Best kept secrets

For a long time I've felt that two of the best kept secrets in Washington for photographers are the National Portrait Gallery and the National Building Museum. I'm amazed at the number of people who come into my studio at the Torpedo Factory and say they've never heard of either museum.

The quality and scope of the photographic portraiture at the National Portrait Gallery is phenomenal. Everything from traditional to modern is on display and the gamut of photographic materials from the early days to the most current digital imaging is represented.

As an aside, the National Portrait Gallery also shares the same building with the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art. While you are at the Portrait Gallery I would encourage photographers to look/study the wonderful works at American Art, or other major galleries for that matter, to learn from the master painters. Too many photographers only look at photography. Too many photographers never look at the work of other artists regardless of media but that is a topic for another time.

The National Building Museum not only has one of the most beautiful and spectacular interiors but often shows fine photography. They are also photographer-friendly and it's a wonderful building to photograph.