Sunshine and Storm Clouds - A Kennedy Center Impression

Sunshine and Storm Clouds - A Kennedy Center Impression

It was a lovely concert by the National Symphony Orchestra but, photographically
speaking, what a delightful, totally unexpected, surprise it turned out to be.

The forecasts of rain beginning in late afternoon were accurate, so the drive up to D.C. was predictably wet, gray and gloppy, including as I pulled into the Kennedy Center's underground garage. Thus, I was not really expecting the pleasant (visual) prelude to the concert out on the River Promenade I would normally enjoy.

Ah, but what do those credit card ads say about not leaving home without "it?" Thus, so happy to have my little pocket size camera tucked inside my, er, pocket as I emerged from the escalators into the Hall of Nations and saw ... bright sunshine beyond the banners. But it was even better than I'd expected...

There's a certain kind of light I'm always thrilled to see when doing landscape/cityscape shooting and that is when
golden sunlight illuminates a scene with a slate gray storm sky as a dramatic counterpoint. And that's what greeted me on the River Promenade with its dancing fountains.

And, speaking of water, while the sun was drenching the Promenade in gold, it was also raining, thus providing nice plays of reflection along the spacious plaza which runs the length of the Kennedy Center, looking out on the Potomac.

©Steve Ember