WOW! I had such a fun and adventurous shoot with Justin and Aliya in Washington DC! It was freezing cold and raining...snowing...but they were troopers...so they decided to keep the shoot. We met under the Lincoln Memorial to try and stay warm. I arrived early and set up my gear. Multiple police officers passed me and never said a word. When Justin and Aliya arrived one officer figured I was going to take pictures of them and then decided he had some words for me.
The officer walked over to me and told to get my tripod off the floor. It wasn't even set up...but he didn't want it on the floor. I picked it up at which point he told me no photography is allowed in the Memorial. I complied and set my tripod back on the ground so I could pick up it's bag. That's when he got mad at me...
He tells me to get out of there and I complied. Before we walked down the steps to the reflection pool that you see in the pictures I wanted to know what we were allowed to do as to not get in trouble. That's when he pulled his Robert Deniro impersonation and asked me, "Do you know what I can do to you?" I responded (not sarcastically).."I have a pretty good idea."
He then asked me, "Are you trying to be smart with me? What can I do to you?" I responded, "I'm not sure, but I know I won't like it." He told me commercial photography isn't allowed inside the monuments....so I thanked him for the heads up and we left. While walking down the steps of the memorial all heck broke loose...
The steps had iced over...I had my Nikon D2XS with flash around my shoulder, my infrared (Fuji IS10) around my neck, camera bag in left hand, tripod in right hand, external turbo battery attached to the flash, and two lenses in my coat pockets....and that's when I made the steps my version of a slip and slide...
I was walking...and then I was sliding...it all happened fast. Went sliding down and really sacrificed body for gear. I slid down about 10 steps and then I hear Aliya's voice as she has now started sliding down the steps! I turn around and she's coming right for me. I put up my hand and helped her stop.
I then checked gear and nothing appeared too bad. A bystander said, "Man, that was amazing." I replied, "What, my grace as I fell down?" He said, "No, your willingness to sacrifice your body for your camera...that was amazing."
Luckily all was fine except for a crack on the view glass of my Nikon. We decided to find shelter...it was raining and turning into ice. We walked towards Washington Monument and found a beautiful structure that was dry inside and free of other people. We started the shoot there and I have to give Justin and Aliya credit...it was freezing but they took their coats and scarfs off and were wonderful models.
We finished there and got some great shots in front of the reflection pool. While walking over there we were surprised that even the dirt was iced over! Towards the end of the shoot it REALLY started to rain hard and everytime I fired the flash you would see tons of rain drops everywhere...it was really cool.
A huge thanks to Justin and Aliya for making it possible. I will never forget the shoot for as long as I live and I'll always remember what he can do to me.....!
The officer walked over to me and told to get my tripod off the floor. It wasn't even set up...but he didn't want it on the floor. I picked it up at which point he told me no photography is allowed in the Memorial. I complied and set my tripod back on the ground so I could pick up it's bag. That's when he got mad at me... He tells me to get out of there and I complied. Before we walked down the steps to the reflection pool that you see in the pictures I wanted to know what we were allowed to do as to not get in trouble. That's when he pulled his Robert Deniro impersonation and asked me, "Do you know what I can do to you?" I responded (not sarcastically).."I have a pretty good idea." He then asked me, "Are you trying to be smart with me? What can I do to you?" I responded, "I'm not sure, but I know I won't like it." He told me commercial photography isn't allowed inside the monuments....so I thanked him for the heads up and we left. While walking down the steps of the memorial all heck broke loose...
The steps had iced over...I had my Nikon D2XS with flash around my shoulder, my infrared (Fuji IS10) around my neck, camera bag in left hand, tripod in right hand, external turbo battery attached to the flash, and two lenses in my coat pockets....and that's when I made the steps my version of a slip and slide...
I was walking...and then I was sliding...it all happened fast. Went sliding down and really sacrificed body for gear. I slid down about 10 steps and then I hear Aliya's voice as she has now started sliding down the steps! I turn around and she's coming right for me. I put up my hand and helped her stop.
I then checked gear and nothing appeared too bad. A bystander said, "Man, that was amazing." I replied, "What, my grace as I fell down?" He said, "No, your willingness to sacrifice your body for your camera...that was amazing."
Luckily all was fine except for a crack on the view glass of my Nikon. We decided to find shelter...it was raining and turning into ice. We walked towards Washington Monument and found a beautiful structure that was dry inside and free of other people. We started the shoot there and I have to give Justin and Aliya credit...it was freezing but they took their coats and scarfs off and were wonderful models.
We finished there and got some great shots in front of the reflection pool. While walking over there we were surprised that even the dirt was iced over! Towards the end of the shoot it REALLY started to rain hard and everytime I fired the flash you would see tons of rain drops everywhere...it was really cool.
A huge thanks to Justin and Aliya for making it possible. I will never forget the shoot for as long as I live and I'll always remember what he can do to me.....!