Tidal Basin at Sunset

Practicing photography around the National Mall can be overwhelming. There are so many interesting landmarks and subjects to include in a photograph regardless of where you point your camera lens. As a result, it can be difficult to edit the composition so the resulting image is not cluttered. For example, today's photograph features three distinctive elements of the National Mall region -- the Washington Monument, the Tidal Basin and a blooming Cherry Blossom tree. The challenge for photographers in this situation is determining how best to set up the composition so that the subjects complement each other. To accomplish this feat, I decided to use the rule of thirds and place the monument and the Cherry Blossoms in opposing thirds to create balance in the final image. Also, I kept the water of the Tidal Basin level as to not disrupt the balance achieved by the other two elements. The final product is a calming, reflective photograph that captures the iconic nature of the National Mall, yet promotes the peacefulness of the area at sunset as well.