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to my personal blog. Here I post examples of my photography and writing. I specialize in making unique and highly detailed photographs. Notice I said making and not taking. Yes I take photos but a lot of time and work is involved in pushing and punishing the pixels in my images to achieve the look I like.

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Entries in Washington DC (71)

Saturday
Jul052025

America by Air

Below is a photograph of the recently renovated “America by Air” gallery on the first floor of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. It had been at least two years since my last visit to Washington, and given that the Museum was undergoing a substantial and much-needed renovation, I was eager to visit if any portion of the museum was open to the public during my stay. After conducting some research, I discovered that while only certain areas of the museum were currently accessible to the public, a limited number of timed tickets would be distributed daily. Consequently, I made reservations and secured tickets for myself and Kathy.

Here is a brief overview of my personal connection to this museum. Back in 1975, approximately one year prior to the United States’ bicentennial, a news article caught my mother’s attention. It reported the construction of a dedicated national air and space museum, with Mike Collins, a former astronaut, serving as its inaugural director. Among his numerous accomplishments, Collins was the backup pilot for Gemini 7, the pilot of Gemini 10, and the command module pilot for Apollo 11, the historic first attempt to land humans on the moon.

Given my passion for space and aviation, my mother informed me about the museum. Recognizing my enthusiasm, she suggested that I send a letter to Mr. Collins. Despite my initial apprehension, as I believed that ordinary individuals did not correspond with such a prominent figure, my mother persisted, and I reluctantly agreed to write the letter.

She provided me with a general address for the Smithsonian Institution, and to my astonishment, the letter was routed to Mr. Collins or his secretary. Approximately eight weeks later, I returned home from school to discover a nine-by-eleven manila envelope addressed to me from the Smithsonian. Upon opening the envelope, I found a signed photograph of Mr. Collins in his Apollo space suit, accompanied by approximately ten pages of information regarding the museum’s plans. Additionally, there was a handwritten note expressing gratitude for my reaching out and encouraging me to visit the museum after its scheduled opening on July 4, 1976.

Despite my limited financial resources and upbringing as the child of a single, hardworking mother, I harbored a strong desire to visit the museum. However, the obstacles that stood in the way of fulfilling this desire seemed insurmountable. My mother was an ardent advocate for museums and lifelong learning, emphasizing the broadening of one’s horizons through experiential encounters. Consequently, my sister and I had had the privilege of visiting numerous museums in California at a relatively young age.

In the mid-1990s, I was employed by General Electric, where I worked with a group of engineers who shared a common passion for airplanes and aviation. They were somewhat surprised by my ability to contribute substantially to their discussions about aviation, and when I expressed my desire to visit the National Air and Space Museum, they inquired about my lack of a visit. One of them informed me about the affordability of flights to Washington, D.C., which ignited a sense of excitement within me, as it seemed that my dream of visiting the museum was finally within reach. I promptly communicated my intentions to my then-wife, and we proceeded to secure airplane tickets and hotel reservations. 

Upon arriving in Washington, D.C. early in the morning, I had a single destination in mind. I boarded the subway to the Smithsonian metro station and ascended the escalator to street level, arriving at the station in the heart of the National Mall. To my right, the capital building stood tall, while to my left, the Washington Monument, with the Lincoln Memorial visible in the distance, and various Smithsonian museums lined the mall, including the National Air and Space Museum, which I could discern in the background.

Despite the museum not opening for approximately three hours, I began walking briskly towards it. As you can observe from the photograph, the museum boasts expansive glass walls, and upon my arrival, I was greeted with an awe-inspiring display of artifacts. These were the same objects I had been captivated by for years, having encountered them through books and television documentaries.

As I approached the windows of the milestones of flight gallery, I finally had the opportunity to witness with my own eyes the Wright brothers’ flyer, the first heavier-than-air powered aircraft to achieve flight in human history. I also spotted the Apollo 11 command module, which had carried men to the moon, and the X-1 “Glamorous Glennis,” the pioneering aircraft that first broke the sound barrier. The further I progressed along the museum’s glass walls, the more remarkable and captivating the exhibits became.

Enthralled by the tangible presence of these historical artifacts, I felt a profound sense of fulfillment. While this experience may seem peculiar to those who do not hold a deep appreciation for history or the significance of these milestones, my upbringing in an environment that fostered a love for learning and history made this moment truly unforgettable. My heart was filled with emotion as I remembered the words of my mother whenever a something I had long desired came to pass “There’s your dream out now.” She later informed me that she became quite emotional when I was speaking to her on the phone later that day.. As for me, I endeavored to maintain my composure. The moment was both emotionally charged and filled with joy.

Since my initial visit, I have returned to the museum numerous times. Shortly after my first visit, I fulfilled another dream and brought my mother to Washington, D.C., for approximately ten days. We visited the museum together, and she thoroughly enjoyed it, as she did everything we encountered in Washington. She passed away in 2020, and while I still miss her presence in my life, I carry on her the insatiable thirst for knowledge and strive to transmit this passion to my extended family.

On the day this photograph was captured, I experienced for the first time in years a newfound perspective on these familiar galleries. The antiquated exhibits that once explained the artifacts had been replaced by contemporary, interactive displays. Furthermore, the lighting had been significantly enhanced, making the entire space even more captivating, even for an ardent enthusiast like myself.

 

Thursday
Oct152020

Long Drive From Washington DC

Kathy and I arrived in Washington DC on the Amtrak Cardinal train from Chicago around 6:30pm Wednesday. We walked to our hotel, dropped off our bags and went back out to find something to eat. We were shocked at how empty Washington's Union Station was. I think Covid 19 has taken a terrible toll on the businesses that once filled the main waiting room and the other retail areas. We found something to eat, took it back to our room, ate, took showers and went to sleep. We had to pickup our rental car at Reagan National Airport at 7:00am this morning. Other than a real lack of customer service at the Alamo car rental counter, getting the car was uneventful. We drove to Maryland to pickup my wife's brother who is riding with us all the way back to California along Route 66. We made it all the way to Dayton Ohio where we will stay tonight and visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force in the morning.

While we didn't have time to take photos in Washington during our short visit, here are a couple from previous visits.

Tuesday
Nov192013

The View From Here

This is the Great Hall inside the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress, Washington DC. It's a pretty impressive space. Kathy and I visited it on a whim, walking over from the US Capitol Building after taking the tour there. As you can see it was packed with tourists. Next time I want to be there when they open. No tripods allowed so this was taken by balancing the camera on the marble railing that surrounds the perimeter of the hall. Built in 1890, this building is one of the most beautiful places I've seen in DC.

Monday
Sep092013

Woodly Park Zoo Station


This is the Woodly Park Zoo metro station in Washington DC. I have always found the architecture of DC's metro stations to be interesting and very worthy of a photo or two. While the stations are nice,it can be a little disconcerting when an express train blasts through the station without stopping or seeming to slow down. You can kind of see one on the right side of the photo. Just look for the semi-transparent blur.
Monday
Sep092013

Multiverse

Just prior to Kathy and I traveling to Washington DC, I had been reading a very interesting book about Hugh Everett's "Many-Worlds" interpretation of quantum mechanics. One of the concepts the reader has to wrap his or her head around is that of the existence of a multiverse, where there isn't a single universe but instead an infinite number of them which are constantly splitting. One where you ate breakfast in the morning and one where you didn't, one where you posted a photo of an interesting art installation and one where you didn't and on and on. Anyway, there are many Smithsonian art museums but on the National Mall there are two that have a walkway between them which is located below ground level. At some point a very interesting art exhibit called "multiverse" was installed. It consists of thousands of LED lights that race around making patterns that are really compelling. You can walk the length of this tunnel or ride on one of two moving sidewalk conveyor belt thingies like the two guys in the photo are doing.
Thursday
Jul042013

Self Evident Truths


Thomas Jefferson was only 33 years old when he became the principal author of the declaration of independence. That along with being the third president of the United States makes for a pretty impressive resume. Pictured here is the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. Beautifully situated at the edge the tidal basin and surrounded by cherry blossom trees which bloom to life each April, this memorial which is housed in a pantheon like domed structure is not a sight to be missed. The walls contain excerpts of Jefferson's most notable writings including an one from the declaration of independence.

Wednesday
Jul042012

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun

Marine Corps Memorial - Washington DC

Tuesday
Jun122012

Silverplate


Silverplate, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

I have read that even with the accute raw material shortages and rationing that went on during WWII, anything needed for the Manhattan project was was delivered on a silver platter. It was understood that if the United States failed to create a working atomic bomb before the Germans or the Japanese we would likely lose the war. Within the Manhattan project, nothing was given a higher priority than the special modifications that were needed to be made to standard B-29 bombers which would enable them to drop atomic weapons. For that reason these modifications were code named "Silverplate". Pictured here and preserved for history is the Enola Gay which dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima Japan, the effects of which probably killed between 90,000 and 166,000 people while helping to end WWII and probably saving 1 million American lives.

Monday
Jun042012

Space Race


Space Race, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

In the 1960's and 70's the United States and the Soviet Union were trying their best to outdo one another with feats in outer space. This hall at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, features many artifacts from this time period.

Monday
Jan162012

In the Name of Love


In the Name of Love, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

When Kathy and I visited Washington D.C. in October of last year, one of the things we wanted to see was the Dr. Martin Luther King National Memorial which at the time, had been built but not yet dedicated. The sculpture of Dr. King faces the Tidal Basin. He seems to be gazing directly at the Jefferson Memorial which is quite fitting. The black stone wall that surrounds the memorial has been etched with famous writings of the slain civil rights leader. Kathy asked one of the visitor guides if we could use our tripods - fully expecting them to say no but the answer we got was "sure, go ahead". Wow! This must be the only memorial in Washington that allows tripods.