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Arlington through the eyes of ARLnow’s outgoing staff photographer, Jay Westcott

By James Jarvis
1/145

When Jay Westcott joined ARLnow in September 2019, he said one of his main focuses was covering the arrival of Amazon’s HQ2 and its impact on the local community.

He could not have foreseen that within just seven months, he would be documenting some of the most consequential years not only for Arlington but for the entire world.

“The global pandemic changed the way we do business, shop for groceries, dine out, and live our lives here in Arlington,” he told ARLnow.

After nearly two decades in the field, Westcott is stepping away from news to focus on his other interests, including portraiture, storytelling and music. He leaves behind a vast archive of photos that captured scenes from the pandemic, major storms, Black Lives Matter protests and Arlington’s changing landscape.

The gallery above features 145 of Westcott’s favorite photos, chosen from thousands to represent his four-plus years of capturing life in Arlington.

“I have tried my best to show Arlington in all its forms and show how much I love living here,” he said.

Capturing life beyond news: ARLnow’s Jay Westcott transitions from news photography to artistic pursuits

By James Jarvis
Jay Westcott (courtesy of Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) ARLnow’s staff photographer, Jay Westcott, is stepping away from the news industry — but he isn’t putting his camera aside just yet.

At 51, Westcott is shifting his focus from the fast-paced world of daily news photography to focus on the sides of photography that align with his other passions, including portraiture, storytelling and music.

“I’m looking forward to just concentrating on the things that I’m really good at,” he told ARLnow.

Growing up in Battle Creek, Michigan, roughly two hours west of Detroit, Westcott displayed a passion for photography from a young age, often using his dad’s camera to shoot yearbook pictures in high school. It wasn’t until after high school when he joined the U.S. Navy that Westcott’s passion for the visual medium began to flourish.

Four years after he joined the service when Westcott was aboard the USS Roosevelt, a Navy photographer reignited his interest in camera work.

“He had this really cool camera… and I just loved what he was able to do with that, the pictures he could get from that, and he convinced me to buy a camera,” Westcott said.

He wrote to his mother, asking her to mail his dad’s camera and bought a 35mm Canon autofocus SLR. In the years that followed, he documented life aboard the ship and the countries he visited around the Mediterranean, including Rhodes, Greece, and Venice, Italy.

Westcott, who is also a guitarist, remembers the day he decided he would leave the Navy and pursue photography. While browsing Guitar World magazine in his bunk one day, he came across a photograph by the renowned Seattle-based American photographer Charles Peterson, who was promoting his new book “Touch Me I’m Sick.”

“Instead of being one of the guys in the photos in the magazine, I wanted to be the guy taking the picture,” Westcott said.

King Baby Man Child (by Jay Westcott)

In 1996, Westcott was honorably discharged from the Navy and headed to Virginia Beach, where he met his now ex-wife and sold cars for several years before moving to Northern Virginia.

In the summer of 2000, at age 28, Westcott enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College and then transferred a year later to George Mason University to study photography. About a year into his tenure at George Mason, and disillusioned with the program, Westcott applied and was accepted on a scholarship to The Corcoran College of Art and Design (now a part of George Washington University) in D.C.

“I went there for three years and loved every second of it,” he said.

Westcott’s first big break was a paid internship at the Scripps-Howard news service in D.C., which operated for 96 years from 1917 to 2013. What launched his career, however, was a chance sighting of of an armored truck robbery near McPherson Square Park, where he saw a man wielding a shotgun.

“So, I go out, and I take a couple of pictures and then go down to the street and take a few more pictures,” he said. “The guy gets hauled away in an ambulance while he was handcuffed.”

The pictures Westcott took that day got picked up by the Washington Post, which offered Westcott a full-time staff job shortly after.

“I felt I started at the top,” he said.

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Photos from the 2023 Arlington County Fair

By ARLnow.com
1/27

It’s the halfway point of the 2023 Arlington County Fair today.

The county’s annual summer gathering resumes with outdoor hours from 2-10:30 p.m. and indoor hours from 4-10 p.m. The fair — which features games, rides, food, musical performances and fun for all ages — runs through Sunday, Aug. 20 at Thomas Jefferson Community Center.

Hours for the remaining days of outdoor fair activities are as follows.

  • Saturday, Aug. 19: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (sensory friendly hours); 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 20: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (sensory friendly hours); 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

During sensory friendly hours, the fair aims to limit loud music and other noises.

Visitors can expect the traditional collection of entertainment and competitions, as well as a variety of food and drink options. Admission is free, according to the fair’s website. Ride tickets can be purchased online or on site, with each ride typically requiring 3-6 tickets.

ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott made a return visit to the fair earlier this week and noted a more carefree vibe than recent years.

“Biggest crowd I’ve seen since before the pandemic,” Westcott observed. “People seemed genuinely happy.”

Westcott’s photos, as well as a reader’s contributed photo, are above. A press release about the fair, noting some of the new features, is below.

Celebrating over four decades of tradition, the Arlington County Fair returns this week with entertainment and excitement for all ages. One of the East Coast’s largest free events attracting more than 125,000 visitors annually, the Fair is open from August 16-20 at the Thomas Jefferson Community Center and Park. The five-day extravaganza showcases the vibrant spirit of our community through competitive exhibits, thrilling rides, live music, local vendors, and much more.

The Fair opens with a formal ceremony and ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, August 16 at 5 p.m. at the playground in front of the TJ Community Center. The public is invited as we celebrate unity in diversity and embrace the spirit of inclusivity that “A Fair for All” represents.

Highlights of this year’s Fair include:

  • The New District Brewing Company’s family-friendly beer garden features beer and wines along with a Root Beer Float Fire Truck that both kids and adults can enjoy.
  • The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ ArtMobile exhibit, “Revealing and Obscuring Identity: Portraits from the Permanent Collection.”
  • A Night Market on Thursday, August 17, from 5:00-10:00 p.m., where local makers will showcase their exquisite creations.
  • Sensory-friendly hours will provide a calm and welcoming environment on Saturday, August 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. These hours are dedicated to creating a space without lights or sounds, with the addition of Arlington County’s Therapeutic Recreation Office’s sensory tent for additional comfort and calming activities.
  • The Indoor Vendor Showcase features over 75 local vendors within the Thomas Jefferson Gym.
  • Punch Bowl Social introduces an indoor pop-up park, while partner Nova Systemic sponsors a hands-on STEM area catering to kids of all ages.
  • Performances by Drew Blue Shoes and Rocknoceros and other local talent.
  • Odyssey Events’ Axe Throwing.
  • eBike rides with BikeArlington.
  • Pie-eating contest with Livin’ the Pie Life and the Arlington Jaycees

Visiting the Fair

For more details about transportation and parking, hotels, daily schedule of events, and operating hours, or to purchase ride tickets, visit the Fair website.

Background

The Arlington County Fair is a 501c(s) nonprofit volunteer-driven organization that embraces a diverse community by educating, entertaining, and showcasing the best of Arlington. The Fair would not be possible without the support of individual donors, our corporate sponsors, and our close partnership with Arlington County and the Arlington County Department of Recreation.

Photos: Fourth of July 2023 fireworks and fun

By ARLnow.com
1/30

Missed the fireworks on the National Mall last night? Or just want to relive the Fourth of July grandeur?

ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott brought his cameras to the Marine Corps War Memorial near Rosslyn to capture the show and some of those watching the show.

Unlike past years when weather resulted in extra haze that obscured the fireworks, the 2023 edition benefited from clear skies and relatively pleasant temperatures.

The fireworks viewing was not the only Independence Day celebration of note in Arlington. Neighborhood events were held throughout the county, including the annual parades and block parties in places like Barcroft and Douglas Park.

Have your own photos to share? Show them off in the comments.

Photos: Memorial Day weekend in Arlington

By ARLnow.com
1/34

It’s Memorial Day weekend in Arlington.

The flags are in at Arlington National Cemetery, ‘Rolling to Remember’ participants are rolling up to local hotels, and the 35% of locals who say they’re traveling for the weekend have been keeping National Airport busy.

ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott has been out and about over the past day or so, documenting some of the scenes around the county. Providing an assist is Army photographer Elizabeth Fraser, whose photos of the “Flags In” event were published online by Arlington National Cemetery.

This was the 75th annual Flags In at the cemetery. More, below, from the U.S. Dept. of Defense.

An honored tradition.

Soldiers assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” and other service members placed American flags at headstones at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., in advance of Memorial Day.

This was the 75th anniversary of “Flags In,” during which service members adorn gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery to honor the nation’s fallen heroes.

Photos: Amazon HQ2’s first phase is basically complete

By ARLnow.com
1/52

We’re getting our first official look into the mostly completed first phase of Amazon’s HQ2 in Pentagon City.

Amazon shared photos this morning from inside the two-building, 2.1 million square foot office complex, located along S. Eads Street between 12th and 15th streets.

The photos are notable for what they don’t show: rows of cubicles for the thousands of employees that are expected to work from HQ2. Instead, the photos show richly appointed, lounge-like spaces, a cafeteria and food market, outdoor grills, the park space outside of the building, and other recreation opportunities like a billiards table.

Phase 1 of HQ2 has around 50,000 square feet of retail space, with more than a dozen businesses ranging from a bike shop to a doggy daycare to several restaurants and bars.

A grand opening for the new complex is expected in mid-June. The second phase of HQ2 — to include the distinctive, lush Helix tower — is delayed indefinitely amid economic uncertainty and continued work-from-home trends following the pandemic.

An Amazon-written media kit and fact sheet about HQ2 Phase 1, also known as Metropolitan Park, is below.

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A look back at 2022, in photos and in Arlington’s biggest storylines

By Jo DeVoe
1/58

ARLnow is ringing in the New Year with a look back at 2022 through our photo and story archives.

Our photographer, Jay Westcott, compiled a slideshow, above, to encapsulate the stories and moments that made 2022 memorable and remind us of the sights and seasonal shifts that make Arlington home.

After two years of living with Covid, the last 12 months held a continuing return to normalcy in tension with a deepening divide over how Arlington should look and function. On discussions of housing shortages, pedestrian fatalities and fluctuating crime rates, there is a sense that something needs to be done — exactly what remains the question.

The “Missing Middle” housing study and proposed zoning changes embodied this tension the most. While never cracking the Top 20 stories of 2022, the county’s incremental steps toward legalizing housing types such as duplexes, three-unit townhomes and buildings with up to six or eight units in districts zoned exclusively for single-family homes roiled the county.

Residents staged rallies for and against the proposed zoning changes, broke anecdotal Planning Commission meeting attendance records, booed and hollered in a County Board meeting, opined about the “Arlington Way” and ginned up more interest in the Arlington County Board race — one that ultimately went for incumbent Democrat Matt de Ferranti.

In response, the Arlington County Board added community engagement sessions and directed staff to make a number of changes to the proposal, which members later said address some community concerns.

High-profile crashes, including two pedestrian deaths, led residents and the County Board to demand more action on traffic safety. But with crash causes as diverse as alcohol, high speeds, unspecified medical emergencies and sun glare, could slower speeds, road treatments and education ever eliminate pedestrian deaths and serious injuries?

Questions also remain about how prosecutors and judges should serve criminal justice. We took a close look at competing assertions about whether reform efforts led by Arlington’s top prosecutor, Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, are tackling or enabling crime rates.

Still, Arlingtonians came together to mourn the loss of a man and a teenager who each left an indelible mark on their community.

Activist Kent Carter, who died protecting his girlfriend during a shooting on the island chain of Turks and Caicos, was remembered as a family man who led efforts to reform and establish community oversight of the police department. Washington-Liberty high school senior Braylon Meade, who died in a car crash involving a drunk teen, was remembered for leading his basketball team by example.

As evidenced in this year’s gallery, construction hummed along, as Washington-Liberty High School expanded, apartments were built and the first phase of Amazon’s second headquarters prepares to open next year.

Amid all this, the pandemic receded farther into the rear view window for many. Masks became optional in schools, county facilities and on Metro and airplanes earlier this year. Arlington County permanently closed its public vaccine clinic a week before Christmas and has shuttered testing sites.

Yesterday (Thursday), many of you said 2022 was better than 2021. We at ARLnow wish you an even better 2023.

Photos: Outrageous Halloween decorations on N. Jackson Street

By ARLnow.com
1/28

The residents of N. Jackson Street in Ashton Heights have again outdone themselves.

The street, which traditionally hosts some of the most elaborate Halloween decorations in Arlington, scaled back its festivities during the pandemic but does not seem to be holding back this year, with witches, pumpkins, skeletons and ghosts galore.

“Halloween is a treasured tradition in our community,” Scott Sklar, president of the Ashton Heights Civic Association, told ARLnow in 2020.

Those who want to view the spooky street in its full frightful foliage can walk the blocks between Wilson Blvd and N. Pershing Drive, which are not far from both the Clarendon and Virginia Square Metro stations.

Photos: Thursday night at the 2022 Arlington County Fair

By ARLnow.com
1/11

The clang of carnival rides, the beaming smiles of children, and the sweet smell of fried food. Yep, the familiar sights, sounds and scents of the Arlington County Fair are back.

The county fair, which opened Wednesday and runs through Sunday, features a number of new and unique attractions this year, in addition to long-time favorites like the ferris wheel, the giant slide and the various boardwalk games.

Our Jay Westcott went last night and snapped the photos you see above.

ARLnow photographer Jay Westcott’s favorite photos from the past two years

By Jay Westcott
1/84

The pandemic, now nearly 2.5 years old, has bent time in weird ways.

For many, a prolonged period of mostly staying at home — particularly in 2020 — made time seem to go by faster, with fewer memorable milestones like vacations, nights on the town, visits from friends, etc.

For others, particularly parents with children at home, time has dragged on with seemingly endless grinds of remote schooling, remote work, Covid quarantines, etc.

And then there are those who have experienced combinations of both, making certain pandemic-era things feel like ages ago and some pre-pandemic things seem recent.

That sense of time’s variability came to mind as we asked ARLnow staff photographer to spend a recent Covid quarantine picking out his favorite photos of the past two years. See for yourself whether some of these moments feel ancient or like yesterday, despite the actual dates being close together.

Time considerations aside, here’s what Jay had to say about how he selected the photos above from the thousands he has taken.

Picking favorite pictures is kind of like picking favorite children. Do I account for how much of a pain in the ass it was to get in the spot to take the picture? Do I account for the breaking news that made me miss a dinner date? How about the time I was rear-ended on Wilson Blvd, do I take that into account, too?

Seasoned photo editors will tell you that none of that matters, at the end of the day all that counts is the answer to one question: Is it a picture? Does it tell a story?

Included here are storytelling pictures that I feel represent my style and how I see Arlington. It’s a beautiful, sometimes complicated, place to live. And the pandemic has exposed all sorts of issues and shortages. But it’s the best place I’ve ever called home, and I’m proud to be here documenting it in pictures. Okay, maybe one or two are included because of what it took to make them. ;-)

Photo: ‘Flags-In’ at Arlington National Cemetery ahead of Memorial Day

By ARLnow.com
1/23

A time-honored, pre-Memorial Day tradition took place at Arlington National Cemetery this morning.

More than 1,000 soldiers with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, as well as servicemembers from ceremonial units of the other armed forces branches, fanned out over the cemetery’s 640 acres to place 260,000 flags next to headstones and niche rows.

The annual “Flags-in” mission takes only four hours to honor every individual laid to rest at the ceremony, including our nation’s fallen military heroes.

ARLnow staff photographer Jay Westcott and other members of the media were able to get a glimpse of the marvel of solemnity and logistics today around dawn, as birds chirped on a cool, overcast morning.

This Memorial Day weekend also brings a new tradition: the public getting a rare opportunity to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“Due to the public’s overwhelming positive response to the Flower Laying Ceremony during the Tomb Centennial Commemoration in November, ANC is inviting the public to once again honor our service members by placing flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider,” the cemetery said earlier this week

The inaugural Flowers of Remembrance Day is taking place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

More about the event from a cemetery press release, below.

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