chinatown, DC by Matt.Dunn

One of the things I love about photography is that there are many different genres to keep things interesting for both the photographer and the viewer.  I’ve dabbled in sports, macro, street, nature, and portrait photography and found that I enjoy something about each style.  While each genre requires honing unique skills and sometimes learning how to use specialty equipment, they all rely on a core set of fundamentals such as framing, lighting, and of course the ever so important, being in the right place at the right time.

In my opinion, the genre that separates itself from others is portrait photography due to the fact that it requires the photographer to deal with actual other living human beings, a skill that is dwindling in our society.  It’s one thing to hunt around a garden for the perfect flower, set up your tripod, and wait for a break in the breeze.  It’s another thing to sit on a sideline and fire off ten shots of a tennis player during their serve with your fast telephoto lens.  But it’s an entirely different thing to get a model, sometimes a complete stranger, to pose for you and have the resulting photograph be worth its weight in ink.

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Featured Photo


DC1_9191 by Spodie Odie

When I first became interested in photography I was obsessed with doing macro work.  A friend of mine who is a Nikon guy (the horror!) showed me the results he was getting with his macro lens and I was sold right away.  Not long after I purchased what is still one of my favorite lenses, my 180mm macro lens, and to the flower gardens I went.  I got some strange looks as I walked around my neighborhood with a tripod, a giant lens, and a shutter release cable, however when I made journeys to the National Arboretum or to Kennilworth Aquatic Gardens, I found photographers decked out in camouflage with gear that put mine to shame.

If you find yourself getting hooked on macro photography, be prepared to buy some serious gear.  This great shot by Spodie Odie was taken with a Nikon D300 and what I’m guessing is their 60mm micro lens.  A tripod is a definite must for macro work too because the closer you get to your subject, the more every tiny move is amplified.  Using a shutter release cable and mirror lockup (if your camera supports it) allows you to minimize the amount of camera movement generated by the shutter opening and closing as well as the shake in your hands.  If you really want to go off the deep end you can buy extension tubes and special macro flashes which can achieve some amazing results.  Soon you’ll be seeing detail in nature that you never knew existed before.

Featured Photo, Life in the Capital
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Featured Photo

Rolling Thunder ’09, Washington, DC by Nicole Aguirre

Memorial Day weekend is one of my favorite times of the year in DC.  With so many monuments dedicated to remembering those who have lost their lives defending our country, our city fills up faster than the Titanic with people of all different ages, from all around the country, from all walks of life.  It’s a time when people put aside their differences and focus on what they have in common, a love and sense of patriotism for our great nation.

This week’s photo shows two people from two walks of life, brought together by a park bench and some shade.  According to the photographer (who had to wait for a gap in the pedestrians to get this shot), these two were “leaning into each other most of the time” as they watched the Rolling Thunder rumble by.  What I love about this photo is that it makes the viewer wonder, wonder what the couple talked about all afternoon, wonder what war memories each of them has, wonder how their lives have differed to this point and even wonder how they’ve been the same.  As someone who was born on the 4th of July and longs for the days when our country’s values were intact, this photo is moving and reminds me that there is a lot we can learn from our elders.  Great capture, Nicole.

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Featured Photo

how does your garden grow? by Pappa91

With all of the dreary rain we’ve been having lately, it’s easy to become a little mopey.  If you’re feeling more than a little mopey, say very depressed, take my advice and never move to Seattle.  Instead just stare at this beautifully lit photo by Flickrite Pappa91 which is just oozing and dripping cheery colors from across the spectrum, all the way from the crisp orange and yellow petals in the foreground to the buttery blue bokeh in the background.  Mmmmm…buttery blue bokeeeeh.

It’s easy to spend a lot of your time focusing (no pun intended!) on the subject of your nature photos, but don’t lose sight (again, no pun!) of the background. One way to make things really ‘pop’ is to pay attention to what’s in the bokeh.  For example when I took this shot, I framed the apple so that a patch of black-eyed susans were in the background because yellow and green compliment each other quite nicely.

So remember, rain may be bad for your mood but it’s good for trees and flowers, don’t move to Seattle if you’re already depressed, and don’t be afraid to experiment with the areas of your photo that will inevitably become a beautiful blur.

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Featured Photo

P020109PS-0339 by The Official White House Photostream

I thought I’d take a breather from highlighting a photo from our WLDC pool today.  As Tom pointed out last week, Pete Souza and the White House photography team have begun sharing some of their photos on Flickr, giving us unprecedented insight into Obama’s daily life and legitimizing his belief that “to help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative.”  He was voted into office as a man of the people, as an agent of change, and by sharing these photos with us, whether they be of a stuffy cabinet meeting or a putting practice session with Joe Biden, he brings us one step closer into his world.  We’ve had White House photographers for many years, but this is the first administration to understand the importance of social media.

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Featured Photo

PKR_6506 by Spodie Odie

When I first saw this photo pop up in the WLDC Flickr pool, I couldn’t quite figure out what was going on.  Did someone stage some miniature people and fake plastic trees on a putting green?  Did someone build a diorama of some tiny sunbathers, complete with tiny little beach towels?  I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at, and well, I liked it.  It’s refreshing when things aren’t immediately obvious.

It turns out that the photographer took this shot from high above in the National Cathedral’s tower, a place I’ve never ventured to (at least not with my camera).  Given the absolutely perfect weather we had on Saturday, I’m sure the view was pretty amazing from up there.  The sunbathers on the lawn had the right idea though.  Soak up the sun while you can, but please, don’t forget to repair your divots.

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Featured Photo

Meet Madame Lardofly by LaTur

Every year around this time, camera shutters from around the world open and close, capturing thousands and thousands of photos of our beloved cherry blossoms.  You see shots of the blossoms singled out against the brilliant blue sky, shots that show dense clusters of pink, blossomy goodness, shots of the hords of tourists that make their annual pilgrimage to the Tidal Basin, and even shots of clowns scaring the tourists away.  But how often do you see a pig with a mohawk, dressed in a pink cherry blossom dress and wearing pink tinted goggles?  For me the answer is simply, “Never.”

Fellow Flickrite, LaTur captured this unique photo of Madame Lardofly over the weekend, winning my pick as best National Cherry Blossom Festival photo.  I’ve lived in DC for about five years now, and while many area photographers never seem to get tired of taking cherry blossom photos, it has lost its luster with me.  That’s why it takes an unusual shot like this one to get my attention, even if I do end up feeling sorry for the pig.  I guess life could be worse.  After all, she could be sitting next to some eggs and home fries at the Florida Avenue Grill.

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Featured Photo

Guadalupe by Nestum23

One of the things I love about DC is that like many big cities, it’s full of diversity that can change within just a few short blocks.  If you were to pop out of the Metro at the Smithsonian station on the Mall and start walking north, you’d first be surrounded by monuments and government buildings and experience what most tourists see.  As you walked through downtown, you might see a little more color as you strolled by restaurants, chain stores, and street vendors.  Eventually you would be in a more residential area full of rowhomes, parks, and people going about their daily lives.  You’d likely notice the gay presence in Dupont, the conglomerate of colorful stores and bars along U street, and as you got to Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant you’d start to be enveloped in the Latino community.  That’s what first came to mind when I saw this photo.  The juxtaposition of a bikini babes calendar with the Virgin Mary (or Virgen de Guadalupe) is not an uncommon site as you walk past the storefronts in Mt P.  You almost feel like you’re in another country.

This journey that you just went on, well, it takes place in less than an hour.

Welcome to DC.

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Featured Photo

Pinup by flipperman75

One of the things I love about photography is the choice you have when it comes to the tools of the trade.  I personally shoot only digital, but many others enjoy shooting film and while I have no desire to do it myself, I admire them for that.  In the digital world there are many different cameras to choose from, ranging from camera phones to point and shoot cameras to fancy DSLRs.  Once you have your image, you can modify it with your choice of many different software packages (e.g. Adobe CS4) in your “digital darkroom”.  Photographers who shoot film employ more organic, hands on practices in their own darkroom such as dodging and burning and various other processing techniques.  Even the choice of film dictates how the final image will appear.

The above image combines both worlds in a way, in that it looks like it was shot using a film camera (a Polaroid to be exact), but it was actually achieved using a free piece of software called Poladroid.  The software allows you to import a digital photo and then manipulate it by giving it that familiar border, nostalgic coloring, and even a thumbprint.  Note that there are several applications for the iPhone that do roughly the same thing, one being CameraBag.

Nuts and bolts aside, I really love this photo for its composition and color and because it’s not a typical DC shot even if it was taken on U Street.  I’m becoming more and more fascinated by dark and creepy photos, and this fits the bill perfectly.  The mannequin is sitting there stripped to her bare essentials, enjoying a nice day out on a bench, almost inviting you to come site beside her.  For $50, she’s all yours.

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Featured Photo

Skate Face by Mika Altskan

Back in junior high I was a skater for all about, oh, three months.  I begged my dad to buy me a Tommy Guerrero board and proceeded to destroy my mom’s good scissors by cutting grip tape (basically sandpaper) for the deck.  I had all of the gear, all of the clothes, and none of the moves.  I think as soon as I realized I wouldn’t be pulling off an ollie any time soon, I stuck my board in a closet somewhere and went back to riding my bike.  It was definitely money well spent by my dad.

I thought everyone went through the same three month phase, however I’ve recently learned that there are many adults still skating!  I was part of a photography show not long ago at a place called Fight Club here in DC where all of the local skaters go to ride, and it was there that I met my friend who is not only really old, but also one of the best skaters around.  In fact he organized a downhill race on President’s Day last week where guys hauled ass down a section of Beach Drive, much like you see in the photo above.  In some of the more hardcore longboard races around the world the skaters can reach speeds of up to 60-70 miles per hour.  This is not a sport for wussies.

I have no regrets about hanging up my skate when I was a kid, but I really admire people who stuck with it and make it look easy.  Be sure to check out Mika Altskan’s Flickr stream for more great downhill skating shots.  As a 16 year old FotoWeek DC finalist, he’s got a lot of talent.  It’s obvious that he’s not afraid to get right in the action with his Nikon, a skill that separates great photographers from the average ones.

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Featured Photo

Blissful Slumber by Karon

It seems that no matter what species, we all enjoyed the warm weather last weekend.  The first sign of warm winter weather brings out shorts, t-shirts, skirts, flip flops, and other optimistically unsuitable clothing for 50 degree temperatures.  Convertible tops come down, people eat brunch on local outdoor patios, and some people even hit the links.  If you’re an otter at the National Zoo, you slumber in the afternoon sun while people make cutesy noises at you.  Awwwww.  Life is good isn’t it?

Warm temperatures look like they’ll peak on Wednesday this week, reaching nearly 70 degrees.  Anyone want to call in sick with me?  Spring will not come soon enough.

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Featured Photo

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REYNOLDS, J., PERFORMING ACROBATIC AND BALANCING ACTS ON HIGH CORNICE ABOVE 9TH STREET, N.W. by Harris & Ewing

For some of us, our daily lives are one big balancing act.  We have demanding jobs, families, pets, social calendars, and hobbies that seem to suck every last nanosecond out of the day.  I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that none of your hobbies include balancing on your dining room furniture hundreds of feet above the ground with no safety net in sight.  Your safety net is likely in the form of a 401(k) or an IRA.  Hey, how’s that working out for you by the way?

Thanks to NCinDC for this great find from the Library of Congress.  John “Jammie” Reynolds appears to be the Evil Knievel of his day, risking his life for the pure joy of an adrenaline rush.  The above shot (circa 1917) features the daredevil atop the Lansburgh Building here in DC.  You can see what appears to be the National Museum of Natural History in the background which had only been established ten years before.  I don’t know about you, but I’d love to take a time machine back to those days when things were more simple, exciting, and free.  You won’t catch anyone bungee jumping off of the Washington Monument these days without ending up behind bars or in a loony bin.

By the way, be sure to check out the super sized version of this photo.  Do you suppose there’s any chance of the man on the right helping if things tip in the wrong direction?

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Featured Photo

New Years Resolution by Pete…E

2008 has come and gone, bringing us a brand new year to start afresh.  Many of us make resolutions, like joining a gym, traveling more, and the ever popular “quitting smoking”.  Others refuse to partake in such foolish things because they know they don’t have the will power to follow through.  I myself don’t see any reason to make life changes on a particular day since there are 364 other days that will work just as well.

When I first started shooting, my passion was in macro photography.  I love seeing intricate details in things, whether it be a flower or a cigarette, that you may have never noticed.  The pack of smokes above actually looks beautiful in a way, an army of cigarettes packed tightly into a crisp, mass produced box.  The sepia treatment adds a little bit of sex to the shot, but don’t be tempted – you’re quitting remember?

If you’d like to try your hand at macro photography you’ll likely want to buy a macro lens (if I could marry my 180mm I would), a tripod, and a shutter release cable to keep the movement of your camera to a minimum.  Also, experiment with different apertures to put more or less of your subject in focus.  And as always, make sure to post your results in our Flickr pool.

Featured Photo, Fun & Games, The Features
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We Love Winners! 2008 Holiday Contest Results

Photo courtesy of william couch
A Charlie Brown Holiday, courtesy of william couch

Set your eyes upon this great photo by Flickr user william couch, for this is the winner of the WeLoveDC 2008 Holiday Photo Contest! Congratulations, William! It was a close vote between this rendition of a Charlie Brown Christmas and our runner-up, below.

William wins a $50 certificate to Overwood and has chosen the Nationals ticket package in the “Presidential Club,” complete with parking pass.

And our runner-up… Continue reading →

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Featured Photo

Fluidity by primplan

With so many awesome photos in our pool lately, it was hard to decide on just one to write about (in fact it always is).  In the end, the creative use of a two second exposure to capture the movement of this belly dancer at Marrakesh won me over.  Sometimes it’s difficult to “think outside of the bun” when you’re shooting, and other times you can be pleasantly surprised by a mistake.  While this would have been a cool shot had the dancer’s movements been frozen, she’s given a whole other dimension by the blur of her upper extremities.

Not to beat a dead horse here people, but time is running out for our Holiday Photo Contest!  Tag your photos with “WLDC holiday 2008″ and drop it into our Flickr pool by January 1st.  It’s 100% free to enter and you could be the lucky winner of some great prizes!

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Featured Photo

Santa the Magnificent by M.V.  Jantzen

With Christmas just over a week away (ahem, photo contest), you have to ask yourself, “Have you been naughty or nice?”  If you answered the latter, have you made your list for Santa?  You know you’re dying for a Slanket or a Snuggie.  If you’ve just about had enough of those gosh darn split ends, you’ll no doubt be asking Santa for a Split-Ender.  As for me, I’m hoping he puts a new Canon 5D Mark II and a few prime lenses under my tree.

But what if you haven’t been so nice, hmmm?  What if you tried to sell Barack Obama’s empty senate seat to the highest bidder?  What if you hired some high dollar escorts and took them to the Mayflower Hotel?  What if you had an extramarital affair during your presidential campaign while your supportive wife of 31 years was in remission from breast cancer?

I’ll tell you what happens.  This guy and his buddy come after you.  I hope you like Marlboro Lights and the smell of concrete.

Featured Photo, The Mall
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Featured Photo

Environmental Light Installation with Boy by Edward Hoover

When someone takes a photo of another person’s art, can the photo then be considered art itself?  My personal opinion is that in most cases it can, but this is a debate that will never be settled, much like the never ending film vs digital debate.  In the end, I don’t think it’s possible to come up with a definition for art which is probably why I love it so much.  It’s art when the artist says so, as long as they can explain why.

The above photo was taken at one of my favorite museums in DC, the beloved Hirshhorn.  According to the photographer’s notes, the boy above is mesmerized by Dough Wheeler’s Eindhoven, Environmental Light Installation (1969).  The amazing color sucks me in like an alien’s tractor beam – I just can’t stop staring at it.  The repetitious rectangles rely on each other to draw the viewer in because without one, the other would have no meaning.  Finally the punctuation, the exclamation point, in this case the silhouetted boy, is added to the end of the sentence and the photo becomes whole.  It almost looks like the boy is about to dive into a vast sea of blue.

Great shot, Mr. Hooper.  Be sure to keep adding all of your awesome photos to our Flickr group and don’t forget about our Holiday Photo Contest!

Essential DC, Featured Photo, Life in the Capital
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Featured Photo

Fixation Opening Party by vincent gallegos

It would be an extreme understatement if I said that it was ‘a night to remember’.  Friday night’s opening party for Fixation at Fight Club was one hell of a way to get FotoWeek DC started.  This show tied together art, people, and the city like no other.

It’s impossible to explain how comfortable and chill the party was, all the while electric and full of energy.  You couldn’t escape the eclecticism.  The crowd ranged from wealthy, “in the know”, socialite art collectors to artists and die hard skaters.  The music switched from electronica to rock and roll, then drifted back to club music to keep the party rolling.  Our beverages began as champagne and later morphed into beer, while our food went from gourmet pizza to food off of a snack cart.  If you commissioned a painting to represent the night, it would contain elegant brush strokes smeared with spray paint, colors from across the spectrum.

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Featured Photo

Georgetown Bricks by Justin Mathews

Fortunately there is no formula for capturing a great photograph, however it’s almost always a safe bet to keep things simple.  Today’s featured photo is by local photographer, Justin Mathews, a student at The Center for Digital Imaging Arts (CDIA) in Georgetown.  In looking at Justin’s portfolio, it appears that he has a great feel for shapes, lines, contrast, and color, capturing them all with elegant simplicity.  It’s hard to tell if the photo above was taken during the day or night, although the ghostly clouds may give you a clue.

Much like the clouds and shadows above drift by in silence, so has the announcement of the finalists of the FotoWeek DC Juried Photo Exhibition.  You’ll notice Justin’s name, amongst many other great local photographers such as Meaghan Gay, Justin Hoffmann, Katherine Ray, and John Ulaszek.  Don’t forget to mark your calendars for FotoWeek if you haven’t done so already.  The week long festival of awesomeness runs from November 15th to the 22nd and is packed full of amazing events to take part in.  Remember, you have to register to participate.

Essential DC, Featured Photo, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 10/24-10/26

Photo courtesy of Rob Shenk
The Golden Horseman #2, courtesy of Rob Shenk

It’s so dreary outside here in Tysons and I’m in desperate need of a pick-up. So I was perusing through Flickr during lunch today and noticed quite a few shots that I think encapsulated what a great weekend we had in the area. For some reason, the great photos I saw helped give me a much-needed boost out of the “Monday blahs” so I decided to share.

Indulge me as I show some of the photos that told me about your weekend here in the DC metro area.

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