What better way to resurrect the Scot-Spot after a long hiatus than to talk about flowers. What can I say, I'm all about nature. There is nothing more peaceful than walking through a beautiful garden on a sunny afternoon.
However, when it comes to cherry trees, thousands of others agree, as evidenced during the 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. Due to the warm weather, the trees bloomed earlier than usual, peaking on March 23. How I came to be here on this fabulous day is a tale of random, wanton spontaneity, sprinkled with a touch of boredom.
I had purchased a Nikon D5100 as an early Christmas present last November, but I really hadn't put it to good use yet. I had tested it out on random things, such as the sky, abandoned buildings and squirrels, but really didn't use it to its fullest potential. Knowing that the festival was fast approaching, I thought it would be the best venue to try it out for sure. I knew the vivid colors of the flowers and blossoms under an azure sky would be a lovely subject.
Little would I know that because of the aforementioned early peak, my window for the best photos was very short. That, coupled with a very unfavorable weather report for the following weekend, spurred me to act quickly. Luckily, I was blessed with a ridiculously light workload for a Friday. So, I had packed all my gear in the car the night before in anticipation for booting it towards Washington as soon as the shackles were released.
Having grown up in the area, I knew full well driving into town would be a sadomasochistic exercise. Anarchy reigns during the festival. To this end, Metro was my salvation. Of course, once I arrived at the Tidal Basin, the grounds were writhing with the mass exodus of the unwashed yuppie masses. It seems that at least once a year most people feel compelled to return to worship the sun god and woodland spirits, as our ancestors of old. I suppose I was no different.
I completed a lap around the Tidal Basin, fighting the tides of tourists who didn't seem to know which direction they wanted to go. The whole time it seemed I was a small boat tossed about on the stormy seas. And I didn't even have the Captain to share my misery with.
Truth be told, it really was an enjoyable experience. I'd like to thank the gentleman who, as I was setting up the camera and tripod by the Washington Monument, shook my hand and wished me a blessed day. All because I said I was doing this for my blog. Flowers really do bring out the best in people.
However, when it comes to cherry trees, thousands of others agree, as evidenced during the 2012 Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. Due to the warm weather, the trees bloomed earlier than usual, peaking on March 23. How I came to be here on this fabulous day is a tale of random, wanton spontaneity, sprinkled with a touch of boredom.
I had purchased a Nikon D5100 as an early Christmas present last November, but I really hadn't put it to good use yet. I had tested it out on random things, such as the sky, abandoned buildings and squirrels, but really didn't use it to its fullest potential. Knowing that the festival was fast approaching, I thought it would be the best venue to try it out for sure. I knew the vivid colors of the flowers and blossoms under an azure sky would be a lovely subject.
Little would I know that because of the aforementioned early peak, my window for the best photos was very short. That, coupled with a very unfavorable weather report for the following weekend, spurred me to act quickly. Luckily, I was blessed with a ridiculously light workload for a Friday. So, I had packed all my gear in the car the night before in anticipation for booting it towards Washington as soon as the shackles were released.
Having grown up in the area, I knew full well driving into town would be a sadomasochistic exercise. Anarchy reigns during the festival. To this end, Metro was my salvation. Of course, once I arrived at the Tidal Basin, the grounds were writhing with the mass exodus of the unwashed yuppie masses. It seems that at least once a year most people feel compelled to return to worship the sun god and woodland spirits, as our ancestors of old. I suppose I was no different.
I completed a lap around the Tidal Basin, fighting the tides of tourists who didn't seem to know which direction they wanted to go. The whole time it seemed I was a small boat tossed about on the stormy seas. And I didn't even have the Captain to share my misery with.
Truth be told, it really was an enjoyable experience. I'd like to thank the gentleman who, as I was setting up the camera and tripod by the Washington Monument, shook my hand and wished me a blessed day. All because I said I was doing this for my blog. Flowers really do bring out the best in people.
