Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds

living in washington dc for the past five years has spoiled me with the opportunity to photograph rich history and have many wonderful photography outings. every time friends or family would come to visit, we would visit the same dozen tourist spots and, after awhile, it seemed like i had photographed everything a few times over.  a couple weekends ago, a photography friend and i went into the city to photograph the cherry blossoms, which marked the first time i had been in the city in a couple years with my camera.  and while the thick crowds were inimidating to others who were trying to photograph, i found the busyness to be a refreshing challenge for me to still get great shots while creatively maneuvering the crowds.  with some thoughtful composition and photography choices, i definitely have some tips for photographing at the jefferson memorial, even when it is super crowded.

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Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

1.  Consider Your Gear

for me, i really love a wide angle lens for street photography and outdoor photography in general.  i love that a wide angle lens allows me to get more of my surroundings within the frame, which can be very beneficial at such a grand location just as the jefferson memorial.  all of the photos taken within this post were achieved with my nikon d750 and sigma 24mm f/1.4 lens.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

2.  Find The Beauty In The Corridors

while everyone else is swarming to the statue of thomas jefferson, i am photographing in the corridors.  when photographing at the jefferson memorial, be sure to take some time to explore the whole monument.  while you will definitely want to see thomas jefferson, there is a lot of beauty that can be found within the corridors of the monument.  and the way that natural light reflects off the white stone is stunning and very photographable.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

3. Focus On The Details

one of the neatest things about photographing at the jefferson memorial are all the details that you will find. be sure to take the time to photograph the details of the monument, such as the words written into the stone and the pristine design of the grand columns.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

4.  The View Of The Washington Monument

while photographing at the jefferson memorial, don’t forget to photograph the view of the washington monument from the front steps.  did you know that all of the memorials are purposefully placed within a line of one another?  take advantage of the well thought out map of the monuments and photograph other monuments from the one you are currently visiting.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

5.  Look For Leading Lines

because there are so many beautiful and grand columns at the jefferson memorial, you will find leading lines to be addicting to photograph.  photographing at the jefferson memorial will allow you to get creative with your lines as you incorporate them into your photos.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

6. Consider Incorporating People for Perspective

having people in my photos from time to time actually helps to tell my story and make my image stronger.  for the image above, having the two tourists within my frame helps me to depict just how grand and tall the statue of thomas jefferson is in real life.  without those tourists next to him for scale, it would be hard to depict his huge size within a photo.  instead of fighting the crowds, consider how they can help to tell your story and make your photo more affective.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

7.  Don’t Forget To Look Up

one of the best things about photographing at the jefferson memorial is that the opportunities for photos are endless. those who designed the memorial truly thought of every detail from the huge statue of jefferson, to the beautiful ceiling, to the words on the walls.  be sure to take your time when photographing at the jefferson memorial and look in every direction, there is always something beautiful to see.

Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly PhotographyPhotographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly PhotographyPhotographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

photographing along the national mall in washington dc is truly a wonderful experience and something everyone should have on their photography bucket list. as you prepare to photograph your way through history, be sure to keep these tips in mind to still get great photos, despite the crowds surrounding you.

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Photographing At The Jefferson Memorial : Tips For Getting Great Photos, Despite The Crowds | Bethadilly Photography

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