Photos of national monuments and icons

So you’re spending the summer visiting national monuments — nothing beats a trip to the Liberty Bell or the White House or the Capitol building for your summer vacation. If you’re going to be stuck in the car visiting our country’s national treasures, be sure to bring along your digital camera and make the most of your trip
Many people think that it’s boring photographing national monuments. So many people visit them every year that many pictures end up looking the same. But half the challenge and most of the fun is to try to take pictures that don’t look like postcards or ordinary snapshots

Don’t look at the Capitol as just a building made out of marble. Watch the way the sun reflects off it. Look for colors and shapes in the building that make it unique. Crop your photographs in order to make the building look more interesting than a gift shop souvenir. When your friends look at your pictures, they should be interested in the composition, the colors, and the shapes

The same goes for any other monument. The crack of the Liberty Bell is famous, but instead of capturing a photograph of a broken bell, look around at the building it lives in. Try to feel the historical importance of it, and take pictures that speak about its grandeur
Look at the people

Our national monuments are great gathering points; people from all over the world head out to look at our buildings, national parks, and battlefields. Millions of people visit our country each year just to glimpse things like the Statue of Liberty or Mount Rushmore.
Each of these people represents a glimpse at another culture, and it’s interesting to look at the tourists from a photographic point of view and take pictures of them appreciating our landmarks. It’s especially great to talk with the people you’re photographing and find out more about them. Part of the joy of being a photographer is getting to interact with all sorts of fascinating and unique people

Document your trip

Another photographic activity to think about when you’re on the road visiting monuments is documenting your family’s trip. Take pictures of your travels the way a documentary photographer would. Don’t just snap regular pictures; try to make a travelogue that you’ll appreciate for years to come. Look at the way your family prepares for
the trip, take pictures at rest stops along the way, and capture images of your family as you learn about our country’s rich history

Traveling to national monuments doesn’t have to be a dull activity when you bring your digital camera with you. Use your trip to look at shapes and colors, develop your skills as a people photographer, and don’t forget to delve into documentary photography as well.

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