Sunrise with Abraham Lincoln

- The dogs woke me up at 3:30 this morning and I couldn't fall back asleep. So I packed up the photo equipment and went to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC to see the sunrise. I got into DC about 5:45 a.m., parked the car, and walked about a half mile to the memorial.

For those of you that have never been to the Lincoln Memorial, it is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a 19 foot high statue of Abraham Lincoln (16th US President). He faces east looking over the reflecting pool (currently being renovated) toward the Washington Monument and the US Capitol building. The statue depicts a contemplative Lincoln in the the middle of the Civil War (1861-1865), wrestling with how to hold the Union together and advance the cause of human liberty and equality.

Normally, the lighting inside is not the best for taking pictures. During sunrise and if you are lucky enough for the light to be at the right angle (to weave it's way through the columns), the statue takes on a whole different look.