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My plan was just to shoot video out in the open far enough away from things like the US Capitol to get interviews and catch any action, but certainly not rushing the front steps!

Had I been there on Jan 6, I *may* have gone against better judgment and at least went up the steps to document crimes against democracy, but I don't think I would have been foolish enough to go inside.

For this or any other events, I just want to capture the emotions of the moment and speak to as many people as possible.

I still think parking, peeing, and getting to the site are the hardest things to navigate...

Apart from dealing with all the logistics (which indeed will be more awkward to navigate and in any number of ways rather more difficult at the time of the September 18th event anyway) I suspect that you might be very disappointed when it comes to your idea and goal of successfully getting "street interviews".

You more than likely will find that many people you approach are not going to be willing to have an instant "interview" with some stranger, a guy who approaches them with no clear indications of any official connection/affiliation and who is simply standing there sticking an iPhone (an iPhone??!!) in their face. That isn't going to work out well, not in this town, especially if these individuals are DC-area residents, who already are more than likely wary and sophisticated when it comes to the media. Tourists from some other area of the US are a different story, of course....

So what would be the goal here, if you do come to DC and make attempts to interview people? What is the anticipated purpose and end result of these interviews?
 
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@splifingate,

You sound like a Beatnick poet! 👍👍

I write poetry,
Once in a while, it seems,
When the prompt is right.

Sure ain't no Beatnick, though <s>

Potential adventure if I take the leap...

I've been to all 50 states long ago, and could have my own cable channel on my experiences, but I keep adding onto them as long as I can.

Was that for school?

Do you have anything you can share?

:: "John" was a heroin addict, and he would go to McD's early in the morning with a dollar . . . would order a small coffee, pocket his change, and grab exactly 41 sugar packets . . . we would talk about what happened *after* the Dark Times when he used to pound himself into insensibility in the back-alleys and dumpster-paths/loading-bays in South-Central Chicago, all while he methodically--and sequentially--emptied&stirred each packet into the 8oz styro cup. It took about an hour.

:: 'T', the "Sheriff of DC" . . . we often walked the streets of the District, corner-to-corner. . . once, we stopped in a 7-11 one night to get a few cans of Vienna Sausage . . . getting change, I watched the CSR empty a new roll of pennies into the drawer, and noticed that they were wheat-pennies . . . he had six rolls from an earlier transaction . . . I still pine for the extra dosh I-did-not-have-then that I might hold the extra rolls, rather than only the three coins I still retain to this day.

:: I remember attending the ZZ Top/Black Crowes concert in VA, and the Crowes were boo'ed off the stage . . . next day, I was hangin' with my "House-less" peeps in Dupont Circle . . . the Black Crowes popped out of the 'scalater with wide eyes, enthusiasm and naivety . . . I was almost able to share how great I thought their performance was, but, well . . . sometimes one can't easily just get all-up in peoples' faces :)

Gawd, there's just so much....

It was a personal Quest, and most of it is really not yet into the realm of Words . . . maybe one day ;)

Thank you for motivating me to do a review.

I would like to do a documentary on the homeless also, but it is farther down my To-Do list.

So where would be safe places to park outside of DC?

I'm rather fond of Vienna/GMU (one of my alma mater's), but just about any terminal extremity should be ok (and have enough 'available' spaces) . . . "safe" is a relative term, and the interim has not nourished my Objectivity . . . it's been far too long, you see <smile>

And how long and how much would it take to get near the US Capitol?

And with the pandemic, that is the ultimate excuse to refuse use of restrooms.

But are they open due to the pandemic?


When I go out and know I have limited time or access to restroom,s I usually fast. Nothing after Midnight and go the whole day with no water or fluids or food. This past week I have pulled a few 24-hour fasts while out shooting. Eat yesterday, shoot today, eat and collapse tomorrow.

Do you have to pay for parking at MTA lots?

Definitely :)

Is it safe to park in Metro lots if you leave nothing in your car?

As safe as anywhere.

Once found myself particularly (and extremely) enamoured of a young lady, and (in the hurriedness of my quest) locked my bicycle at the Falls Church station overnight . . . I returned the next day to just the stump of the rack, and an impending ache in my calves....

I seem to remember that I did have one car window smashed-in at the top of a parking garage, but I don't remember where it was (and I believe I left it there for three or four days (rather dumb, in retrospect, but I wasn't thinking too much about security then)).

I would not worry much about things like that.

Yeah, that is why I started this thread....

I would never go on the Capitol property if it was off limits, but the thinking was there will be tens of thousands of yahoos farther out from the Capitol, and it seems like a great place to set up my tripod - or not - and shoot video all day.

Maybe I am being naive about DC and the Capitol region after Jan 6?

The District is about as busy, peaceful, chaotic, dirty, eye-opening, restful, smelly, [you-name-it] as any other Urban location, but, 99&44/100s of the time, it's as benign as any small town.

Walk-through Compton, CA in the morning, and people are just mowing the grass, going for coffee, etc. . . . it's all a matter of timing, I suppose.

The most Cosmopolitan city in 'Merka, imo., but more 'Playground' than most others.

That is what I already do...

Thanks for the encouragement and advice!

You are most-welcome :)

Enjoy your time there (and share a few stories, yourself, when the timing is right).

Regards, splifingate
 
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