Ambience of Silence

Ambience of Silence, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This is the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. On the day Kathy and I visited there were very few other guests walking the galleries. It was nearly silent and the sound of our footsteps reverberated across the vast open spaces. I could almost hear the hushed voices of visitors past, diminished but not forgotten.

Chicago Blues

Chicago Blues, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Located in Millennium Park, the Crown Fountain's glass block towers pour an amazing amount of water down their sides while projecting video of the faces of common Chicago citizens. If it's windy, like it was when I took this HDR sequence, the water tends to fly around everywhere and seems especially attracted to expensive DSLR's!

Antipodes

Antipodes, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

American artist Jim Sanborn is into cryptography. There's a message hidden in this piece of artwork which is located just outside the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshorn museum. Although Manny and I stared at it for the better part of a minute, we didn't solve it.

Nave of the National Cathedral

Nave of the National Cathedral, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This vertorama was shot looking east to the main alter of the National Cathedral in Washington DC. The nave will seat about 3,500 people. The flags of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories line either side of the nave. Even though we arrived early, I was surprised at how few visitors were in the Cathedral. The reflections of the stained glass that were being projected onto the limestone columns were amazing. I definitely want to visit again.

I did have to apply some geometric corrections to this image. My 14mm lens tends to distort and that distortion is exaggerated by panoramas and vertoramas.

Green with Envy

Green with Envy, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Clean, Mean and Green. 2009 Uptown Whittier Car Show.

Natural History Museum - Washington DC

Natural History Museum - Washington DC, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

The central rotunda of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC.

Ex Nihilo

Ex Nihilo, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

American master sculptor Frederick Hart's "Ex Nihilo" (Out of Nothing) tympana from the National Cathedral in Washington DC.

Ethereal Light

Ethereal Light, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Amazing morning light in the National Cathedral in Washington DC. Kathy led me on a 2 mile, uphill death march from our hotel but wow was it worth it. There were very few people there, the light was amazing and best of all they allow tripods to be used inside!

Italian Cemetery

Italian Cemetery, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

When once that gentle hand did move, to still the trembling of my captive soul...

Chicago Rain

Chicago Rain, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

I was shooting HDR sequences at Millineum Park in Chicago wishing it would actually start raining instead of just looking like it might. Right about then I heard a thunderclap. 30 seconds later, huddled under my umbrella I was framing my shot and watching the reflections start to appear. Once in a while, very rarely - things like this actually happen.