Being, at best, an imperfect photographer, I'm very excited to welcome E. David Luria of Washington Photo Safari as a monthly contributor to DC Like a Local. If there is one area I so often fail at as a tour guide it would be helping our visitors get that iconic, but unique, shot of their experience in Washington. While I wave vaguely at the Washington Monument and hope to be gone by the time anyone looks at the picture, David is skilled and experienced at the art of connecting visitors and locals to Washington, DC thorugh the lens. So, without further ado, and in his own words, here's E. David Luria:
Washington DC is well-known as a center of history and politics. Few people, however, think of it as a paradise 
Courtesy of Washington Photo Safari. All rights reserved.for photographers. Perhaps more than any city in the country, Washington DC offers many opportunities to practice a wide variety of photographic techniques. For example, because of building height restrictions enacted early in the 20th century, Washington’s streets, unlike those of other cities, are flooded with light. Moreover, it is a photography-friendly city, allowing photography in most of its museums and galleries and tripod use throughout the city streets and on the grassy areas of the National Mall. Furthermore, it is the only city in the country offering 4-5 regularly scheduled photography training workshops every week at the city’s main (and off-the-beaten-path) attractions, all year long, through the Washington Photo Safari.
I am E. David Luria, founder and director of the Washington Photo Safari – photography training for locals and visitors using Washington DC as my classroom. I established the Washington Photo Safari in 1999 after having been downsized from a 30 year career in international non-profit management.
When that proverbial door closed, a window opened combining my three great passions: helping people, taking pictures and Washington DC. Originally, I created the Washington Photo Safari to be oriented towards the many tourists that frequent our city. But as interest in digital photography took off, the business grew quickly from six clients per month that first year to 290 clients per month now. Eleven years later, the Washington Photo Safari has trained over 20,000 people – mostly locals – and offers over 100 different itineraries.
I will be doing a monthly series here called “A Local Lens” in which I will show you three photographs of notable DC landmarks and attractions taken from unique angles or off the regular tourist circuit and how you can capture them yourselves. Looking forward to sharing my local DC with you!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 8:41AM 
Called by many “the residence of presidents” since nearly every president since Franklin Pierce has either stayed there or attended an event there, the Willard Hotel on 14th Street and Constitution Ave NW is one of Washington’s most stately and historically rich hotels. 
