Kensington, Maryland
In looking for the best places to view Christmas displays in the Washington, DC area, the Temple of the Latter-Day Saints in Kensington, MD is always on the list. This beautiful church building was set on a promontory that is easily visible to travelers on the Washington Beltway freeway. The temple spires seem to rise up out of the trees as cars head west. The white marble and golden spires make this an easy landmark to locate, but it is somewhere that I have never been before this year.
My mother visited here with some friends, and she really enjoyed the display. There are many trees and bushes on the grounds of the temple that are illuminated during their Festival of Lights. A Nativity scene, and other programs in their visitor’s center are available for groups that are there to take in the season.
There were so many cameras there too! It is understandable with all the colors and the modern architecture on the grounds. Timing for photographing Christmas lights can really help make the photos better. The best tip I can offer, is do not wait until the sky is completely black! The really dark contrast makes the decorations seem like they are in a vacuum. It does not place them in a context that is familiar. The human eye sees much more in darkness than the camera. So even though it seems like it is completely dark around you, your sensitive eyes can still recognize people, objects, and things that the camera cannot pick up. When you go back to look at photos with a black sky, these elements are missing, and takes away from the photo. Make these images at or close to sunset to keep some of these background elements and details visible to the camera. They make for much better images!
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