- Ask Us About This Safari
- Night Safari
- 2.5 Hours
Take postcard-worthy photos as the sun sets from the top of the Washington Monument and night photos of the World War II Memorial and the Reflecting Pool.
Quick Details
When you fly into Reagan Washington National Airport from the north, coming down the Potomac River, you get a fleeting glimpse of the DC area. If you are sitting on the right side of your plane you see the Arlington Skyline and then the Pentagon. If you are lucky enough to sit on the left side of the plane, you see all the beautiful monuments and the Capitol on the National Mall. Your view last about 30 seconds and then it’s gone! If the plane’s wing is not in the way, you might even get a picture!
Now you can experience that view at your leisure with your feet planted firmly on the ground AND get beautiful pictures of the city by joining us for this exciting new photo Safari from the 35th floor rooftop Observatory Deck of the Central Place Tower in Arlington VA, just slightly west of the airplane flight paths.
To the Southeast there is the Pentagon and National Airport. To the northeast you see the beautiful National Mall with all the monuments. To the north you see the Kennedy Center, the Watergate complex, the Potomac River, Roosevelt island, Washington Harbor, Georgetown University and, in the far distance, Washington National Cathedral.
The 12,000 square foot Central Place Tower observation deck has two levels, one is an outside level with huge 10 feet tall and 3 inch thick glass panels designed to keep you from falling down into the city but, as a favor to photographers, they have graciously put 3 inch wide gaps in between the panes that are just wide enough for a camera lens to look through and get an unobstructed view of the city!
Our Safari begins with a brief orientation on architectural photography by Washington Photo Safari director E. David Luria. as we meet outside the Rosslyn Metro station, right across North Lynne Street from the Central Place tower. Then we will walk down to Key Bridge to get great views of Georgetown University, Washington Harbor and the Potomac River.
We then return to the Central Place Tower and rise up the elevators which themselves offer great views of the city as they zip up to the 35th floor.
We will spend time up in the tower taking as many pictures as you like as Mr. Luria guides you in composition, exposure, white balance and other settings to give you the best pictures.
True to our tradition of only taking you to the BEST places in town for photography, this safari is available only to the first 8 photographers who apply.
Recommended equipment: DSLR or mirrorless camera with adjustable shutter speeds, Manual Mode, no tripods allowed We also recommend a $58 Lens Skirt available from B and H Photo Video to block reflections of lights in the windows when shooting through them. If you do not have one, Mr., Luria will lend you his!
COVID-19 Special Note: With the advent of the virulent Omnicron variant, and in the interest of keeping all our clients safe and healthy in this confined indoor space, we do require that all persons attending this safari be masked, fully vaccinated, and boosted.
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- Camera
- Lenses
- Extra memory cards
- Extra charged battery
- Accessories such as filters
- Weather appropriate clothing
Tripods are not allowed on the Observation Deck, so if you bring one, you will not be allowed to take it with you.
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Meet just outside of Rosslyn Metro station exit on N. Lynn Street, Blue/Orange/Silver Lines. Here is a map!
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E. David Luria is founder and director of the Washington Photo Safari, which has trained over 41,500 amateur photographers – an average of 5 people every day, 365 days a year, since it was founded in 1999. Trained in Paris by a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Mr. Luria is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers and the Society of Photographic Educators and has had his images of DC appear in over 100 publications, calendars, and postcards and on 30 magazine covers.