Come home from our nation’s capital with more than just memories

When you visit Washington D.C., you’re going to take a lot of family pictures. They may as well be in good places. Here are four funny shots to consider.

1. Newseum

The top floor of this fabulous museum has a balcony, where you get killer views of the Capitol. Good enough for our holiday photo. Just try to crop out the Canadian flags in the foreground – their embassy is right next door (eh!).

Or for a newsy angle, get in front of the camera at Newseum and read a prepared news or weather script. You’ll look like a regular on CNN.

2.  Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum

I’ve never figured out the allure of the Wax Museum. Especially in Washington D.C. What, you want to see a wax figure of Newt Gingrich? Then I saw photos friends took on their recent trip. Not just OF the wax figures, but them WITH the wax figures. A lot of them. Very hokey, but in a good way.

Like them sitting with President Lincoln in the box where he was shot. Okay, that was creepy. And a photo of them with President Clinton holding a cigar at a certain angle. Ha ha! Just kidding about that one. They did have tasteful photo ops with the Clintons, the Obamas, and various other Presidents.

3.  Gift Shop Across from the White House

Of course you can take a picture in front of the White House – with a big fence in the background.   Here’s an example of a photo NOT done well.

For a more intimate shot, the White House Gifts souvenir shop (701 15^th Street NW) across from the White House has two photo ops.  Get your picture taken in a fake Oval Office seated at the president’s desk, or at a podium as if you’re giving the White House press conference.  If your friends and family have been to D.C., the photo won’t fool them.  But you can still try.  The photo op is free with a $5 purchase.

4.   Monuments

Go ahead and pretend to hold the Washington Monument in your hand. Hold up the back of a $5 bill in front of the Lincoln Memorial. You won’t look any stupider than we did. Of course you’ll need one of you and the family there too.

Read Debbie Abrams Kaplan’s series on Washington D.C. with Kids at Jersey Kids and Frisco Kids.

January 12th, 2012 | by Debbie Abrams Kaplan 1 comment