My favorite time to go down to the Tidal Basin and take in
the blossoms is sunrise. The light is incredible and since it is not as
crowded, it is very tranquil. I have been down during sunset, which is also
very nice, but something about the blossoms at sunrise keeps me getting up at
an ungodly hour, gathering up my cameras and stopping for a large cup of coffee before sliding
into a parking spot near the Tidal Basin. The only good thing about being up so
early is that a parking spot is fairly easy to find. So without further ado here
are some photos of the cherry blossoms, during peak bloom, at both sunrise and
sunset.
Sunrise
The famous pink haze
A canopy of blossoms
Full morning light
Sunset
Late afternoon at the Tidal Basin during the cherry blossoms' peak bloom period can be very crowded. Do not let the crowds scare you off, because shortly before sunset most of the tour buses begin to leave and the crowds die down. One year I was so engrossed in taking photos I missed the mass exodus of the tour buses and I had a moment of "Hey where did everybody go?" when I finally looked up from my lens. The late afternoon light on the blossoms is beautiful and be sure to stay for the sunset. Some years, during peak bloom, I get down to the Tidal Basin for both sunrise and sunset. Some years, I only make it down for sunrise. Then there was last year when I made it twice for sunrise and once for sunset. The reason it was twice for sunrise, was the blossoms were stubborn (due to a cold snap) and did not bloom as predicted. I spent a very chilly Sunday morning at the Tidal Basin hunting for blossoms. I returned later in the week when it warmed up and the blossoms were opening up in mass.
The last fleeting moments of a beautiful spring day
I love this cherry blossom goodness time of the year!