Trask Avenue

Sparta, NJ

New Jersey has always had an image problem, to put it mildly. I suppose it has gotten worse over the past several years with the rash of television shows which reinforce every negative stereotype about the state. But that’s okay. We’re used to being misperceived, misunderstood, and misdemeanored. When many people consider you nothing more than a necessary evil to endure on a trip from New York to Philadelphia these things happen. And why anyone would make the trip in that direction is a mystery the most brilliant social scientists can’t explain. Traveling from Philadelphia to New York makes a hell of a lot more sense.

Asbury Park, NJ

Folks from Jersey can come off as loud and brash – and often do. A good part of that is bravado masking a wholly unnecessary insecurity about our little state. Those of us who are not loud and brash feel no such insecurity because we harbor a secret we’re not all that anxious to share with the rest of the world: A vast majority of New Jersey is quite beautiful. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone. Certain people won’t like that I’m ratting out the state. I’m taking a serious risk here, if you catch my meaning.

Frenchtown, NJ

Please don’t take that declaration, or the accompanying photos, as an invitation to visit. (Unless you’re bringing cake. Cake forgives everything.) As much as you may want to come check it out for yourself, don’t. There are already too many people here. We need to downsize.* We don’t want y’all clogging up our malls, crowding our excellent restaurants, and driving way too slow by obeying traffic laws and such. Most of us are on our last nerve to begin with. You don’t want to be the person pushing us off the edge. Instead, live vicariously through photography. It’s better for everyone.

Princeton, NJ

New Egypt, NJ

*If any state is looking to boost its population fast, I can give you a list of people we’d like to…encourage to live elsewhere. Give me a shout. I’m sure we can work something out. Are you listening Alaska?