Washington National Airport Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is Washington DC's airport, now called Ronald Reagan Airport. It's located across the river in Arlington, VA. This is the new terminal completed a few years ago. I took this on a Saturday around 5pm which is apparently a very slow time given how few people are there. I took this shot because of the two flight attendants walking side by side in front of me. The architecture is based on Thomas Jefferson's love of domes and its use at his estate in Monticello. I uploaded a workshop looking the other way which you can see here.
Ironically enough Norbert Woehnl (nwoehnl) took this shot of Zurich on the exact same day. Then one day later Jean Yves Roure (PixelTerror) took this one of Frankfurt. I thought that was strangley coicidental.
This is the continuance of my series of places and people.

weswang, Emile, huynt, soulie, MarekP, PixelTerror, alford, nwoehnl, Tue, Jeppe, RegisMinot, papagolf21, supereira, photofarm, jhm, aloyho, jpages, ChrisJ, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

snuggleaphagus (4140) 2005-06-26 21:11

Fantastic reflections on the floor. You have achieved great sharpness and the colors are so wonderful they almost appear liquid.

Very buitiful shot and so very full of information. The awy the reflection son the floor are it almost looks like a riverwith the blues and aqua colors.

maphoto (8076) 2005-06-26 21:26

Nice presentation Stephen, good indoor shot and nice capture of the reflection on the floor, verygood sharpness and interesting graphically, well done.

nbournas (3223) 2005-06-26 21:34

Stephen and to continue with the series I was at National this morning. Did not take any pictures though. Very nice and crisp clear shot. Good job.

Emile (20151) 2005-06-27 0:09

Very interesting shot.
The reflections on the floor is what calls your attention but the contrasts of colors and sharpness are impressive.
Nice composition with so many details.
Excellent photo Stephen.

huynt (5077) 2005-06-27 1:06

Hi Stephen

Very nice and meaningful Pov.I wish for a best future in your great country as your great shot. All is perfect. Huy

MarekP (4744) 2005-06-27 4:12

Hi Stephen,
At the first sight I thought it's a Norbert's photo ;-) So similar style and great quality it is. Fantastic light and colours, excellent reflections. Very well done!

Thanks,
Marek

PixelTerror (86861) 2005-06-27 4:25

Hi Steve,
Funny notice about the shot dates, I saw Norbert's photo but it did not even come to my mind it was so close, BTW I flew several times in the US but I always travelled through Dulles, I don't like it very much, my fav of the US airports I've seen is O'Hare in Chicago. You got a good perspective in this one, all these metallic structres provide graphism and the stars and stripes add color, this is a similar point with your Grand Central photo, seems it has become common to display national colors in public places now.
Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

alford (3897) 2005-06-27 4:33

Wow! What sharpness! Very very colorful and sharp shot, Stephen! I think you've mastered your D70 now! The lighting and reflections are very beautiful! Informatives notes as well!rgds.

jemaflor (39759) 2005-06-27 5:53

Hi Stephen,
Nice perspective, superb light and color, great reflections ... a very good shot, well done.

AmiBe (6042) 2005-06-27 8:01

Hi Stephen,
good shot, I like the use of the wide angle, nice roof and POV.
Good exposure, too.
Maybe it would be better if the 2 flight attendants were closer.

weswang (18223) 2005-06-27 10:36

Hi Mr. DC, I have been DC many times by air, I have never get a chance landed in Ronald Reagan Airport. This is a nice indoor facing the bright light source shot. I like the perspective view, the reflections and the shadow in this picture. The blue sky and the blue lights inside made a nice match. A well taken picture with nice clarity, sharpness, and nice contrast.

nwoehnl (120) 2005-06-27 15:06

Hi Steve. Very cool interior photo from the airport - as you know, architectural interiors with good perspective and special lighting are among my favorite photo subjects, so there is a lot for me to find here. The flag makes a nice central interest, and the reflections on the squeaky clean floor are pretty stunning. Great job - and a fun coincidence with the close shooting dates of our three photos indeed.

Tue (25608) 2005-06-27 17:19

Hi Stephen,
This terminal-building looks like a very nice piece of modern architecture! I like all the lines and the light falling through the windows. Well done! :-D
Groetjes,
Lars

Jeppe (18623) 2005-06-27 17:35

You got this shot at very fine moment - I like the two flight attendants walking side by side - it gives a fine effect to watch them multiply in the reflections - I like the way you used you wideangle lens -great job - thanks Stephen.

Rockyboy (20582) 2005-06-27 17:57

I spent a little time at IAD airport last year but as I was in transit, I didn't saw this aera. Anyway, you framed very well the ceiling and the flag with a very good exposition. Well done, Stephen!

PJE (19533) 2005-06-27 23:03

Wow what a perfectly clear image. A masterpiece Stephen, I love the reflection in the clean floor..the flag and the flight personal. Very nice Stephen. All elements in this photo make it a great shot for an add brochure for this terminal. Kudos to you buddy !!!

RegisMinot (1317) 2005-06-27 23:25

Hi Steve
It is nice to capture the beauty of modern architecture and you did it well here, especially with the colours and the light which irradiates the terminal.The two parallel flight attendants is an interesting idea but they should be focused more closely if you would make a subject of this. I also suggest a small perspective correction. See workshop.
The other view in your workshop is also quite luminous and nice.

[workshop] [compare]

john_c (24635) 2005-06-27 23:36

Hello Stephen. Good use of the portrait format for this shot, as one sees the depth of the building. The cleaners here should be given kudos for the shine in the floor for the reflection you achieved. The silhouetted figures are well placed in the scene, luggage clearly visible. Clear and crisp and well composed. Regards. John.

Mafo (1339) 2005-06-28 3:41

Interesting presentatioin of airport Stephen!
Nice composition and very good reflection, good sharpnes!
Regards

papagolf21 (56765) 2005-06-28 4:46

Cher Stephen,
Vous allez me dire que je suis obsédé par les églises, mais si l'on regarde bien la couverture de cet aéroport, ne trouvez-vous pas qu'il y a une sorte de voûte à croisée d'ogives ? ! ;-))
La hauteur du bâtiment fait penser également à une nef d'église. Bon j'arrête mes élucubrations !
Je ne vois pas les hôtesses, parce que, il faut aussi regarder ce qui nous entoure ! ;-))
Très belle réalisation Stephen.
Amitiés.
Philippe

faubry (32429) 2005-06-28 5:04

superbe reflections!! beautiful colors, good sharpness
bravo
francine

supereira (9576) 2005-06-28 6:02

I like the composition and DOF.Very good colors,light and sharpness.I like the reflections.I like the detail of the persons.Great details.Well done!

jhm (83378) 2005-06-28 13:18

Hi Stephen,
Splendid interior shot, the depth and perspective are very nice, the stairs on the right hand give a very detail, the ceiling is wonderful.
Best regards,
John.

Galmeida (12559) 2005-06-28 20:47

Hi Stephen,
Difficult Thecnical Shot!
First: Vertical frame and capture 97 %. not 100% because is a possible right tilt in my monitor. The default is mine.
Reflections, colors and contrast = 99%.
Indoor shot is great!

All in one in a great and well done composition.

Great work and also a indoor difficult shot but very well done!

Fernando

Steft (5962) 2005-06-29 5:19

Very speical airport. I never have seen an airport like this, it looks very decorated. I like the high ceiling and the shiny floor. The photo is very sharp and the way the light is falling through the glass and reflecting (with two American flags) on the floor is a joy to look at.
Maybe it would be funny if you had caught the blur shapes of some people running to get their airplane.
Thanks for sharing, Stephen!

cam (8880) 2005-06-29 22:15

Impressive place and it ought to be,for the entrance to the capital.A city on my want to visit list.
You did a good job in capturing the immense scale of the place,thanks to the wide angle.I am starting to use this feature on my camera,and like the results.
It is effectively quiet but surely just the proverbial calm before the storm.
Charles

aloyho (6109) 2005-06-30 9:01

Hi Stephen,
This place has beautiful lighting conditions and as a result producing dramatic effect on the scene. You have captured it very well and this shot shows that careful handling makes it even better. It's interesting right from the ceiling to the floor. Brilliant shot!! Regards.

jpages (1670) 2005-06-30 16:13

Very good inside light, with a good definition and sharpness. The reflection, of course, is one of the main motive of the shot, and I like to see the two black (well... four, in this case) people in the center taking its suitcase. Good idea of incline the camara to see the ceiling and the sky.
Best regards.
Jaume

mumek (17510) 2005-06-30 21:29

Good evening Stephen!
You captured very nicely an interior of the Washington DC airport. Lovely light, interesting composition, super details and reflections. Very well done.Thanks for posting and thanks for the note
best regards
ziggy

ChrisJ (70443) 2005-07-01 3:36

Hi Stephen

I like the abstract, 8 legged spider, on the ceiling. (And no, I haven't been drinking!). The US flag is a colorful addition, & the reflections, in the highly polished stone floor, are superb. The stairs on the right provide a good diagonal. Well done!

premels (2400) 2005-07-02 12:12

Hi Stephen, Of all the airport pictures you kindly point to yours is the one I prefer. The luminous yellow structure and the reflections on that shiny floor are really great. The two persons with a trolley below the flag nicely animate the picture.

plimrn (19740) 2007-02-21 2:44

Hi Steve,
Your photo is clearly the best of the three; however, you may ahve bested yourself in the WS. While the flag and its reflection is very nice here; the domes and their reflection are pure magic to me. HLJ, Pat