The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA is part of the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. The museum is housed in a giant hanger providing ample indoor space to move about and explore.
This is a space for photographers who want to play and experiment. You’ll find static displays, but as a photographer, you can add motion by dragging that shutter. If geometry is your thing, you’ll find lots of circles, curves, lines, and other ways of assembling your composition. The materials of the exhibits range from shiny to colorful challenging the photographer to find interesting abstract distortions and or unique color and geometric shapes. There are a lot of creative outlets so take your time and study the subjects that interest you.
What:
The Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum is located adjacent to Dulles International Airport. The hanger exhibits full size aircraft including the Space Shuttle Discovery, SR-71a Blackbird, the B-29 Superfortress “Enola Gay”, and more. Unfortunately, there is a closed off area of the hanger under construction / renovation this year. That means the general aviation and WW2 aviation exhibits will be impacted. However, the commercial aviation exhibit, cold war era exhibit, and space hanger are still open. (I’m not certain if the x-wing is still in the restoration hanger or if it’s been moved to Washington DC yet. Take a peek from the visitor overlook walkway upstairs.)
As per the Smithsonian website (https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/visiting-tips) The use of tripods, monopods, and selfie sticks are prohibited. Leave that weight at home and walk around in comfort. Masks are also required while indoors.
Also be aware that there is no food currently sold onsite and food and drink is prohibited inside (bottled water is okay). If you want lunch, you’ll have to take a short car ride to eateries South on Rt.28 (exits Rt.50, Willard Rd., or Westfields Blvd. all within a couple miles), but your original parking pass should get you back in without having to pay again.
Additional examples of our club’s work can be found online:
https://nvps.smugmug.com/NVPSGallery/Field-Trips/FieldTrips-2018-2019/Udvar-Hazy-Museum-February/
https://nvps.smugmug.com/NVPSGallery/Field-Trips/2016-2017/Udvar-Hazy-2017/
https://nvps.smugmug.com/NVPSGallery/Field-Trips/2014-2015-Field-Trips/Udvar-Hazy/
(Honestly, I didn’t realize we as a club, visit every other year. It’s a fun place to go on a winter day.)
Equipment:
- Most any lens with a range of 24-200mm will serve you well. However, some of the objects hanging from the roof may require 300mm if you want to fill the frame. You can probably leave the macro lens at home.
- No tripods allowed
- Masks required indoors
When:
Saturday, January 22, 2021 from 10:00am – 1:00pm
No rain date because it doesn’t rain indoors!
Where:
We’ll meet inside the museum, outside the museum shop on the left after you pass through the entrance and security.
Parking is $15 onsite, however, you can carpool from nearby parking lots to share the cost. I used to work at 14000 Lincoln Park Dr. Herndon (now Raytheon) and that has a huge open parking lot with easy access to the road leading to the museum parking lot.
We hope you can join us!
Rena Schild and Steven Glintz
Field Trip Coordinators 2021-2022
***All photos are provided by Alan Goldstein
