Dgrin Mini-Challenge #269 -The Final Stop - Cemetery Photography-

grandmaR

When I won the last challenge, I thought I did not have any other options of things that I take a lot of photos of to use as a subject for a mini. I've done Lighthouses. I've done Windows. I've done Then and Now. What else is there? I thought briefly about redoing Silhouettes - a topic from some time ago and making more specific (no detail in the silhouetted item) and harder (no sunsets). Then it occurred to me that I do a lot of a kind of photography that I haven't mentioned before - Cemetery documentation Now that I am more restricted in movement, Bob helps me, but we go to a cemetery for an hour and take 400-500 photos of individual gravestones and put the images on the internet in a database called Find-A-Grave. This is a genealogical resource for people who are researching their families. When we travel, we visit cemeteries along the way. I've gone to cemeteries in Alkmaar, and St. Barts. (I don't always go to cemeteries- I went to Tanzania last month and did not visit any cemeteries).

The object of this kind of photography is to have clear readable pictures - it is not 'Art" photography so most of my photos of this type are pretty pedestrian.

Which is why I want to see what you all can come up with.

I quickly picked a couple of examples -two 'gate shots' (which should ideally show the gate and the sign with the cemetery name

Gate shot -Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Virginia

Gate shot -Small cemetery in Costa Rica

I think I've used this on in a mini - it is in England

And this one is in San Juan Puerto Rico

Some different types of grave markers

Memorial in Beit Haim Berg Altena Willemstad, Curaçao

Memorial in Bonaire for a parrot (language is Papiamentu)

Individual family enclosure in Plymouth NC

Memorial in Grote Kirk Alkmaar

Memorial showing the new color graphics

Grave marker for a John Deere dealer (John Deere Joe)

Anyway this mini is primarily for photography of and in Cemeteries. But just to give people an 'out', the photos can be of any life end point. Although I warn you that I will give priority to actual cemetery photos. Mini will run until July 20th at 0800 EDT

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slpollett

Interesting subject. Not sure I have what you are looking for, but will see.

1. George Washington's grave
   

2. Iraq-Afghanistan memorial at our local veteran's cemetery.
   

3. After the wreath-laying ceremony at the Texas State Veteran's Cemetery in Killeen, TX
   

It was really hard to choose which image from the wreath-laying events was my favorite. I actually put some in a collage, but wasn't sure if the collage is appropriate for the challenge. I will share it just to share though.

ETA: I did switch out one photo with the one you suggested.

This is the engraving at the top of the first photo above:

Sherry P.

grandmaR

Thank you for sharing the collage - they are very interesting to make but hard to judge. And those photos are in the correct genre. I would have liked you to submit some of the photos individually - especially the top right one of the collage

StueveShots

At first I didn't think I had any cemetery photos...and then I found many more than I needed. I am going to feature three from a favorite spot--the St. Peter and St. Paul Church graveyard in the village of Church Hanborough, Oxfordshire, England. The church dates from the 12th century (a sign proudly boasted that it had been remodeled in 1299).

1.

2.

3.

As a slight aside, on the gate pictured in photo #1 there was a small whimsical detail: a little hedgehog (I think). I know we have folks from the UK in this forum, and I've always wanted to know--is there some meaning behind the carving? Is it a common thing to add such a small, sweet detail to garden/graveyard gates?

grandmaR

Oh beautiful. Love the gate detail

GSPeP

I don't have many cemetery photos, but managed to visit the one in Pori, Finland when I was there for work in April and May.
All pictures were taken there.

1. Juselius Mausoluem
   

2. Christian Chapel
   

3. Protestant Chapel
   

Cavalier

Here are my three entries:

1) Foresthill, Ca. There are two cemeteries here - Catholic and Protestant. I guess back in the 1800's it was a sin to be buried in the wrong cemetery! This is a carving by a local - one of three in the Catholic Cemetery.

2) Foresthill, Ca. This is in the Protestant Cemetery - the Thomas family dating from the 1800's. The gate that leads into the section is pictured - and has a depiction of what appears to be a willow tree.

3) St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church - Chinese Camp, Ca. This is a view from the interior through one of the windows to the graveyard next to the church. There was an effort to restore the church and other historic buildings in Chinese Camp, but it has been stalled for a number of years. Chinese Camp is the remnant of a notable California Gold Rush mining town. The settlement was first known as "Camp Washington" or "Washingtonville". Some of the very first Chinese laborers arriving in California in 1849 were driven from neighboring Camp Salvado and resettled here, and the area started to become known as "Chinee" or "Chinese Camp" or "Chinese Diggings". At one point the town was home to an estimated 5,000 Chinese. It's now considered a ghost town.

Just as a reference to the last shot - this is a photo of Xavier Church with the graveyard on either side. (Not an entry)

grandmaR

Peter very interesting to see pictures from Finland

Jo - I love the carving. I have not seen anything like that before. The weeping willow is a common 19th century symbol - nature's lament.

BMW Kurt

Been a while since I have submitted anything for the challenges. Time to get back in the habit!

1) St. Michael's Cemetery - Charleston, SC

2) Friedhof Ohlsdorf - Hamburg, Germany

3) Friedhof Ohlsdorf - Hamburg, Germany

sarasphotos

I thought I had more to choose from, but here are a few from my small collection on this very interesting subject.

1) Juxtaposition. My partner and I thought it highly amusing that the cemetery in Bischofshofen, Austria is placed directly at the end of the world-cup ski jump (at least as seen through a zoom lens).

2) This memorial cross is right in front of the small cemetery for the plague vistims of 1635 (they got their own special cemetery outside of town)

3) The St. Peter's cemetery in Salzburg is a lovely oasis.

Two bonus shots, not for judging.
Famous sarcophagi:
1) Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry II (I love that she appears to be reading abook)

2) Just a couple of weeks ago we were in the Seville Cathedral (magnificent although crowded) and visited Christoper Colombus.

grandmaR

Welcome back Kurt

Sara, I was thinking that Columbus was buried in Granada, but I guess that was Queen Isabella.

pegelli

Great theme GrandmaR, here's my contributions

Let them not be forgotten (crosses in the back of the church with the names of the people who died the last year)

Forever together:

Jewish cemetery iin Wroclaw

grandmaR

love the path leading into the Jewish cemetery Peter

JAG

Interesting topic! Not sure I have very many, but this first one came to mind immediately.
1 This is the royal Romanav family of St. Petersburg at the Peter and Paul Cathedral in Russia.

2 This is the graveyard just outside of Jerusalem's wall on the side where the Golden Gate is and at the base of Mount of Olives. It is a very crowded cemetery and is divided up into sections depending on your religious beliefs.

3 This one was taken during a bus ride in Costa Rica, of the graveyard in Limon.

This is not for the challenge, but is a panorama of the Israel graveyard taken from the Mount of Olives. This will put into perspective on how big the graveyard really is.

DavidRGillespie

What an interesting challenge, and so many great images already. I am going to be away until the 26th of July, but will add three to the set plus one, anyhow.

1. Mortuary poles, Ninstints, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada. After preparation, important Haida dead were interred in boxes in the slots at the top of the poles.

2. 

3. A graveyard near Massett, Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada.

3. Fidel Castro's final resting place

A little aside here to Jo's (@cavalier) comment on separation in graveyards. This is a 2009 shot from a graveyard in Akaroa, New Zealand and apparently
it is still important to head off in the right direction

Cavalier

@DavidRGillespie - I love the New Zealand Cemetery sign - Dissenters! My mother would have enjoyed the 'Dissenters', being a devout Irish Catholic in her day!

grandmaR

@Cavalier said:
@DavidRGillespie - I love the New Zealand Cemetery sign - Dissenters! My mother would have enjoyed the 'Dissenters', being a devout Irish Catholic in her day!

I agree - at present I'm transitioning to a new computer so you may not hear from me for awhile.

[Deleted User]

Buddhas tooth temple , Singapore. Each statue is a persons cremated remains

sapphire73

Thanks for the unique idea for a mini! I am going to share three photos but please do not consider them as entries. (Recovering from Lyme's disease and catching up from a busy June.)

1) Young Soldier (15 year old buried in WWI cemetery in Belgium)

2) Unknown Soldier

3) George S. Patton

Wandering Dane

1) Sarcophagus containing Denmark's Queen Margaret I, who died in 1412

2) A typical cemetery in rural Denmark

3) Flowers from the funeral, covering a recent burial, also in Denmark

lkbart

I have a few to add from a cemetery in New Orleans

1 Offerings at the "Voodoo Queen" Tomb
(was hiding behind someone so "she" couldn't see me lol!)

2 Fisse Family Vault

3 Top of a marker

Not an entry, but had to add a shot of my Goth couple, we went to several cemeteries

moose135

1 - Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

2 - Unknown British Sailor's grave, Cape Hatteras, NC. His body was recovered after his ship was sunk by a German U-boat off the North Carolina coast during World War II.

3 - Changing of the Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery

grandmaR

One more day

bfluegie

1. Leaning Headstones
   

2. Obelisk grave marker
   

3. Monuments among the trees
   

grandmaR

Mini is closed. I'll post the results later today (if I can decide )