My trip to D.C. last Friday happened to be on one of those perfect late-summer afternoons. The mall was strangely empty — school’s in session, which has cut back on visitors — and those who work in the area must have taken off for a weekend at the beach.

I felt like I had the place to myself as I walked toward the Capitol, snapping a photo every few yards. I couldn’t help myself. Each view was better than the next.

This is the kind of day the postcard photographers should be out and about, I thought, before catching myself. Postcard photographers? Were there ever any? There can’t be many now given how few postcards are in circulation.

Meanwhile, I crossed Fourth, Third and First, the big white building coming into sharper focus. Snap, snap, snap. I soon had a dozen photos. Here are some of them.