Spring in Washington, DC, means cherry trees with those lovely blossoms. These trees have a long history. The first two were planted on March 27, 1912; the total was about 3,000 trees. These cherry trees were a gift from the mayor of Tokyo to the United States.
The Cherry Blossom Festival features diverse cultural activities that honor the rich traditions surrounding the blossoming of cherry trees. Seeing the trees in full bloom is a breathtaking experience. This is also the time that draws the most visitors, and it can get very busy. This year, the Yoshino cherry blossom peak was last Friday, March 28, 2025.
I visited the trees on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was very crowded. People were standing in long lines in front of every food truck, and there was no such thing as getting a quick drink or a scoop of ice cream. Sunday was better. It was still very busy, but it was easier to get around. Due to the relatively warm temperatures, rain, and wind, the blossoms won’t last as long. But not all is lost. The Kwanzan cherry trees bloom around two weeks after their Yoshino cousins. They are gorgeous as well.
Below are some of the photos I took over the weekend. I took these pictures with my 13-bladed Helios 44 and Jupiter 11 lenses. The Jupiter 11 performed so well that it challenged my beloved Helios 44.
I don’t have an answer yet, but the Helios did not perform as usual. I know this lens and its strengths and weaknesses, and I love using it. Many photos were blurry, or the focus was in a seemingly random location, such as the bottom-right corner. I used it with my X-E3. It’s all somewhat puzzling.
