Although it perhaps doesn’t feel like it, Spring will certainly be making its appearance soon with the opening of those delightful Cherry Blossoms. I was lucky to live about 30 miles from Washington DC and the world-famous Cherry Blossom Festival held there every year was a favorite of mine. Getting there is not that easy, especially during the day, but with some dedication I was able to get some photographs that I am proud of. If you are in reach of Washington DC, I understand the peak display will be March 22-25 in 2022.
Dawn is the critical time
If there is one secret to getting some good photographs of the Cherry Blossoms in DC, it is to be there before dawn! The traffic is relatively low, some parking will be available, and the crowds (apart from other photographers) will be minimal. This first image, which has been licensed to magazines, websites and advertising companies almost 2000 times was taken shortly after sunrise on a perfect day with no wind to disturb the surface of the Tidal Basin.
Of course, there are “fails” before you get to this point!
But finding the right position, getting your tripod into position and hoping that the conditions will favor you are all part of the story. The trees are natural things, of course, and so a favored spot one year, may not be great the following year, but this particular location met two criteria – the blossoms framed the Jefferson Memorial and, critically, the sun would start to illuminate them as it rose in the sky. Without that piece of the jigsaw, the blossoms would be much darker and less vibrant against the brightly lit white monument.
Special Techniques?
There is one complication with this type of framed image – there is a tremendous distance gap between the closest blossoms and the distant monument, and it is hard to get both in focus at the same time. The key is to make the aperture (the opening in the lens) as small as you can as that increases the depth of focus, but it also increases the length of time the shutter must be open to capture enough light, in this case up to 1/2 second. So, the tripod is critical to avoid camera shake. I also used a special filter that reduces reflections to give much clearer colors but can also enhance certain colors depending on its orientation. The main image above is with a blue flavor, but I was also very pleased with a less realistic but still very emotive “gold” version. As you might guess, the filter is called a Gold “n” Blue polarizing filter!
Painting without paint?
There are always painters around the lake at this time of year and I love just looking at what they are creating. Painting is not a skill I can claim, but I do sometimes attempt a painterly look using the computer tools I have. This same image can be transformed onto a much more painterly feel suitable, I think, for a canvas print:
Strolling around the Tidal Basin
Once the early light photo has been captured, I always stroll around the Tidal Basin to capture other views. The crowds after 7am tend to multiply and so you are always in the way of someone! But there are still intriguing views to be found. This one actually has a lot of people in it – they are behind the overhanging branches!
Don’t forget the blossoms
With the large-scale views around the Tidal Basin, it is easy to forget the stars of the show – the Japanese Cherry Blossoms themselves. The original trees were a gift from the people of Japan to the USA and in 1912, 3020 trees of twelve varieties were shipped from Japan to the USA and planted around the Tidal Basin. These have been tended and added to over the years to give the displays we see each year. So, to end, here is an image of a single bunch of blossoms!
kmgunnart
9 Mar 2022Lovely photos! The few times I have been in or through DC I have missed the cherry blossoms, either a week too soon or two weeks too late.
Steve Heap
9 Mar 2022Thanks Katrina. Yes, you really need to make a specific journey to get the best out of the Cherry Blossoms – if you just stop as you are traveling near, you will be surrounded by crowds or miss them!
Bob Decker
10 Mar 2022Several years ago myself and a group of other photographers visited DC with some couples wanting to create some interesting “trash the dress” style post-wedding photos. While I had driven through the area in the past, it was the first time I spent any time on foot in our Capital city. We missed to cherry blossom bloom but had an amazing time just the same. Love your photos. They make me want to revisit DC in the Spring!
Steve Heap
10 Mar 2022That sounds like fun! I like DC – it is a great city just to walk about and the photo opportunities are immense. I’ve only just started with this set of Cherry Blossom ones; I could go on and on writing about DC and photos! But perhaps I won’t!
Deb Beausoleil
17 Mar 2022Beautiful images, Steve. I love all your images, but I think my favorite is the one with all the overhanging branches. Clever way to hide the people. I’m also intrigued by your painting-like image – brilliant!
Steve Heap
18 Mar 2022Thanks Deb – I was lucky to live close enough to DC to get there when the weather conditions were conducive to some good images! I replied to your question about painting in the FAA forum