SF0 / nano5th / Night Photography

25 + 95 points

Night Photography by Nan O'fith, FZ!, Spidere

April 27th, 2008 8:52 PM / Location: 38.892091,-77.02405

INSTRUCTIONS: Explore your neighborhood in deepest, darkest night.

Share photographs and other impressions of your exploration.

FZ!: Most people think DC is a city like any other, but the DC that tourists see during the day is a facade, rolled out by municipal employees at 5:30am and packed away at 8pm sharp. My nighttime photography documents the shocking truth of this city's rich history. Click any of the first 17 pictures to learn the SHOCKING TRUTH.

Nano5th: So, it's spring in DC, right? And there's this whole Cherry Blossom Festival going on, right? And normal people look at flowers during the daytime when, you know, you can actually see them, right? Well, I'm coming up on five years in the DC area and it has become tradition that every year I don't get around to going to see the cherry blossoms. So this year I saw them (and photographed them) at night. As illustrated in the photos, thanks to light pollution (particularly on a cloudy night such as this), it really doesn't get all that deep and dark, but it's still night and exploring is still fun!

Spidere: We took these pictures as we prepared for our Journey to the End of the Night, walking the path deeper and deeper into darkness. As we walked, and discovered, and saw, we knew that it was good. If you look carefully, you may discern shapes which give clues, places which may be familiar. But be always wary of paths through the darkness of night...for who knows where they may lead you?

- smaller

Bulding Texture

Somewhere in the dim and ancient past, architects decided that buildings needed increasingly silly exterior walls, both to shade the residents inside, and to confuse and confound predators. This building blends seamlessly into the background, assuming it's hidden amongst huge, ripple-cut potato chips.

Chinatown Gate

It's not commonly known, but in the '70s, one determined DC resident with a shovel dug an actual hole to China. The convenience of the connection outweighed misgivings about China's politics, explaining why they have acquired favored nation status. Here we stand by the Express Gateway to China.

Einstein Klaus

"Now sit on Einstein Klaus' lap and tlel him what you want for Pi Day."

Facade

As the cat-burglar capital of the world, successful sneak-thieves have to develop a gimmick to stand out in their field. Art "Twist" Dodger, pictured bottom left, is known for exclusively employing midgets for delicate operations.

District Council of Elrond

Better known for being the deciding point in the epic journey of the One Ring, the gathering tree at Lafayette Park also hosts a weekly bingo game and an annual morris dancing celebration.

NPR Gardens

Growing opposite the DC headquarters of National Public Radio, these septilingual flowers are amongst the most educated plants in the nation, second only to MIT's esteemed Atomic Floral Clock.

Hotel Batman

When Batman rescued America by defeating Two-Face during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the epic final battle took place on the rooftop of the Hotel Harrington - an honor they are sure to play up, even today.

No Bathing

In 1793, George Washington died of fever contracted after immersion in belladonna water, a popular custom at the time. Today, by tradition, there is no bathing allowed within 1000 yards of the Washington Monument. Be glad that the postcards aren't scratch-and-sniff.

Not Actually A Sidewalk

Tourists taking pictures on the sidewalk has become so common in DC that the word "sidewalk" has evolved into slang for "a photogenic tourist location." No one remembers who first coined the phrase, but police would like to speak with him or her concerning the increase in pedestrian-related injuries.

National Cathedral, Inc.

After enjoying great popularity with tourists, DC's National Cathedral has opened franchise locations around the city. Look for NatCath Inc to open a branch in your town very soon!

Bizarro Parking

No trip to historic DC is complete without a trip down Bizarro Street. THIS STREET AM NEVER NOT FUN ALWAYS! HELLO!

Requisite Self Shot

The area between RFD and the Brickskellar has been the site of so many drunken stumbles that psychic resonance has caused the environment to actually become blurry, so as to better adapt to its inhabitants.

Smithsonian Castle

When Lord Smithsonian first came to America, he brought his vast fortunes and his family's castle. However, after an ill-advised duel with Samuel Winchester, his possessions fell to the state - who, having no idea what to do with it all, decided to turn it into a public museum and be done with the entire issue.

Something Missing

The mortgage crisis in DC is so bad that many street gnomes have had their houses repossessed. Literally.

The Evening Star

Overshadowed by his brother Lucifer, the Morning Star of biblical legend, Noctifer decided to quit his job int he clergy and pursue a lower-profile career in banking. Sadly, many religious groups persist in branding his house in their highly ornate graffiti.

Tree and Tower

Unknown to most tourists, the Washington Monument has a terrible kudzu infestation, often covering the entire monument over the course of the night.

Waffle Halo

The distinctive waffle-like ceiling of the DC metro serves a dual purpose: it absorbs the sound of the trains, and it also collects butter and syrup for maximum flavor.

photo_photo

But if you're the photographer, who will photograph the photographer?

No, really, it was night!

Ah, light pollution!

Hard Hat Area

A very descriptive hard hat sign.

Albert Einstein's Feet

magnolia1

Hanging by a thread

Constitution Ave, that is.

Thou shalt not...

The list of things not to do at the WWII memorial. I quite like the icon for "NO running". Looks like the stick figure is getting clotheslined by the "NO" sign...

washington monument 1

more flowers

cherry blossoms

washington and cherry blossoms

potted magnolia

ooh! toys!

HPIM3938.JPG

The rare plastic-pointy-thing tree

more flowers

yet more flowers

more cherry blossoms

still more cherry blossoms

note from Big Brother

skateboards will be impounded

daffodils

or are they narcisusesusesusss....I give up.

The night. The street. The alley.

This is the sort of image I think of when I think of Journey. It feels like the sort of place a chaser would appear, menacing, like in the Glasnost Journey image (http://sf0.org/SFmedia/task_images/journey-flyer-2.gif)

Moving through the city