Elena + Brendt: Golden Winter Wedding

Elena + Brendt’s wedding was filled with much love, laughter, and support. As Maid of Honor and photographer, I had a unique perspective and A TON of help from my partner in crime, Zack. Thanks love! 

They envisioned a silver + gold affair at an intimate, family-owned venue. That morning, fog hung over the grounds as white clouds rolled in, showing snow was imminent. It came down like little cotton balls so we couldn’t resist going out and having fun. It snowed well into twilight, making it so cozy + romantic inside. It was an honor to share it with everyone- I had a blast (and even managed a couple of pics of myself all dolled up!)

Enjoy it friends

 and

BIG  C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S  to Mr. & Mrs. Napp!

Check it out! I love these fur stoles that Elena gave to all of the bridesmaids- a perfect addition to the wintery day. 

During their ceremony, Elena + Brendt performed the tradition of “jumping the broom.”  Below, in Elena’s words, is why they choose to incorporate this unique part of her heritage into their wedding. 

“The marriage of slaves wasn’t recognized (like many many other rights) - it wasn’t seen as legit. Jumping the broom is a ceremony that was something they did to recognize their marriage ceremonies in their communities. It also represents the sweeping away of the past- some places even wave the brooms over the heads of the newlyweds to represent that! I wanted to honor my ancestors by jumping the broom. So much was taken from them and I wanted to jump to honor them. Brendt and I are both the results of interracial marriage and not too long ago, that wasn’t recognized either! Love is love and we are thankful we found it. We are thankful for all that our ancestors have fought for to get us here, and we jump the broom to say thank you, and we made it!”

My parents came too!

Zack + I managed to have some fun while on the job ;) 

Exploring the Delaware Water Gap Part II - The Hunt

The other recreational activity Zack has introduced me to is hunting.  The Water Gap has provided Zack and his family hunting adventures and wild fare for over 10 years.  It took some convincing, with promises of “free-range, steroid-free” meat and remote photo-shoot locations, but this past spring we embarked on a hunt for wild turkey. However, I quickly realized in observing the nuances of the hunt and Zack’s intimate knowledge of the area that has come from hunting the area for so long would provide plenty of unique photography opportunities.  Here is a general guideline for the process of turkey hunting and some photographs along the way.

Locating Turkey Populations

Before the hunt can begin the turkeys’ approximate locations must be found.  We narrowed our search to old farm fields and the wooded ridges that surround them.  Some of the fields are completely over-grown now, some are mowed and others are still leased out and used for farming.  All make for great turkey habitat.  Turkeys can be located using any number of calls impersonating a turkey.  Zack uses a “box call.”  It is ideal to find their location just before dark because the turkeys roost in trees for the night, so you know they’ll still be there in the morning.

A Lynch Box call.  The underside of the lid has a thin layer of chalk and is scraped across one side of the box.

This hen (female turkey) was getting ready to roost in the area close to where we decided to hunt.

Preparing our camp for the night.  We slept in the car.

The Morning Hunt

The key is to get close enough to where you think the turkeys are roosting, but not too close as to alert them of your presence.  The turkeys must be lured to you using a call, but using a decoy turkey can also add incentive, if you can find a spot open enough for the decoy to be visible while also offering enough cover for hiding.  As the sky begins to lighten, the turkeys begin to talk to each other.  We knew their approximate location, so we tried to plant ourselves amongst them in hopes of luring one within range.  All morning we could here them calling in what seemed like every direction, but no luck.

A Browning semi-automatic for the hunting and a Mindshift backpack for the photographing.

The Late-Morning Hunt

In New Jersey turkey hunting is only permitted until 12pm to prevent hens from being disturbed as they hunker-down in their nesting areas for the afternoon.  In the final hours before noon Zack likes to find a sunny-open area, preferably on a ridge close to a stream and take a little nap.  After putting our decoy out about 30 yards from us, we relaxed under cover amongst dense vegetation surrounded on all sides by a mowed field.  Zack would pop his head up every 15 minutes to look around and call.  Sure enough, after about an hour two turkeys came out to investigate.  The result was turkey chili. 

Looking out from our hiding spot amongst the brush in the middle of the field.

Turkey down!

Filling out the turkey tag.

Finishing the job

Shooting the turkey is not the end of the hunt.  After properly tagging and checking the turkey in at the proper location, the task becomes removing and cleaning the meat.

The turkey "beard."

Plucking the breast meat area.

After enough of the feathers are removed cut along the sternum to remove the breast meat.

After the breasts are cut out, the skin can be pealed away from the drum sticks (basically turning them inside-out) and then cut them away from the body.

If you missed part I of our favorite things to do at the Delaware Water Gap, click here. 

Our Favorite Things To Do at the Delaware Water Gap

The Delaware Water Gap National Forest boasts a large swathe of preserved land on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the Delaware River, offering endless recreational activities. Plus, exploring past human developments ended by the purchase of the land by the Federal Government, now frozen in time by the protection of the park, can be just as fun.  It is awesome having land preservation on such a large scale less than 2 hours away from Philadelphia. The miles of, at times treacherous, back roads make one feel as though they are in a remote wilderness.   

Crossing Dingman's Ferry Bridge from PA to NJ.

Thunder Mountain Road, NJ

The smoke from a forest fire on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River from New Jersey.

The Delaware Water Gap National Forest came into existence in the 1960s when the federal government began buying up land in the area in order to put a dam on the Delaware River.  The plan fell through and the land was turned over to the National Park Service who continued to buy up land in the area from anyone willing to sell.  In many cases the settlements on that land, farms, inns, houses and even small towns remain and are left untouched.  This scattered abandonment offers a unique natural experience and a glimpse into the areas history.  Plus, it makes for some damn good photo ops.  Here are a few of the best locations for abandoned development in the Delaware Water Gap National Forest…

Looking across Long Pine Pond, New Jersey, once the center of a Boy Scout Camp.

A picnic area, part of which is now in Crater Lake, New Jersey.

An overlook close to the Appalachian Trail, New Jersey.

An abandoned farm off of Mountain Road travelling north toward Buttermilk Falls, New Jersey.

Abandoned farm at the intersection of Old Mine Road and Kuhn Road, New Jersey.

If you walk toward the Delaware River from the farm shown above you come across some older ruins.

Remains of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad Bridge at Karamac.

As far as more traditional recreation activities, we love hiking through the park, specifically in the summer when the destination is a waterfall or some sort of cliff where we can jump into a pristine, or at least refreshing, body of water.  There are opportunities for this on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey side of the park.  Here are a few locations for swimming, cliff jumping, or at least sight seeing in the Delaware Water Gap National Forest.

Buttermilk Falls and the staircase along-side it.

Walking along Brodhead Creek, Pennsylvania on the way to the remains of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad Bridge at Karamac.

Adams Creek Trail, Pennsylvania: On our way to a series of waterfalls. See below.

Plus, there's always plenty of wildlife along the way...

This is not a beaver or muskrat, just a ground hog taking a swim on a hot day.

Common Merganser

Canada Geese and Mallards on a double date.

Deer remains, based on the scat (poop) found around it, probably eaten by coyotes.

A big black bear dump.

Bass River State Forest Valentine's Weekend

In honor of our Valentine's Day photo shoot, I decided to answer some questions prepared by Zack, my boyfriend and master navigator, concerning our time in the woods, so that you can read over them as you peruse my photographs from Bass River State Forest.

Where did you spend your Valentine’s Day?

Zack and I decided to go to Bass River State Forest in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to rent a cabin-like structure called a Lean-To to spend a “snuggly” Valentine’s Day.

How were you convinced to spend Valentine’s Day in freezing conditions in a Lean-To heated only by a small wood stove?

I think the phrases “cozy” and “it won’t be that bad” were used. I also couldn’t fathom how cold it was going to be. The thing I hate most about camping are bugs and I thought, “This is going to be great. All the bugs are dead, no worries.”

How cold was it?

It was record lows all weekend, single digits. It was frigid and numbing. There were other people that decided to brave the elements that weekend. We weren’t the only crazy ones.

What did you think of the Lean-To when you first saw it?

Well, to start, I had envisioned a cute, cozy cabin. The lean-to was neither of these things. It’s one room with a wood-stove and our inflatable bed (the kind that needs a pump, which naturally, I forgot) took up most of the space. 

How was spending the night in the Lean-To? Did the wood-stove work?

There was minimal insulation in the walls, not much between you and the elements. It was definitely cold, like see your own breath cold. I stuck my hands in the stove, almost in the fire itself, but it was not enough. The stove did work to an extent. There was one night where we had a hard time starting the fire, which made it hard to do anything else except think of how to get warm. The lean-to, as small as they were, did not get as warm as I thought.  

What did you eat for your V-Day dinner?

We brought red wine, which got so cold that we had to store them in front of the fire. We cooked some turkey chili in a pot on top of the wood stove.  We brought some cheeses, crackers, and olives, our favorite snack. We definitely did not have to worry about chilling the food.

What were your impressions of the Pine Barrens and the BATONA Trail?

The Pine Barrens are creepy. It was only heightened by the fact that we didn’t see or hear any wildlife, even the animals seemed to know it was too cold.  I could only hear the occasional sounds of the trees. The wind didn’t blow much, so everything was so still. It was unreal, but the lighting and the eerie stillness made for some great photos.  The Pine Barrens are very flat, so it made for easy walking along the well maintained trail.  Everything looks the same in the Pine Barrens, if you venture of the trail its easy to get lost.

What wildlife did you see?

Nothing. It was weird.

How was hiking in the freezing conditions?

It was difficult, but I’m glad that I did it. I didn’t have great gloves. My hands would be really stiff when I would try to take a photo. We wore facemasks because it was just too cold to have your face uncovered. My eyeballs even felt cold. With all my layers I looked like a creature from Lord of the Rings.  

Any advice for braving the elements?

Invest in the gear. Having a great jacket really makes a difference. Pack many layers. Don’t forget to keep drinking water, even if it partially freezes, you can still get dehydrated. This was the first trip that I used my new MindShift backpack. This bag made it easy, especially in these elements, to access different lenses with the rotational pack that swings around your waist.