Things to Do in Vienna

French-trained photographer E. David Luria loves many subjects, but he directs most of his attention toward Washington, DC's historic architecture. His images, which lovingly depict the city's landmarks, have been published in Time Magazine as well as several local Washington papers. Luria teaches tricks of his trade privately for the Smithsonian Resident Associates Program, but also through Washington Photo Safari's tours.

Luria, along with a team of 16 other instructors–many experienced independent photographers and photojournalists–shepherd small groups through the capital's streets, gardens, and halls, while teaching them photographic techniques. These include how to use selective focus, control F-stops and shutter speeds, and remove vampires from pictures taken at night. They then help participants practice these skills on expeditions through buildings such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington National Cathedral, and the National Building Museum. More seasonal tours let guests document the short-lived cherry blossom season, challenging them to capture striking tableaus of the pink petals from land or water. They also teach composition among the verdant garden landscapes and elegant buildings at Hillwood Gardens and the US Botanical Gardens to foster tourists’ appreciation for nature and their ability to heckle squirrels.

Students can walk into Brush N Blush with nothing but a bottle of wine and a dream and walk out with a self-completed reproduction of Monet’s Water Lilies. But not all classes use famous masterpieces as templates. Some teach students how to render a sunset bleeding orange behind a Georgetown bridge or an impressionistic panorama of the skyline. The instructors have developed step-by-step methods for recreating impressive works of art, although each student is still bound to produce something with original touches, especially if they hold their brush in their teeth.

The team at Brush N Blush strives to make evenings at their studio one of a kind. They dare couples to change it up by forgoing another dinner-and-movie date for an active, artistic affair that ends with a personalized souvenir. All painting materials are provided, although students are encouraged to bring their own beverages and snacks. The studio recently began selling a selection of wines by the bottle and the glass.

Lynford Morton doesn't like to be called an instructor. Instead, he prefers photo coach. To Lynford, coaching more accurately describes his process of giving advice and support and boosting confidence in photographers as they actively snap shots of their subjects. His teaching method sticks to this sports analogy, as he first forms a foundation of photography principles—a playbook of sort. Then during hands-on sessions, photographers practice using techniques and calling audibles to get clouds into the right position. Since Lynford keeps most classes at a ratio of 1 to 12 or fewer, he can guide students with tips or illustrate a point with a teaching app on his iPad.

Lynford has always loved to tell stories with pictures. His father, a self-taught photographer from a village on St. Kitts, fueled Lynford's passion at an early age—which he later bridged with a photojournalism college major and a career in public relations. Now, he walks the historic streets of DC each weekend with troops of eager photographers anxious to tell their own visual stories.

Already an award-winning photographer, Cindi Hobgood also spent 25 years scouting locations for Hollywood studios and TV programs. Her locations were showcased on The Amazing Race, used by Disney, HBO, and Columbia Pictures, and shot by Spike Lee and Sam Shepard. As a location scout, Hobgood recorded her finds with a camera, carefully composing each shot in order to convey each scene’s mood, landscape, and lighting.

Today, she teaches others how to hone a similarly discerning eye during instructive photo expeditions. Magic Hour walking tour send participants snapping shots of the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Potomac just as the sun comes up. Memorials by Moonlight takes walkers on a nocturnal jaunt past sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, and Intro to iPhoneography helps pupils get the most out of their iPhone cameras. There are even a few out-of-town trips for adventurous shutterbugs.

Frank Martz, Sr., started Gray Line DC, Martz Group in 1908 with a 1912 White bus and a route that took him through small mining towns in Pennsylvania. During the Great Depression, the economic collapse inspired Frank and other independent carriers to create the National Trailways Bus System. This system became part of a national network with Greyhound lines, setting schedules and fares for connecting service across the country.

Through the years, the company has passed down from father to son. Today, Frank's great grandson, Scott Henry, helms the company of more than 400 employees, 250 coaches, and one magic-pumpkin carriage. Additionally, Martz boasts a travel agency and repair operations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and Washington, DC, and operates sightseeing tours in Washington, DC, such as DC After Dark, Monticello & Thomas Jefferson Country, and the Spy City Tour.

Overhung with glittering chandeliers and surrounded by billowing red curtains, The Fillmore Silver Spring's main room easily holds elegant concerts and thrashing dance parties alike on its hardwood floor. Balconies equipped with tables and chairs allow VIP seclusion, elevated sightlines of onstage antics, and easy conversation with GA-ticket-holding giraffes.