Spots to photograph the moon in Virginia?

DGMPhotography

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Might be a long shot here, but I'm trying to figure out a great spot to take a photo of the moon, with a nice foreground.

November's super moon is going to be the biggest moon of the 21st century to date, and it won't be that big again until 2034, so I want to make sure to get a good photo of it. I'd like to possibly do something with water.

I am open to suggestions! 3 hours travel from Richmond, or less, preferably.

Thanks!
 
Might be a long shot here, but I'm trying to figure out a great spot to take a photo of the moon, with a nice foreground.

November's super moon is going to be the biggest moon of the 21st century to date, and it won't be that big again until 2034, so I want to make sure to get a good photo of it. I'd like to possibly do something with water.

I am open to suggestions! 3 hours travel from Richmond, or less, preferably.

Thanks!
You can try Shenandoah or Blue ridge. There will not any be light noise. And there are some open fields too between the mountains.
 
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The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest is probably your best bet.
 
You could head down to Va Bch and get a shot of the moon rising over the pier. Of course, it would be really frustrating if the clouds started rolling in just as the moon was rising. . . something I know from personal experience. There's also the lighthouse at Cape Henry.
 
Have you thought about heading to DC, I imagine there will be quite a few people trying to catch it rising behind the Washington Monument.
 
The eastern shore is God's country. Plenty of water and 0 light pollution. 5 or 6 hour drive though.
 
I don't understand the concern with light pollution when shooting the full moon. The thing is reflecting direct sunlight.
 
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One side of Lake Anna or the other?
Ambient light shouldn't be an issue, either since typical exposures are around 1/125 @ f/11. The background scene would be important to capture.

The moon can be blocked with a U.S. dime held at arms length (averages, here). How much bigger is it supposed to be - will I need a penny to block it?
 
Moonrise here will be during twilight, so . . . . . . . . . The last full moon looked like this:
Moonrise Over Yucca Valley by tltichy, on Flickr

Even after twilight, the brightness of the moon will wash out most of the stars, and often lead to a blue sky if you overexpose the moon enough to show some stars. Here is a shot taken directly into a 75% full moon, at iso 400 f/2.8 for 30 seconds. Notice the blue sky caused by the moon, yet look at how blown out the moon is and there are very few stars in visible.

Moon Setting Over Keys View by tltichy, on Flickr

You can get some really cool shots with your back to the moon as it gets low in the sky, allowing you to get both foreground illumination and stars in the sky, but if you want the moon in the image, and you want detail in the moon, you're not going to be getting lots-o' stars.
 
Meh, we've always called them moon dogs where I'm from, which makes even less sense.
 
I don't understand the concern with light pollution when shooting the full moon. The thing is reflecting direct sunlight.
True, but with moon rise will be at approximately 6:00 p.m. Less light pollution means better contrast between the sky and the moon. The OP was wanting something with water, that is why I suggested The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. Sherando Lake could offer the OP what they are looking for as the moon rises over the mountains. Plus it is a two hour drive from Richmond.
 

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