Photography Adventures at Fort Ward and Gunston Hall

I was in northern Virginia recently and wanted to take some photos of some more historical spots. So, after a little research, discovered how close they were, a trip was planned. Northern Virginia has a wide range of historical sites. From the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and other historical moments that impacted this country. The two sites were different from the other. The first was Fort Ward, and that is a famous Civil War site that was important during that time as it was next to Washington D.C. The second site was George Mason’s Gunston Hall mansion. Both areas provided different settings. As a photographer it helped create a challenge for me.

Fort Ward was an important base during the Civil War. It was one of several forts that surrounded the southern part of Washington D.C. The Fort is peaceful today but still carries historical significance/memories. It’s a park for folks to sit, enjoy, and learn some history along the way. The Fort has a short trail that allows people to walk around the site. The cannons positioned on the west side was probably my favorite area to walk. The positioning showed an awareness that the Union troops knew that they would watch for danger from all directions. Also, as a photographer I got to capture some nice shots but ran into some problems due to the clouds moving. This movement of clouds would brighten the scene and then dim it again. I had to keep adjusting my camera settings in order to capture the shots I wanted.

This mansion was the home of George Mason. Mason was born in Virginia and wrote most of the Declaration of Virginia Rights. This important document because it influenced the United States Bill of Rights. However, he did refuse to sign the Constitution because he felt that it gave the federal government too much power. Mason was also concerned that protections were not clearly guaranteed yet. He was a big advocate for civil liberties. Compared to Fort Ward, Mason’s home was very quiet and gave you the feeling that Washington D.C., was millions of miles away. There was peace and quiet throughout the property and home itself gave you the snapshot of what Mason probably felt when he made his way home. Photographing this property was a lot easier. The clouds had dispersed some and I was able to capture better images without playing with the settings. It was a nice experience to say that I have been there