The National Mall encompasses so many iconic views that sometimes they can feel stale of unexciting. Searching for other moments can yield some compelling results. This morning I was searching for something different that would react to the early winter sun and provide something different from the normal axial views.

Standing in the plaza adjacent between the East and West Wings of the National Gallery of Art provided just such an opportunity. Luckily, the sky did not disappoint this morning. As the sky began change from blue to pink to orange the low bank of clouds tucked right over DC caught the light perfectly. The soft lines of clouds nearly running perpendicular to sun’s path.

Want to know how I forecast sunrises? Check out my How-To: How to Photograph Epic Sunrises