I have lived and worked in the D.C. area for most of my life and taken countless thousands of photos here. (please see more text and photos below)
Want to see another ISBAA post with a Black and White D.C. Photo, please check out Early Morning on the National Mall
The central area of The Nation’s Capital is not the most colorful place in the world. Most of the federal buildings appear to be either a different shade of grey or a gradient of marble white. On many days you really need dawn’s early light or a clear sunset to add color to many of these buildings, yet most of the downtown buildings have compelling designs.
The two photos above were taken late one winter’s afternoon in an archway next to a subway station in what is referred to as The Federal Triangle area of D.C. Which do you prefer, the color or black and white version?
This photo ( in color above, black and white below) was take-in the same location but looking towards the Old Post Office Pavillion. The color in the top photo is nice, but do you get a better look at the building in the version below as you are not distracted by the color?
The holiday season is all but wrapped up, but you can still take one more look at your national Christmas Tree outside the U.S. Capitol building here.
These final three photos were taken outside the Hirshhorn Museum next to the National Mall in Washington. These photos were more black and white from the start so I kept them that way.I also throw these in to point out how fun it can be to see how many different ways you can frame the key landmarks in Washington from different vantage point. 
Related articles/ Black and White Photography
- Taking on Black and White Photography (ninahaighphotography.wordpress.com)
- Flowers in Black and White? (iseebeautyallaround.com)
- Here It Is In Black & White (give me details & proper skin tones and I’m happy) (recklesspixels.wordpress.com)
- Anyone want a challenge? (community.spiceworks.com)
- All Things Black and White (rhiannonsinteriors.com)
- Black and white or color? (thesacramentophotog.wordpress.com)
- In Black and White (singhcircle.com)
- The struggle between Color and Black and White. (worldofparis.wordpress.com
)
I See Beauty All Around 
I so love them in bnw but chose the color. I Like the beige tone on tone of the first pic and the blue sky is so dramatic in the other. The first pic is fantastic, but I love all your pics!!
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I did choose b & w, but I do think there is room for both having said that b & w is often dramatic, stripping away distractions leaving the detail…
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Some are better in B&W and some are better in color. It depends on what you are going for and how you compose the picture. 🙂 My vote is both.
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thanks so much for adding to the conversation nancy, I appreciate your comment,Rob
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I prefer your BW pics, they are very good!
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I love the shots from the sculpture garden of the Hirshhorn museum. There is something really special about sculpture, especially in an outdoor setting, because of the way that you can look at it from different angles and in different light and the sculptures seem to be completely different. Your poll made it tough, because you were asking for a global response based on a limited sample. If you show photos of the cherry blossoms in bloom at the tidal basin, you might get a different response.
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That is a great point Mike! Thanks for the comment, Rob
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I think every town suits in b&w and these photos shows that. Of course the colored ones are great to, but I prefer the b&w.
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Love the B&W, Rob. 🙂
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Colors are great but black and white always has it’s very own unique drama.
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Reblogged this on SinghCircle.
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