One of Washington's lesser-known but most architecturally stunning attractions is the National Building Museum, originally known as the Pension Building. Constructed in the late 19th century to house the clerks responsible for processing pension checks for Civil War veterans, the museum features a breathtaking 12-story atrium supported by massive faux-marble columns, creating a monumental interior space that has served as the venue for Presidential inauguration celebrations.
With its graceful fountain, soaring columns, and expansive atrium, the National Building Museum offers exceptional opportunities for learning architectural photography, including experimenting with depth of field, shutter priorities, and the relationship between lens choice and spatial perspective.
This exterior and interior architectural photography workshop, led by architectural photographer E. David Luria begins outside in Judiciary Square, where participants photograph the impressive National Law Enforcement Memorial with the museum as a dramatic backdrop. The group then moves to photograph the striking exterior of the museum itself before heading inside to work from the upper floors and explore the architecturally distinctive interior spaces, concluding with a visit to one of the current exhibits.
Your workshop fee includes museum admission and access to all exhibits, including the special photography exhibition: Alan Karchmer: The Architects' Photographer, which focuses on Karchmer's iconic documentation of works by some of the world's most influential designers and firms, along with personal images and artifacts that illuminate his creative practice. Karchmer, one of the premier architectural photographers in the Washington, DC area, has bequeathed his professional archives to the museum's permanent collection.
Basic equipment for quality architectural photography:
- Any camera works, though for best results we recommend a DSLR or mirrorless camera of at least 10 megapixels
- Wide-angle lens: 12-18mm or 10-20mm for digital DX cameras; 14-24mm or 16-24mm for full-frame FX cameras
- Circular polarizer filter
- Telephoto lenses are also useful for capturing fine architectural detail
- Tripods are optional
Your camera should have the ability to manually adjust shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and white balance settings.
