Monday, February 11, 2008

Two Things Challenge: Night / Light

Lighting on the Lincoln Memorial at night

This week's Two Things Challenge offered two options: Day / Time or Night / Light. Those who participated had a choice of doing either or both. I chose both.

One of my favorite monuments at night is the Lincoln Memorial, as I'm sure you've guessed by now. I took this picture the other night when I was out and about while everyone else was inside watching the Super Bowl. (Note to fellow photographers: In the U.S., Super Bowl Sunday is the best time to go out and take pictures. There's no traffic and very few people to get in the way of some good photos.)

I've included thumbnails of two other photos I considered for this challenge. To see more detail, click on each picture for a larger image. The first is also the Lincoln Memorial. The difference in this version is lighting exposure, which is a bit brighter and includes the inscription over Daniel Chester French's sculpture of Lincoln.

The second photo is one I'll feature later in the week with information. It's of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, which I visited on Friday. I ventured over at 12:00 on Friday and stayed until 4:00, then met my sister for dinner. Afterward, we went back to take pictures of the Masonic Temple at night.

And now, I promise, I won't post anymore pictures of the Lincoln Memorial for a while!


Photo copyrights: D.C. Confidential, 2/08

9 comments:

Bev said...

You seem to know how to look after your monuments! This is terrific lighting on a statue, as befits one of the greatest presidents of the beacon nation of the free world. I mean this, I'm not just sucking up, since you are the Two Things Challenge leader at the moment.lol

Janet Kincaid said...

Bev: Thank you! Most kind.

Interesting note about Lincoln: he was the Republican Party's president in the 1860s, which is also the party George W. Bush represents. That said, though, the Republican Party of Lincoln's day and the Republican Party of today look nothing alike. In fact, the Republican Party of Lincoln's day looked much more like the Democratic Party of today. Interesting how political parties evolve. I dare say, in another 100 years or so, the Republicans will once again look more like the party of Lincoln's day than Bush's.

As for being the beacon nation of the free world, you're awfully kind. Right now, I think we're the scourge of the free world and we've got a lot of fixin' to do to restore our reputation.

(So much for being apolitical on my blog, eh?)

Bev said...

It was what I said when they made this statue! I think Iraq did change things.

Bobbie said...

D.C. you chose well. I think you win the night/light competition. lol. This night scene of President Lincoln is superb! I'm aghast that Lincoln was Republican, but having read your comment I feel better now.

dianeclancy said...

These are wonderful Night Lights ... you have such an interesting eye!!

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com

Janet Kincaid said...

Bev: Hear! Hear!

Bobbie: Thanks! Yeah, the Republicans of today love to tout that they're the party of Lincoln, but they're so far removed from the ideals originally espoused from the party, it's a joke! (And there I go again, being partisan and political. Darn it all! I have to stop that.)

Diane: Thank you! Is it correct to say that a monument is photogenic? Well, this one certainly is.

Lucky Dip Lisa said...

Wow yet again! Awesome photos! I love the building one especially, the warm golden light againts the contrast of the night. Really lovely.

Janet Kincaid said...

Lisa: Thanks! I have to confess on that night shot of the Masonic Temple: I shot it on sepia. For some odd reason, the bottom pedestal was lit in a Christmas green color while the tower was a cold halogen blueish color. It just looked silly and undignified. I'm planning on going back in a couple of weeks with a friend and I'm going to ask about the green lighting scheme. It was just too funky.

Anonymous said...

I have always been wondering, what happened to the democrats/republicans ways of being conservative (the democratic slaveholders) and liberal (the republican abolitionists) after the civil war; what an irony of history, that the first afroamerican president of the us of a will be a democrat, if any; I thought a us-american could explain that to me, on historical grounds; waiting for suggestions