A short video of our hike through St. Mary’s Wilderness in George Washington National Forest. Filmed on Sony a6000 with 35mm/1.8, iPhone 11, and Sony FDRX3000

A short video of our hike through St. Mary’s Wilderness in George Washington National Forest. Filmed on Sony a6000 with 35mm/1.8, iPhone 11, and Sony FDRX3000
The city of Petersburg is a short 40 minute drive away from the capital of Virginia, Richmond. These two cities played pivotal roles in the American Civil War. It was here, where the final days of the civil war were fought. The “Siege of Petersburg” was a series of battles fought from June 9, 1864 to March 25, 1865 that led to the end of the civil war.
“Nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, the suffering of civilians, thousands of U. S. Colored Troops fighting for the freedom of their race, and the decline of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of No. Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. It was here Gen. Ulysses S. Grant cut off all of Petersburg’s supply lines ensuring the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, Lee surrendered.” – National Park Service
I wanted to take the kids out for some epic learning and exploration. We have never actually spent any time in Petersburg, but the park was certainly impressive. There was loads to see and we explored just a small fraction.
Photos taken on Sony a6000 w/Tamron 28-75mm lens
We took the family to spend a couple of days on the Piankatank River. The water was calm and the wildlife was out and about. I was able to get a shot of the bald eagles that have been hunting our segment of the river for years. I’ve been breaking in the Sigma 100-400mm telephoto lens. I still have it attached to the trusty old Sony a6000 that’s been pulling it’s weight for the past 5 years now. Hard to believe it’s been that long. I still have much to learn about telephoto lenses, but it’s been a lot of fun. Happy Holidays to everyone. Stay safe and healthy out there…and keep those masks on! Cheers.
In the middle of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, you would never expect to find the tallest active sand dune on the east coast. At Jockey’s Ridge State Park, you can explore these sand dunes and more. The park covers an area of 427 acres and is the most visited park in the North Carolina park system.
The temperatures can apparently be truly desert-like in the hot summer months. Reaching 110 degrees F and the sand can be up to 30 degrees hotter. Our visit was in late September so there was virtually no one when we arrived. For our son, this was the largest sandbox he’d ever seen and he was thrilled.
* Make sure to bring plenty of water on those hot days. Sunglasses help too even if it’s not sunny, especially on windy days