Ashley Fetner Fine Art Photography

Beaufort, South Carolina

If you follow the back road between Yemassee and Beaufort, South Carolina you will find the ruins of one of the first Greek Revival Churches in the United States the Old Sheldon Church.

It was first built in 1745 and during the Revolutionary War in 1779 the British burned it. It was rebuilt in 1826 and on Sherman’s “March to the Sea” in 1865 it was burned again.  All that remains today is the outside structure and the brick pulpit that stands inside. 

My first visit to the church was to assist Ashley with a bridal portrait.  The bride’s fiancé was a history buff so for their first date he took her to Old Sheldon.  He then proposed to her there and the wedding was to be held there- naturally she wanted her portrait photographed on the grounds of the ruins.  What stories they will have to tell their children and grandchildren!

Among the great oaks draped with Spanish moss that surround the church, you will find above ground vaults and tombstones that date from the 1700’s through the 1990’s.  Some of the stones have names and dates-others share bits of history and a glimpse into past lives.

You don’t have to be a history buff to be caught up in the beauty and charm of these ruins that have stood for more than 120 years.

Many thanks to our bride for sharing her special time and place-

Kay

 Sitting on the Utah and Arizona border, Monument Valley is a small part of the 16 million acre Navajo Reservation.  No one knows for sure exactly when the first Navajo settled here, but they have raised sheep, other livestock and crops for generations.

Monument Valley is 9,696 acres of wide flat desert with rich red buttes, mesas, and canyons.  The rock formations that stand-alone and rise hundreds of feet are the last remnants of the sandstone layers that once covered the region.

Traveling a long stretch of road through the desert I saw “familiar” rock formations in the distance and I immediately experienced a “déjà vu” moment-remember in the movie when Forrest Gump stopped running and turned toward home?  That was the road!  I tell you it was much more impressive being there than seeing it in the movies!

We have seen many images of the American West portrayed on T.V. and in the movies that were filmed here since 1938-including “How the West Was One” and many others.

You can explore the valley by way of the 17-mile loop road (dirt) that passes through the Navajo Tribal Park.  Here I felt the mystery and tranquil beauty of this land come alive-

As the evening shadows began to fall – I discovered a whole new meaning to “Riding off into the Sunset”-

Kay

 So what is a Hoodoo?

It is a pillar of rock that has eroded into bizarre shapes and spires over a span of years.

Hoodoo also means, “To cast a spell.”

Bryce National Park is a series of amphitheaters filled with mazes of hoodoos and spires with an amazing range of colors-truly casting a spell on all who come-

While visiting in May, we woke to snow blowing under the door-21 degrees with 30-35 MPH north winds and the wind chill was about 10 below—BUT this did not deter Ashley from photographing this fantastic landscape!

My favorite area was Fairyland Point- about a mile off the main road at the entrance to the park.  Filled with castle like formations in pastel hues-it lived up to its name-

Ebenezer Bryce was one of the early settlers in the Paria Valley and the canyons were in his “backyard.”  As others began to settle in the valley they named the canyons Bryce after Ebenezer.

Talking to a visitor one day Ebenezer remarked of the canyons “Hell’uva place to lose a cow!”

Kay