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The Court of Neptune, the fountain at the front of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress adds a dramatic note to the building. Passersby enjoy the play of the jets of water on the majestic bearded and muscular king of the sea; his sons the tritons blowing conches; the frolicking, horseback-riding Nereids (sea nymphs); and the water-spouting turtles, frogs, and sea serpent, placed in front of a grotto-like wall. The tritons and the seahorses have fish tails instead of legs. The horse, sacred to Neptune, symbolizes water. The figures are heroic in size; Neptune would be 12 feet tall if standing. The details of the figures are beautifully modeled and the active poses are life-like. The energetic lines of the waving hair and manes, the galloping feet, and the twisting bodies add to the sense of movement created by the jets of water.
I took this on a very still morning right before blue hour. My previous photo posted was taken on the same morning closer to sunrise. I typically try to photograph the Capitol each holiday season and it's a bonus when a very clear reflection is possible. This is probably the clearest one I've caught.
Explored: December 22, 2023
Moon sequence of last Friday night's 94% Snow Moon rising over the US Capitol from the Netherlands Carillon. The moons on this image were taken over the course of 18 minutes. The clouds were thicker as it climbed, and it disappeared completely a few minutes after the last frame shown here. Since there were some clouds, I think it's interesting to see how the moon burns right through the lower clouds, while it is progressively covered as it climbs.
Explored: February 22, 2025
MILLION FAMILY MARCH RALLY at US Capitol West Lawn in Washington DC on Monday morning, 16 October 2000 by Elvert Barnes Protest Photography
Event No. 00.56
Film Roll 2/17
MFM Rally
US Capitol West Lawn
Monday, 16 October 2000
Learn more about the MILLION FAMILY MARCH at Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Family_March
Visit Elvert Barnes MILLION MAN MARCH ongoing project at elvertbarnes.com/MMM
Visit Elvert Banres PROTEST PHOTOGRAPHY at elvertbarnes.com/protestphotography
Digging through old files and found this one from 2007 taken from the Tidal Basin when the sun rises over Capitol through the Maryland Avenue gap.
Nikon D2x, 800mm Nikkor PC lens
ISO 400, f/22 at 1/500 second
Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC. (10/1/2017)
The dome was designed by Thomas U. Walter, the fourth Architect of the Capitol, and constructed between 1855 and 1866. The dome is not stone, but cast iron carefully painted to appear to be made of the same stone as the main capitol building. It is actually two domes, one inside the other, and the total weight is 14.1 million pounds (6,400 t).
So I stayed around a little longer to check out the sunset. I figured it was going to be good one after all the rain we got. Plus that epic double rainbow still had my shutter-clicking finger itchin’ for some more.
I just have to do a retake on this one... last time I went here, they were doing some restoration on the dome. Some info: "The Apotheosis of Washington is the fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building." - wikipedia
A picture of my Christmas tree ornament I bought back in the day during one of my many visits to the US Capitol. Unfortunately, on Jan 6th, 2021, a mob decided that laws don't apply to them and overran and killed law enforcement officers. It was, and still is a tragic day modern day US History.
Regardless of what does or does not happen inside this building, it’s still a splendid piece of architecture.
US Capitol building from the west lawn. It was an overcast Sunday afternoon and the "Freedom Convoy" was camped out in Maryland so everyone was on edge. No flags are flying on either the Senate (left) or House sides signifying neither were in session.
Designed by amateur architect William Thornton after a competition in 1793 and was completed in 1800. An expansion in 1850 doubled the size of the building and the "Bullfinch Dome" woo and copper clad dome was replace with the current cast iron "wedding cake" dome designed by Thomas U. Walter.