Central Illinois and Northwest Ohio came in today and were greeted by Senator and Mrs. Dole.  As you will notice, I made the photographs of the Central Illinois group on the 17th Street (Washington Monument) side of the World War II Memorial. Photographing groups on the 17th Street entrance is WONDERFUL and I would like to take this opportunity to recommend the 17th Street  location to all of you interested in getting good photographs of your groups.  There are a number of advantages to this location.  One– you can spread your veterans out and two– your guardians can go back towards 17th Street and make a photograph of the whole group without using a special wide-angle lens equipped camera and three–you can make a second photograph with all the guardians in the photo with very little effort.

The South entrance to the Memorial where Senator Dole normally stands and greets veterans worked for Northwest Ohio today as they only had about thirty five veterans and guardians and the Illinois Flight was already inside the Memorial. Larger groups however simply don’t get good photographs, block the entrance and guardians end up getting squashed while trying to get a photograph.  I am not affiliated with Honor Flight but as a professional photographer who “cleans both his elbows and his lenses” when he gets ready to shoot, it’s nice to use the lenses and not the elbows.  I realize that getting our heroes to cooperate is like “herding cats” but I wanted to make this recommendation as this Saturday there will be some 800 veterans on that slippery concrete.

Have a look at today’s photos which are available for downloading at the Jewel of the Mall: World War II Memorial site.  I think you will agree that the 17th Street location is superior.  Bring your ponchos and sweaters this Saturday as the weatherman is calling for cold weather and a forty percent chance of rain which Rob Callahan reminded me today is a “sixty percent” chance of clearing!  Have a safe journey.  We’ll see you on the Mall.