It's hard to believe with the chilly, rainy weather that we're getting close to cherry blossom season!! Spring is coming and one of the most exciting things in DC is the lovely cherry blossoms! They are anticipated to come in early April, so we're almost a month away!

I love to capture these lovely trees, and I especially love to do sessions that incorporate the blossoms! The white and pink fluttery petals add such unique beauty to a photo.

Here are a few tips about seeing and photographing the cherry blossoms:

1. Go Early, and Go on a Weekday

If you are planning on visiting the blossoms near the Tidal Basin (the most famous and most crowded spot), go early in the morning and go on a week day. There will always be crowds, but this is the best timing. Plus, you'll get that gorgeous morning light!

2. Go Beyond the Basin

Most people don't realize there are cherry blossoms in other places besides around the Jefferson Memorial! If you're looking for a less crowded spot, head to Haines Point, the National Arboretum, Stanton Park and a few others you can read about here. They may even be in your own neighborhood!

3. Don't Drive

Seriously. You WILL regret it. Tourists + DC + blossoms = pandemonium. Metro, ride a bike, use Capital Bikeshare, or walk if you're close enough, but there is next to no parking and lots of confused and distracted people trying to get around!

4. Take a Tour!

There are lots of options to bike, walk, eat and cruise your way around the blossoms, plus probably learning a little history. I took a walking tour last year and learned so much!

5. Keep Your Composition Simple

With so many trees and buds and flowers, it's hard to take it all in with one photograph. So focus on one flower, or one tree. Use the arc of the branches and flowers to create interesting compositions.

6. For Commercial Photography, Get a Permit

The National Park Service owns much of the land where these lovely trees live (around the Tidal Basin, Hains Point, etc) so a permit is required for any commercial photography for a fee. This is not a problem as long as you plan ahead to give time to acquire the permit from our sometimes-not-so-fast-and-efficient NPS permit system...

If you are interested in some blossom photos, contact me so we can plan a time and get the permit! I promise it will be worth it!