the library of congress: look something up, or just look up

From the monuments and memorials to its great civic and government buildings, DC is full of amazing architecture, but in my opinion the city has two absolute gems - places where I can get lost standing still. One is the Library of Congress - this is just the foyer! Next time I'm in town I'll try to get a shot of the main reading room - and my other favorite structure, the National Cathedral.

Someone has turned this photo into a pretty fun puzzle, which can be found here.

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Comments

frackers23 says:

This looks so amazing!! If not for the two people in the bottom left-hand corner, I would've guessed it to be a marvelous painting rather than an actual place.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

well, glad i decided to post the one with these strangers in it! :-)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

niddler says:

Surely there's a bit of HDR going on there...?

--
Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

pixability says:

so crisp and clear, must be some exposure blending. To a fantastic result.

--
Seen in 1-2-3 .
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

kahala says:

witty title, tantalizing description, and a beautiful shot!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

Niddler and pixability: no hdr; in fact, just a handheld snapshot - it helped that I was borrowing my father's camera, but nothing fancy here other than exaggerating the contrast a bit - never even touched the saturation. I still can't figure out why the columns turned out so blue, but perhaps the sunset did it. Its hard to take a bad photo in the room - click either of the tags; you'll see.

Kahala: thanks! Never thought of the play on "looking up" in the title, but so glad you pointed it out (btw: this proves that you're much wittier than me). Concerning the tantalizing description; I actually doubt I'll ever try to take a shot of my other favorite, the National Cathedral - its too large, too detailed, and I recently came across a shot that is better than I honestly thought possible:
www.flickr.com/photos/since1968/99386038/
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

bizele says:

wonderful color and testure.
2for2
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

kasmil says:

beautiful place and great shot,
perfect colors and details:)
from the (2for2) group
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

mailcarlinhos says:

Man I have to check that out. I have only been to DC a couple of times... Next time I am there is is on my list. Beautiful shot.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

LR_PTY says:

Excellent shot
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

kisses are a better fate than wisdom says:

wow!!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

thanks for all the nice comments and favorite! Note: I edited the title a bit to play off of Kahala's clever remark (originally: "looking up, library of congress").
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

pdxsean says:

Beautiful colors. The little people at the bottom add that extra little bit that makes it even better. Very nice shot.

Karma
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Dancing Fish says:

How would anyone ever get any work done in this place when they've got so much to gaze at? And does everyone that walks in through the front door end up with a bad neck?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

Sean: yes, I took a few others that got the perspective on the columns a bit better, but when I realized the happy accident of these people slipping into the shot, it became my favorite of the lot.

Jane: There's actually a separate entrance for researchers and employees - this foyer is just for the tourists and gawkers like myself. The other rooms are different, but in many ways equally distracting in their beauty and detail. I usually study at the far more, well... pragmatic MLK public library when I'm in town. A very nice and representative shot of its lobby, for contrast:
www.flickr.com/photos/lauraeagin/268934985/
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Yun Ping says:

Looking up always
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

Yun: yep - always good to look up. Who knows what we may be missing!
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

SkyShaper says:

this is magical, you a magician?
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

well, now that you ask... I do have certain powers with sand:

Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

SkyShaper says:

gasp !
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

sunrizr says:

this is beautiful
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

OZinOH says:

Hi, I'm the admin for a group called Library of Congress, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

sure, thanks for the invite.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

lemon hound says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Books & Portraits, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

looks like an appropriate group - thanks for the invite!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Man vyi says:

Thank you for using a license that has enabled an upload to Wikimedia Commons!
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Library_of_C ongress_ceil...
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

sandcastlematt says:

that's really cool - had never heard of wikimedia commons, but it looks like a great idea. I'm flattered to see this photo end up there.
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

juanitoscout says:

Really nice definition. I don't mind the two people at the lower left - they add to the photograph. ;-)
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

yippee skippy says:

This is truly a "great" pic. Specifically, this is the ceiling of the "Great Hall" in the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congres.
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken on November 24, 2006

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the library of congress: look something up, or just look up

Comments

frackers23 says:

sandcastlematt says:

niddler says:

pixability says:

kahala says:

sandcastlematt says:

bizele says:

kasmil says:

mailcarlinhos says:

LR_PTY says:

kisses are a better fate than wisdom says:

sandcastlematt says:

pdxsean says:

Dancing Fish says:

sandcastlematt says:

Yun Ping says:

sandcastlematt says:

SkyShaper says:

sandcastlematt says:

SkyShaper says:

sunrizr says:

OZinOH says:

sandcastlematt says:

lemon hound says:

sandcastlematt says:

Man vyi says:

sandcastlematt says:

juanitoscout says:

yippee skippy says:

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