23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
view on the monument from constitution ave.

An October walk on the National Mall brought this picture into focus. On my way to an afternoon event, a friend texted about a protest in the city; I still had some time, and about fifteen minutes later I stepped into the march. I moved with the crowd and its police perimeter, then stepped aside to take a picture, marking the shift in the roles I was inhabiting—participant, observer, and outsider.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
Camera: iPhone 16 Pro Max
Copyright: © Misha Ilin