A blast from the summer. I finally got around to editing this short video from a week in the Outerbanks. Filmed with my Sony a6000, iPhone 11 Pro and Sony action camera FDR X 3000.
Stay safe and healthy out there everyone. Here’s to a happy upcoming holiday season.
10/22/2023: A beautiful fall day took us southwest of Richmond, about an hour’s drive to Twin Lakes State Park. Located near FarmVille, Virginia, the park is 548 acres and is centered around Prince Edward Lake (36 acres) and then Goodwin Lake (15 acres). We’ve been on a quest to explore new state parks in Virginia, and as always they never disappoint. This was also my chance to shoot with my Sony a6700. I’ve been using the A6000 for the past 8 years and it has not let me down, in my opinion, that camera still competes with the best of them. I purchased the a6700 mostly for it’s video capabilities, it’s external mic options and it’s longer battery life. So far, I’ve been super impressed with it.
We took on an easy 1 mile loop around Goodwin lake, which is flat and easy to navigate. Our one and a Half year old boy was able to hike the whole thing himself. The park was especially quiet on a Sunday and we saw only one other person on the trail. The kids enjoyed skipping rocks, leaf hunting, rock hunting and checking out the trees.
The discovery center, was open and a ranger showed the kids numerous pelts of different animals, and showed us the living occupants of the discovery center. One large red eared slider named “Myrtle the Turtle” and a large northern copperhead. All of this took us several hours and it was then nap time for our youngest. Otherwise, we would have liked to explore the larger of the twin lakes, Prince Edward Lake. The forest ranger, told us that this larger lake was slightly more remote and was ideal for canoeing. Another reason for us to come back!
There are still a few state parks in central Virginia that we have not visited: James River State Park and the High Bridge Trail State Park. So many places to see, so little time. Fall is here, make sure you get your flu shot. And stay healthy out there.
Photos taken with Sony a6700 (tamron 17-28mm lens)
Visit the Twin Lakes State Park Website here: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/twin-lakes
One of our kids’ favorite places in Richmond, is the Science Museum of Virginia. We haven’t been back however since our youngest son was born so it’s been a couple of years. Since then, we were pleased to learn that the museum had completed some projects to improve the experience. A new parking deck was finished in 2021 and makes museum access much easier and safer. The old parking lot was turned into a green area with a new art display. The kids were a big fan of this.
The museum offers a plethora of hands on and interactive experiences for everyone. From a race track where you time yourself against t-rex, Usain bolt and a cheetah, to playing air hockey against a robot. There’s plenty to keep yourself engaged. For children 5 and under there is a kids zone, with fun activities and climbing area.
I love museums because they always inspire me to think differently. It make me question “how?” when it comes to the functioning of the world around us. As I watch my kids interact with each exhibit, I know their fears are turning and I can see the wonder in their eyes. They always leave the museum a little bit wiser and with new eyes to experiment in this fascinating world around us.
Support the science museum of Virginia below:
Photos shot with Sony a6000 and Tameron 28-75mm. 10/8/2023
Change is in the air. In Virginia we’ve finally had a break in the heat. The kids are back in school and they are transitioning well. We spent a sunny Saturday morning to explore our own backyard, in River City, Richmond, Virginia. The kids wanted to explore the James River off of Belle Isle and we made a quick trip to the Virginia War Memorial located in the same vicinity. I have been to the memorial before, but never inside. I was surprised to learn that there were several exhibits and learning centers, all free to the public.
The Virginia War Memorial was established in 1955 dedicated to Virginians killed in World War II and the Korean War, it was later enlarged in 1980 to honor those killed in the Vietnam War. In 1996 the names of Virginians killed in Desert Storm were added. There are almost 12,000 Virginians whose names are on the memorial. There was an additional shrine honoring over 250 Virginians killed in the Global War on Terror. The memorial is certainly worth a visit.
From the Virginia War Memorial it is a short and beautiful walk to the Belle Isle suspension bridge, and over to Belle Isle. The kids enjoyed the short hike and exploring the life of the James River. As they transition back into school mode, we’ve been making some updates in the workshop. Here’s to another upcoming fall season in Virginia. With COVID on the uptick again, please stay staff and healthy out there.
Photos shot with Sony a6000 and Tameron 28-75mm.
I was tracking Hurricane Franklin for a few days and it arrived to Virginia Beach on August 29-30 of 2023. I booked it out on a wednesday to catch the swell with my brother. The waves were about 3-4 feet with an offshore wind, made for a few dreamy waves.
Shot on sony a6000 with sony 35mm North End Beach, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Kittyhawk, North Carolina is small town in the barrier islands of North Carolina known as the outer banks. It’s claim to fame is that it is the town where the Wright Brother’s launched the world’s first successful motor operated flight. Hence North Carolina’s license plate “first in flight”. Today, the town has a population of less than 4000. We spent a beautiful week there with lots of sunshine and temperatures from the low to high 80s. The surf wasn’t great, but that’s just the way of the ocean. Over the past few years, it is something that I find myself gravitating towards more. It reminds me learning how to ride a bike for the first time, you fall time and time again, but the pursuit of riding a wave is too fun to stop. I plan on going back in the fall time, the prime surfing (hurricane season) time in the outer banks. I was able to get some photos with my trusty a6000. I occasionally look up the latest Sony alpha cameras from the full frame to the crop sensored and nothing has really made me feel like it was time to upgrade, UNTIL, the release of the Sony a6700, I’m really considering this one. Hope everyone stays cool, safe and healthy.
A fascinating documentary about legendary surfer, Gerry Lopez.
A beautiful week in the outerbanks of North Carolina. We had good weather, good sun, good waves and a killer time. Photos taken with Sony a6000
As our two oldest children, (ages 5 and 3) have gotten older, their fascination with the outside world has only blossomed. They are in awe at the size of trees, they dig and search for rocks and gemstones, they wonder about the dinosaurs and the search for animals of all types. They love all of it. They learned about the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC through their children’s books and have been itching to go. What would be cooler than visiting the world’s largest museum, education and research complex?
So on a Friday night before Memorial Day weekend, we set off for our Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C. We arrived in the heart of the city just blocks away from the National Mall. After a good night’s sleep, we awoke to 2 giddy children eager to walk over to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The kids marveled at pretty much everything. From the stunning rock and gem collections to the towering full scale dinosaur skeletons, it was everything they had hoped for and more.
We ventured through an area I haven’t visited, the Smithsonian gardens. In a busy city, this section was a nice escape from the crowds as we enjoyed the vast array of plants, flowers and trees. Our meandering took us through the gardens and into the National Museum of American Art, where we were once again just amazed by the beautiful collections, and the history behind each piece.
We spent our next couple days, exploring the national mall, the national monument, the Lincoln memorial. The wonderful part of it all was the fact that we just walked and took the very easy to access Metro subway.
It had been decades since I’ve been to the Smithsonian Museums, National Mall and all of the memorials, and I feel like I was just as amazed as I was as a child. I think visiting this area can be described as both powerful and uplifting. This is a beautiful country – the combination of memorials, monuments, bustling federal buildings and museums really paint a landscape of history, present and future. Our monuments and memorials celebrate the thousands of lives lost to give us our freedom. A strong reminder that freedom is very fragile. The museums demonstrate what we are able to discover and learn under the blanket of that freedom. This knowledge will hopefully help us to provide a better future, and the very active federal buildings show the day to day work which keeps the country running. Washington D.C. is a remarkable place for all ages.
Happy Summer Solstice everyone. Stay safe and healthy out there.
(I took this photo in Southern Shores, Outerbanks of North Carolina. More to come….)
Shot on sony a6000 with Tamron 17-28mm lens
WAY NORTH 