What 9/11 Gave Us

I used to live in the Washington, DC area. Back then, I never really toured the city except when guests came to town. It really is a beautiful city and it's buildings and architecture are a photographic delight. But there are clear signs of change from when I left DC in 1996 most notably the security around the city, especially at our monuments and government buildings. This picture is of the back side of the US Capital. That's one serious piece of hardware in the hands of the guy in the middle. A scene like this was never evident before 9/11 . . . a sign of the times.

DC Metro

For the past couple of days, I was in our nation's capital, Washington, DC.  No, I didn't see the Pope.  But I was able to visit with some old friends in suburban Maryland.  It was great catching up.  I used the DC Metro (subway) to get from my hotel to my friends.  The DC Metro system is wonderful for getting around Washington, DC but it's also a great place to photograph.  The architecture and people make it quite attractive.   With camera in hand, I was able to capture a few images my favorite being posted here.  This is the view from the Glenmont, MD station.  I love the symmetry.  This was handheld so I needed ISO 1600 on my Canon 5D which I processed with Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 using Imagenomic's Noiseware Professional to reduce the noise.