Icy Capitol Reflecting Pool under Gorgeous Sunset

Temperatures were brutally cold today, ostensibly in the mid to upper teens but with wind chill making them feel ten degrees below that. As evening approached, notwithstanding my declaration last night that I would go photograph the Capitol Christmas tree, what I wanted to do was stay cozy inside playing Horizon Zero Dawn. I had already created a great Christmas image at the White House, after all. But the greatest rewards in photography, as in life generally, derive from perseverance. So I hardened my heart, armored myself in a plethora of Arc'teryx gear, and ventured outside.

I'm glad I didn't chicken out. For one thing, if you dress properly, you can handle cold; the temperature was more a psychological hurdle than a physical one. For another, I found a lovely winter scene at the Capitol Building and its Reflecting Pool, with a gorgeous sunset over the frozen pool, on which visitors were actually walking (and slipping and sliding).

I gingerly crep out onto the ice myself. I still fell twice, and my knee now feels sore from the impacts. But the experience was worth the ache. Walking across the ice by the Capitol Building was just fun, and it let me achieve some neat compositions, including this one looking across the ice toward the sunset and the Washington Monument. I did manage to capture this view without people in it, but this time, I thought the people make the image more interesting.

Of course, I also took lots of photos of the Capitol Building and its Christmas tree, and I'll be posting one or two of the choice selections soon. But I love the sky and the ice of this scene and am eager to share it.

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Taken in: United States / District of Columbia / Washington / Monumental Core (show map)

Taken on: December 31, 2017

Tags:

Smithsonian Castle

seasons

sunset

clouds

sky

Smithsonian Institution

National Mall

Washington Monument

winter

Capitol Hill

Washington DC

ice

Washington

District of Columbia

United States

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Groups appears in: • Washington DC/Metro Area • DCist Photos more » • dcProper (DC only; please no MD or VA) • Washington, DC Metro Area Sights • Capitol Hill • α - Sony Alpha Cameras • 1-2-3 : Washington DC VA MD Metro Area • Your Best Photography • Scenics, not just landscapes! • We <3 DC • Sony Alpha World • Postcards From DC • Curbed DC • Stuck On Earth Community • FamousDC Photos • Capital Weather • Exposed DC • DC Focused • All Free Pictures (Creative Commons and Public Domain) « less

Camera: Sony ILCE-7RM3, f/11.0, 1/15 sec, 25mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-7RM3
Lens:	FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
Aperture:	f/11.0
Exposure Time:	0.067 sec (1/15)
Focal Length:	25mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 7.1 (Windows)
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