Commemorating the 144th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Posts Tagged ‘2009’
2009 World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament at Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas
The Flip Cup Guys would like to congratulate the Two Finger Fanatics from Washington DC for winning the 2009 World’s Largest Flip Cup Tournament! They will be heading to Negril, Jamaica courtesy of SunSplashTours.com. Flipside Athletic Club, Flip Cup Dallas and 5 Guys and a Tranny took home 2nd, 3rd and 4th place, respectively. Jim Davis, a member of the Two Finger Fanatics, won the World’s Largest Survivor Flip Cup Tournament, beating out 79 other flippers to win a free cruise on VH1′s Best Cruise Ever featuring 3 Doors Down, Lifehouse and Shine A Light. Thanks to all of the teams who made it out to Hooters Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.
As an individual, I am uploading this for informational value, I do not endorse any beliefs held in this speech. – Esoteric Riddler Introductory Note: Benjamin H. Freedman was one of the most intriguing and amazing individuals of the 20th century. Mr. Freedman, born in 1890, was a successful Jewish businessman of New York City who was at one time the principal owner of the Woodbury Soap Company. He broke with organized Jewry after the Judeo-Communist victory of 1945, and spent the remainder of his life and the great preponderance of his considerable fortune, at least 2.5 million dollars, exposing the Jewish tyranny which has enveloped the United States. Mr. Freedman knew what he was talking about because he had been an insider at the highest levels of Jewish organizations and Jewish machinations to gain power over our nation. Mr. Freedman was personally acquainted with Bernard Baruch, Samuel Untermyer, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy, and many more movers and shakers of our times. This speech was given before a patriotic audience in 1961 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, on behalf of Conde McGinley’s patriotic newspaper of that time, Common Sense. Though in some minor ways this wide-ranging and extemporaneous speech has become dated, Mr. Freedman’s essential message to us — his warning to the West — is more urgent than ever before.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 03
Check out these Washington music images:
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 03
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published in a Mar 30, 2011 blog titled "Download Immigration Tango Movie Free."
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 45
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published in an undated (Mar 2010) "Vi.sualize.us" blog with the same title as the caption that I used for this Flickr page.
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
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Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 74
Some cool Washington music images:
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 74
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published as an illustration in an Aug 2009 Squidoo blog titled "Dance Workout."
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 68
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published as an illustration in an Aug 2009 Squidoo blog titled "Dance Workout."
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
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4th of July Fireworks, National Mall, Washington DC, 2009
Washington DC, July 4, 2009–Independence Day Fireworks at the National Mall, as seen from Virginia Route 110 near Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, Virginia. Original video recorded on a Samsung SC-MX10. Music: “The Army Goes Rolling Along” performed by The US Army Band “Marines’ Hymn” performed by The US Marine Band “Anchors Aweigh” performed by The US Navy Band “The US Air Force” performed by The US Air Force Band “Semper Paratus” performed by The US Coast Guard Band “Semper Fidelis” performed by The US Marine Band “National Emblem” performed by The US Marine Band “The Washington Post” performed by The US Marine Band “Thunderer” performed by The US Marine Band “The Stars and Stripes Forever” performed by The US Marine Band All of the music recordings are Public Domain in the US, because as recordings by The US Army Band, The US Marine Band, The US Navy Band, The US Air Force Band, and the US Coast Guard Band, they are works of the United States government not subject to copyright.
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WIBC 2009 FRANK WICKES Introduction
Frank Wickes guest conducted the 4 Western International Band Clinic honor bands during the 2009 Convention held in Seattle, Washington (Nov. 20-23). The bands performed “English Country Settings, Little Organ Suite, Pageant, and Courtly Airs and Dances.”
My first project that I made on iMovie. Here is my countdown of my favorite top ten christian metal(core) bands. 1. As I Lay Dying – Vacancy 2. August Burns Red – Meddler 3. The Devil Wears Prada – Assistant To The Regional Manager 4. Underoath – It’s Dangerous Business Just Walking Out Your Front Door 5. Demon Hunter – Just Breathe 6. Haste The Day – Wake Up The Sun 7. Blessed By A Broken Heart – Carry On 8. Oh, Sleeper – The Finisher 9. MyChildren MyBride – Lost Boy 10. I, The Breather – High Rise Christ*Centered*Music
Video Rating: 5 / 5
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Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 31
Some cool Washington music images:
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 31
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 62
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
Bookmark To
Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument, Aug 2009 – 02
A few nice Washington Monument images I found:
Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument, Aug 2009 – 02
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published in a Feb 16, 2011 blog titled "Pack Up Your Bags: These 20 Cities Are On A Hiring Spree."
***********************************
How do you go about photographing something that’s already been photographed a gazillion times, like statues or monuments or the Eiffel Tower? Well, I thought one possibility would be to catch some interesting shades of late-afternoon light — so I showed up at the Lincoln Memorial, in downtown Washington, an hour before sunset. I’m so oblivious that I thought the statue of Lincoln would be facing west, and would thus catch the golden glow of the sun. But it faces east, which makes perfectly good sense when you realize that it’s set up so that Lincoln is gazing along the length of the Reflecting Pool, toward the Washington Monument.
And since the sun was already behind the backside of the Lincoln Memorial building, the inner room where Lincoln was sitting was already in deep shadow. Frustrated, I decided to create a few 5-shot HDR composites of the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument. And then I photographed the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial, with the happy coincidence of a jet airplane flying overhead to show the contrast between old and new. I also photographed a young teenage girl, who appeared to be pouting on a nearby park bench, as if to say she really didn’t want to be there at all … and that was about as much as I could do.
I came back two days later at the beginning of the day, half an hour before sunrise. It was a good opportunity to get some dawn photos of the reflecting pool and the memorials, and it was also interesting to see the early-morning joggers and tourists. Indeed, I had two interesting little encounters while I was wandering around; I’ve provided the details in the comments for the relevant photos. I was hoping I might get some good photos of early-morning sunlight streaming into the Lincoln Memorial, but it quickly became evident that it would be another hour or two before the sun was high enough; and since the sky looked a little hazy near the horizon, I wasn’t sure there would be any strong rays of sunlight anyway.
So I decided that I’d had enough — and by 6:30 AM, I was all done, and it was time to return to my hotel for breakfast before heading off to my "day job." I’m still hoping to get some good sunlight shots of the various buildings, but that will have to wait for some other day…
Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument, Aug 2009 – 14
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
***********************************
How do you go about photographing something that’s already been photographed a gazillion times, like statues or monuments or the Eiffel Tower? Well, I thought one possibility would be to catch some interesting shades of late-afternoon light — so I showed up at the Lincoln Memorial, in downtown Washington, an hour before sunset. I’m so oblivious that I thought the statue of Lincoln would be facing west, and would thus catch the golden glow of the sun. But it faces east, which makes perfectly good sense when you realize that it’s set up so that Lincoln is gazing along the length of the Reflecting Pool, toward the Washington Monument.
And since the sun was already behind the backside of the Lincoln Memorial building, the inner room where Lincoln was sitting was already in deep shadow. Frustrated, I decided to create a few 5-shot HDR composites of the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument. And then I photographed the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial, with the happy coincidence of a jet airplane flying overhead to show the contrast between old and new. I also photographed a young teenage girl, who appeared to be pouting on a nearby park bench, as if to say she really didn’t want to be there at all … and that was about as much as I could do.
I came back two days later at the beginning of the day, half an hour before sunrise. It was a good opportunity to get some dawn photos of the reflecting pool and the memorials, and it was also interesting to see the early-morning joggers and tourists. Indeed, I had two interesting little encounters while I was wandering around; I’ve provided the details in the comments for the relevant photos. I was hoping I might get some good photos of early-morning sunlight streaming into the Lincoln Memorial, but it quickly became evident that it would be another hour or two before the sun was high enough; and since the sky looked a little hazy near the horizon, I wasn’t sure there would be any strong rays of sunlight anyway.
So I decided that I’d had enough — and by 6:30 AM, I was all done, and it was time to return to my hotel for breakfast before heading off to my "day job." I’m still hoping to get some good sunlight shots of the various buildings, but that will have to wait for some other day…
Bookmark To
Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument, Aug 2009 – 08
Check out these Washington Monument images:
Lincoln Memorial/Washington Monument, Aug 2009 – 08
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
***********************************
How do you go about photographing something that’s already been photographed a gazillion times, like statues or monuments or the Eiffel Tower? Well, I thought one possibility would be to catch some interesting shades of late-afternoon light — so I showed up at the Lincoln Memorial, in downtown Washington, an hour before sunset. I’m so oblivious that I thought the statue of Lincoln would be facing west, and would thus catch the golden glow of the sun. But it faces east, which makes perfectly good sense when you realize that it’s set up so that Lincoln is gazing along the length of the Reflecting Pool, toward the Washington Monument.
And since the sun was already behind the backside of the Lincoln Memorial building, the inner room where Lincoln was sitting was already in deep shadow. Frustrated, I decided to create a few 5-shot HDR composites of the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument. And then I photographed the steps leading up to the Lincoln Memorial, with the happy coincidence of a jet airplane flying overhead to show the contrast between old and new. I also photographed a young teenage girl, who appeared to be pouting on a nearby park bench, as if to say she really didn’t want to be there at all … and that was about as much as I could do.
I came back two days later at the beginning of the day, half an hour before sunrise. It was a good opportunity to get some dawn photos of the reflecting pool and the memorials, and it was also interesting to see the early-morning joggers and tourists. Indeed, I had two interesting little encounters while I was wandering around; I’ve provided the details in the comments for the relevant photos. I was hoping I might get some good photos of early-morning sunlight streaming into the Lincoln Memorial, but it quickly became evident that it would be another hour or two before the sun was high enough; and since the sky looked a little hazy near the horizon, I wasn’t sure there would be any strong rays of sunlight anyway.
So I decided that I’d had enough — and by 6:30 AM, I was all done, and it was time to return to my hotel for breakfast before heading off to my "day job." I’m still hoping to get some good sunlight shots of the various buildings, but that will have to wait for some other day…
Bookmark To
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 33
A few nice Washington music images I found:
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 33
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
Last tango in Washington, Aug 2009 – 51
Image by Ed Yourdon
(more details later, as time permits)
*****************************
Every photographer knows that serendipity doesn’t announce its arrival in advance; if and when it occurs, you better have your camera with you, or the moment will be lost. In my case, it occurred just before 8 PM the other night, when my taxi deposited me back at my downtown Washington hotel after a rather frustrating and inconclusive effort at photographing elsewhere (the results of which may or may not appear on Flickr at some point in the future).
I heard music behind me, out in a square on Pennsylvania Avenue known as "Freedom Plaza," and turned to see what it was. Tango music was coming from a couple of speakers that had been set up, and people were dancing out on the square, in the soft dusk that was falling over the city. I strolled across the street to see what was going on, and was stunned by the simplicity and the beauty of the scene: a few dozen people dancing the intricate coda and rhythm of the tango, with Pennsylvania Avenue behind them, and the U.S. Capitol as a backdrop to it all.
I knew nothing about the individuals photographed here, and I know even less about the tango. But I could see that it was a tight-knit community, and that they took their dancing very seriously. What struck me most was the diversity of the community: young and old, tall and short, handsome and beautiful mixing with the not-so-handsome and not-so-beautiful, and various races and ethnic backgrounds. I eventually spoke to one of the dancers, who told me that, over the years, several of the people in the group had danced in various other parts of Washington; but they’ve been coming here, she said, to 14th Street and Pennyslvania Avenue, for at least 10 years. And I imagine they’ll keep coming for many years into the future.
I sat quietly in one place; I would like to have moved around, to photograph people from different angles and perspectives. But I didn’t want to bother them, didn’t want to interfere with the magical aura they were creating. All I could do was wait for them to whirl and flow and glide past me, and then do my best to capture what I was seeing. I took about 225 photos before it got too dark to continue — and many of the pictures were shot at ISO 3200 and a very slow speed, so they may be a little soft and noisy. But about a third of them were keepers; and that’s what you’ll see in this album.
By the way, when I gave up photographing and went back to my hotel, I spent another hour eating a quiet dinner in the restaurant. And when I went back up to my room at 9:45, I discovered that my room, on the 7th floor, faced out over the square … and they were all still out there, in the dark, still dancing. As the narrator said at the very end of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, "… and some people dance."
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