Sutfin House - panorama

The Sutfin House

It might be fair to say that I am somewhat fascinated by this house. I have shot it from every possible side, under many different conditions and many angles. I have sweeping panoramas, such as the lead image, and intimate details of the deteriorating siding. I even participated in a paranormal investigation a few years ago. The house has become quite run down and the front is now mostly covered in plywood, while a chain link fence has been erected to keep people out. It's a shame that they can't restore it, at least partially, like the Craig House not too far away. If you are interested in learning more about the house, check out a post I wrote last year - Hiking Through History: Monmouth Battlefield - Part IV; The Sutfin House. I also wrote Monmouth Battlefield and the Sutfin House, published on the anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth.

The Sutfin House - light sepia tone, 3 image panorama

When the plywood and fencing went up, I was very disappointed because I thought I had forever lost one of my favorite subjects. Recently I began hiking along the other side of the battlefield and discovered all new compositions that didn't show the plywood or fence. These are the images I am presenting today.

I am a big fan of black & white but haven't done a whole lot since my film days - I find the house to be the perfect subject for monochrome, especially when treated with some sepia or other toning. I'm not going to write too much about these images, most of what I have to say has already been said - I just want to share the images and, hopefully, inspire you to visit the house for yourself or find somewhere that inspires you and explore it to it's fullest.

The Sutfin House - black & white

This last image shows the local fire department beginning a "controlled burn" of the brush in the field. As I was hiking along the trail, I noticed the flashing lights on top of the trucks, then saw the men walking around close to the house. My heart sank - my first thought was that they were going to burn down the house. Happily, that was not the case but I did make sure to do some shooting - just in case.

The Start of a Controlled Burn

I hope you enjoyed these new images as much as I enjoyed shooting and sharing them. I'm sure this won't be the last post containing images of the house as I have many compositions still to explore. In the meantime, thank you for stopping by and please leave comments letting me know of your experiences at Monmouth Battlefield or where your "Sutfin House" is. I would love to hear from you.

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All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia
All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos, or order prints of anything you see here, you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

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Winter is here! Snow makes everything beautiful!

I enjoy the winter months and the snow.

Yes, you read that right - I enjoy the cold and snow. Don't get me wrong, I don't like having to drive along snow-packed, icy streets but otherwise love the snow. There is a beauty in the freshly fallen snow that calls out to me, like a siren song. I can spend hours hiking thru the woods during, and after, a snowfall.

Our First Snow

Shark River Park - 1 January 2018

The image of Shark River Park is the first image of 2018 and shot with my smartphone on New Year's Day. I spent about 90 miles covering 2 1/2 miles hiking the woods that day - the temperature was a balmy 16°F and windchill of 0°F. That hike was more about being outdoors than photography and I never took the camera out of the bag. It has only snowed a couple of times since then but I haven't been back to the park - I like the image I got but have other compositions that I want to explore.

Snow and the Beech Tree

Beech tree - Manalapan

I recently discovered a shortcut to Monmouth Battlefield State Park, I can walk thru the office parking lot into a gated community. There is a paved path leading to a wooden footbridge, which ultimately puts you into the woods bordering the park. It was at the far end of the footbridge that I found this beech tree. I had actually passed it, unnoticed, on my way to the park but when I was returning it jumped out at me and I couldn't resist shooting. You would never know this scene is just about 40 or 50 yards from a residential neighborhood. If you look in the gap between the tree and bridge, you will see a stream that runs for quite some distance and, I believe, meets up with the water source Molly Pitcher used during the Battle of Monmouth.

Snow at the Lake

We have only had three (3) significant snowfalls this winter, the last being a couple weeks ago. This one had me the most excited because it also brought the most snow. I think I have mentioned in an earlier post that I leave quite early every morning - almost 90 minutes before I need to - so that I can take "detours" whenever the need arises. This morning I was thankful because I couldn't help but stop and shoot. I targeted Durand Park because of the lake and the one tree that leans over it. I, truly, came away with more than I was expecting to. I thought there would be ice but I wasn't expecting the part that was melted and mirror smooth. I knew these images were going to be monochrome and I was quite happy with the resulting images. That was until my son mentioned the "Winter Reflection" might look nice in a sepia tone. WHAT?! He said he had seen other black & whites images where I used the sepia and mentioned this would be a good place for it. I wasn't so sure but decided to give it a try. Well.... I think with a little bit of "tweaking" it might be a far better image in sepia. What do you think? I think I may have to consult with him a bit more often.

No session at the lake is complete without shooting this group of Aspens leaning out over the water. I have shot them in all seasons and weather conditions. There is just something about the composition that draws me in and keeps me coming back.

Winter Reflection - Durand Park, Freehold

Winter Reflection (sepia) - Durand Park, Freehold

Weeping Aspen Trees - Durand Park, Freehold

Don’t pack up your camera until you’ve left the location. – Joe McNally

Beech Tree - Durand Park, Freehold

The Joe McNally quote is one that I try to live by and is responsible for this last image. This beech tree was shot after I had finished shooting the lake and trees above. It was very cold and I was ready to get into the car and warm up. As I was walking back to the car, I noticed this tree standing alone not too far off the parking lot. The camera was already out and mounted on the tripod so it was just a matter of finding my composition and shooting. If I had been packed up I probably wouldn't have been looking for more compositions, it is also unlikely that I would taken the time to unpack and set up if I had. It's not that I am lazy but when you have been out in the elements for more than 30 minutes and are not properly dressed, you tend to want to get back inside.

So, as you can tell - I love snow! The weatherman is predicting 1 to 3 inches of wet snow Saturday night with temperatures getting into the 40's on Sunday. I am hoping to wake up on Sunday to a beautiful, snow-covered scene - I have been wanting to get back to the scene of the first image for a while but haven't had the opportunity. If we get a decent snowfall, I will post the new images here next week.

Do you like getting out in the snow? I would love to hear from you - leave a comment below and let me know your favorite snow activities or subjects to shoot.

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All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com

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