The U.S. Capitol Building is one of Washington DC’s most distinctive buildings. In fact, you’d be surprised how many tourists find the building so recognizable and in such a conspicuous location that they assume it must be the White House.
Capping the eastern end of the National Mall, opposite the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol Building’s distinctive dome stands as Washington DC’s second tallest peak, surpassed only by the Washington Monument (by 209 feet).
Its cornerstone was laid by George Washington in 1793, but the construction to make what we see today, especially with the distinctive and massive dome, took another seventy years (with another major addition in the late 1950s with the extension of the East Portico).
The “front” of the Capitol has traditionally been the eastern side facing the Supreme Court. All presidential inaugurations from Andrew Jackson’s in 1826 through Jimmy Carter’s in 1977 took place on that side. But in 1981, with Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, they were switched to the western side with crowds stretching back down the National Mall. In recent years the plaza on the eastern side has undergone major renovations with the addition of a new visitors’ center, repaving of the entire area, and the installation of a couple of fountains.
I’ll have a separate page for the US Capitol Building’s interior, coming soon.
Photographer Friendliness Rating
The outside of the U.S. is generally very photography-friendly, but there are areas where the Capitol Police and security will impose some restrictions such as on the steps or on some of the building’s terraces.
There’s no problem using a flash. It’s entirely possible you’ll get away with using a tripod, but the official policy of the US Capitol Police is:
The use of camera equipment to film or photograph on Capitol Grounds is permitted, provided the photographs or film are for private or other non-commercial use. Non-commercial documentary or historical filming is permitted on a case-by-case basis. The use of tripods or other film or photography enhancement equipment requires special permission, and is limited to grassy areas where pedestrian or vehicular traffic will not be impeded.
The permit application form is available here [PDF].
The building itself closes, but the grounds are accessible day and night. The building is brightly illuminated at night.
If you have a telephoto lens, you can get some interesting shots of the Capitol from as far away as the Iwo Jima Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and from all the way down the National Mall. And the Capitol Reflecting Pool, (not to be confused with the larger Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool at the other end of the Mall).
Be aware that if you plan to go inside the Capitol Visitor Center or the Capitol Building itself there are restrictions on large bags, including large camera bags. This is from the official website:
Backpack Warning: Do not bring large daypacks, backpacks or luggage into the Capitol. Any bag larger than 14″ wide x 13″ high x 4″ deep is prohibited.
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Getting There
By far the best way to get the Capitol is by public transport–parking spots are in very short supply in the surrounding area. The nearest metro stations are Capitol South (Orange line; 0.4 miles) and Union Station (Red line; 0.7 miles).
Is it allowed to bring a tripod in the Capitol if it is small enough to fit in the backpack? Otherwise where could I store it?
Great photos of the Capitol Building. I can’t believe that some tourists think this building is the White House! Makes you wonder why they bother travelling if they’re THAT ignorant. Washington has such a fantastic collection of public buildings, it is the one city I would very much like to visit again in the U.S., when I was there a few years back I did not get enough time to see as much as I would like.
When I first visited Washington I was surprised at how small the White House was in person. From all the news footage and Hollywood movies–and having seen places like Versailles, the Kremlin, Buckingham Palace, etc–I was expecting something on a grander scale. I suspect that’s probably a lot of it–the Capitol Building is certainly on a grander scale. And it doesn’t help that they’re both white…
It is understandable that you can’t get too close when photographing buildings like the White House or US Capitol because of Security concerns. It’s a good thing then that there are many easy to use photography enhancement software that makes a photographer’s job easier.
Hi David love the photos, i will be in washington from the uk soon! love your photo of the capitol building from across the pond with the reflection.. is this still on their grounds? i take it i will be fine setting my tripod up here?
No, it’s not on their grounds–it’s across on the National Mall. So no problem setting up a tripod.
No, it’s not on their grounds–it’s across on the National Mall. So no problem setting up a tripod.
David,
How did you take the picture of the Capitol Dome at night and the picture of the whole Capitol at night? I go out and try all the time and can never get my pictures to turn out looking as fantastic as your picture.
Thanks,
Amelia
Hi Amelia,
Glad you like them. Tripod, of course, with shutter release, mirror lockup, and lowest possible ISO. For me, the timing is key to get the lighting balanced. If you go when the sky is too dark, the whole thing can get a bit harsh, but if you go when there’s still some glow in the sky you can end up with some deep, rich blues, and the buildings under lights won’t be too contrasty. Depending on time of year and location (there’s basically no twilight closer to the equator), anything up to an hour after sunset can work well.
Thanks David. That’s a very interesting policy, and obviously not taught to their officers, hence the inconsistency in enforcement.
Perhaps it has to do with the phase of the moon, but in May of this year I was told by Capitol Police that my use of the tripod anywhere on their grounds we expressly prohibited without a permit. I was instructed to take my tripod to the sidewalk along the streets bordering the Capitol building and shoot from there. Not being one to immediately acquiesce I confirmed with a second Capitol Policeman who hadn’t seen my initial encounter and he confirmed what the first had told me.
Hi Jack,
Thanks for sharing your experience–that’s useful to know. It’s not uncommon to come across something like this in DC. Having used tripods many times around the Capitol grounds day and night and sometimes for hours at a time (when doing timelapse), I’ve never personally had a problem there. I’ve even had Capitol Police stop to chat about cameras while I’m shooting with a tripod. But it doesn’t surprise me in the least that there’s some inconsistency. I think I’ll leave it as “for the most part” for the moment but will certainly revisit it if I hear of others being prevented from using tripods.
Thanks again–it’s very useful to know.
No thanks necessary, I just thought it was worth noting the possibility for inconsistencies. I must say, your website is the most helpful around when it comes to shooting in D.C. I completely fell in love with the city while there. For a long time I’ve said when I leave this desert metropolis I’m heading for the less populated side of civilization but D.C. sure had me thinking differently. I was pleasantly surprised by the city. Everyone should get the opportunity to spend some time there (for historical and photographic reasons). Thanks again for your site and the great information and images you share.
I made some calls to find out what the official policy is and have edited above as appropriate. There’s clearly some inconsistencies in how it’s applied.