"I have a dream": Black and White Photographs of Washington, D.C.

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last week I spent two mornings photographing a few of the iconic monuments in Washington, D.C.  My timing was rather interesting.  Gazing at the likenesses of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr., one sees how far our country has come in terms freedom, equality and race relations. Sadly, the disturbing recent events in Ferguson, Missouri highlight how far we still have to go.  As these contradictions swirled through my mind, I decided to present my Washington, D.C. photographs in black and white.  

When we hear the term "black and white" we think of opposites. If someone thinks in a "black and white" manner, they are unable to appreciate context and subtlety.  To me, "black and white" photography is somewhat of a misnomer. Often what makes these images interesting or dramatic is the the gradations of gray between the two extremes of black and white.  

These photographs are dedicated to all Americans who continue to struggle for freedom, dignity and equality.

Lincoln Memorial

U.S. Capitol at Sunrise

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial
(seen from MLK Memorial)

Washington Memorial and Capital
(seen from top of Lincoln Memorial)

World War 2 Memorial

Lincoln Memorial
(in Morning Light)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

Lincoln Memorial
(Just before Sunrise)

Reflecting Pool and Jogger with Reflection of
Washington Monument (Seen from Lincoln Memorial)

World War 2 Memorial:  Freedom Wall
(each star represents 100 Americans who died in the war) 

Washington Memorial and Reflecting Pool
(seen from Lincoln Memorial, at Sunrise)