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Hello everyone,.. I just came home from my first vacation in 6 years. I went out to Gettysburg & Washington DC, and stopped at Sharpsburg / Antietam (Battle site of one of our Nation's greatest slaughters) on the 4th, toured the battle fields of the Civil War, and visited my Grandpa at Arlington National Cemetery, where I managed to see a funeral in progress.. However, I was very inconspicuous about my photography for the sake of the family..

I wasn't trying to shoot anything that required a lot of work, because I just wanted to enjoy life on the road for a change.. Although I've traveled all over the USA, it was never for pleasure.. I had deadlines to meet, things to shoot, and I had no time to tour.. This time, I just wanted to go do what I wanted to do.

The weather wasn't perfect in every shot,....and the Smithsonian American History Museum was closed, and will be for the next two years.. :-( ...& On July 4th in DC, everything interesting was closed. I didn't want to photograph a parade of costumed dressed people hanging on to huge inflatable stuff down Constitution Ave, & waving at me..


As for the gear I brought with me, I used the 16-35 f2.8 L, & 70-200 f2.8 IS L, on a 5D body for the majority of the shots.. I also broke out the fish-eye lens, and 24-70 f2.8 L.. My back-up body was the 1DMkII which I used for the telephoto shots mainly.. I just traveled lightly, so I wouldn't wear myself out lugging around useless gear with all the walking I had to do.. While in DC, I just used my wide & telephoto zooms, and 5D body..

I stayed at hotels about 50 miles out of town..(aside from Gettysburg).. because out in the sticks, rates are much less than staying within city limits, and you fall asleep to the sound of crickets.. I stayed at the eloquent "Cozy Inn", between DC & Gettysburg, in my own "cottage"..for $67.00 /night.. rather than paying upwards of $300.00 /night at some downtown DC hotels..



I managed to get some decent shots in the few hours I was there. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! :-)

JP