photographing cemeteries

[Ty G]

It all boils down to intentions; if your intentions are good and respectful, then nothing to worry about. Also, most all of the graves you will want to make images of are going to be the old ones that are not visited by family and friends. It would be a bit odd if you were making an image of a new grave and someone came with flowers.

I do wet plate collodion and I was set up at an old historic cemetery in Jefferson Texas. I have been there several times and learned that it is very haunted, so says. Different areas have their own "appearances/wierd happenings". Anyway, I set up to do the last shot of the day, and for a lens shade I use a pretty thick piece of metal about 1 foot x 1 foot. I get the camera focused and ready, then just without really thinking, I say aloud, "Ok, just don't f*** with my camera." I lay that metal lenshade on a headstone right next to me and I go to the darkbox to prepare the plate, then come out with the plateholder to the camera. Not a breeze felt and my darkcloth is still draped over the camera, yet I cannot find the metal lenshade. I go back to the darkbox thinking I brought it there, nope. I go back to the camera looking for it and find it about 20 feet away on the ground. It had to pass by three headstones to get where it was and there was no one else in the cemetery. If a breeze came by strong enough to knock the piece of metal 20 feet, then it would also have surely moved or blown the darkcloth laid across the camera.

That my story and I'm swearing by it.

[Eirik Berger]

I agree with the others, as long as you do it respectfully there is no big problem. On the orther hand, when I visited the jewish cemetery in Prague with LF-equipment, I felt like I intruded some private boundaries. It is a tourist attraction and of course have a lot of visitors, but I was the only one rigging up tripod/camera to photograph the very old stones. The point is that I tried to take up as little space as possible, and to somewhat "blend" in.

When it comes to individual stones and names, I have never made images where they show anyway so I have not reflected enough over that. If it is done in a nice way and in the proper context, like the images in the other thread, I don´t see the problem.

Since csant and I enjoy photographing in the same territory I have also come across ancient graves, the oldest probably dutch or british whalers from the 17th century. The permafrost has over the years forced the remains up into the open and exposed. I must admit that I have taken pictures of some of these, but I have never published them. The documentarist inside me could not resist

Last summer I visited the grave of three Norwegian hunters that starved to death in 1909. No big stone, just pieces of wood framing the grave. The exciting thing about Svalbard is that you might come across unknown graves if you just travel enough around. This one was re-discovered in 1984, and with a lot of research it could be connected to the story of the three hunters. Due to its extremely remote location and the fact that it is not easy to spot made us probably the second visitors in a hundred years. With that perspective I felt that I honored the dead by making images of their place of rest. I have not scanned the negs yet, so no images sorry.

[dsphotog]

The first image I made with my 8x10 Deardorff was in a historic cemetery, lots of interesting textures, shapes, light & shadow.
It's a natural for LF.
As far as offending anyone... It seems to me, that a photograph would help to preserve & celebrate the life & memory of those that have gone before us.
I hope someone would someday find my headstone "filmworthy".
Happy shooting!

[George E. Sheils]

I have recently started a project (using a pinhole zone plate on 6x6) which looks at the way we in Ireland have treated our dead down through the centuries in a study on burial grounds in County Clare on the west coast.

The project will be lengthy as it involves not only looking at modern burial grounds and the re-introduction of crematoria but also the use of dolmens, passage graves, megalithic tombs and other places where some 3,000-5,000 years ago the ashes of the dead were placed to ensure a favourable afetr-life.

To answer the OP's question...no, I have thus far found no objection to my picture taking. In fact quite the opposite - most people have been very helpful and friendly and have suggested different burial grounds, graves and other locations that I should visit.

Btw, using a zone plate on LF or MF will yield soft images which render more shape than detail which is good to preserve anonymity and convey mood. Not everyone's cup of tea but I like the effect.

Anyway, here's a few images that I have taken so far...

[John Kasaian]

Cemetaries can be delightful places to shoot!

The issues I face are:1)Respect for family members. On historic old graves this is less of an issue but on fresh ones, I'll pass.

And 2) Keeping from (or resisting) the temptation to photograph a cliched image, which is all too easy to do.

[h2oman]

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like the greatest danger might be disrespecting the deceased by creating an image of poor quality, always a danger for me! In that case I'll have the local waste management company give the negatives a proper burial.

I'm probably developing my film in the next day or two, so look for a possible post in the image thread on cemeteries.

[Gerry Meekins]

Ansel has a nice shot of a Moonrise over one. I'd say go for it.

[QT Luong]

Last year, as I was driving in New Mexico, I spotted a cemetery on the side of the road. Under the dark clouds, the bright colors of flowers stood out.

As the gate was locked, I parked in front of it, and shot a few images from over the fence. A sheriff's car arrived. The officer told me that what I had done was really bad, and that it must have been hurtful to the people in the village which must surely had been watching me from their homes. Since he appeared genuinely angry, and I did not want a confrontation, I apologized several times, but he kept giving me a hard time, talking to me as if I had committed a crime, before eventually letting me go.

I nevertheless published the image (http://www.terragalleria.com/america...snm44123.html), I still photograph cemeteries, but this incident, combined with the prohibition of photography in some sacred places, had me wonder whether whether there is something intrinsically disrespectful about photography.

[jp]

I think some people's perception of stigma or being uncomfortable photographing in a cemetery is in some cases their own aversion of facing or dealing with death or their uncertainties about it.

I haven't used LF in a cemetery, only MF and digital B&W IR & color.
http://www.f64.nu/gallery2007/view_a...umName=album96

Personally, I'm fascinated by the history, the typefaces and religious symbolism on stones, the variety of stone designs. I'm also curious about the untold stories; why did this person die at such a young age, how did this person's beliefs differ from mine, what was important to this person? I think other people are interested in some of these things too and are interested in the content of cemetery photos. It's a trip back in time.

In a less documentary perspective, toward a finer art perspective, the shapes and stones and arrangements can make some mighty fine compositions of lines and shapes. Trees and stones can provide nice shadows. That said, I have no interest in hanging a photo on my wall of a cemetery scene in an art for art's sake sense.
Maybe a macro of some typeface or skull or an aerial including a cemetery, but I'm not interested in framing cemetery scenics for my home.

[John Kasaian]

QT's experience is worth contemplating. Cultures should be respected and I can see how on a Rancheria or Pueblo where the local culture is endagered by secular modernity that the residents might feel that a stranger photographing their ancestors graves is a bit of a transgression.
I wouldn't want to have to explain myself to the Tribal Police!