I sometimes tell people that I never feel so alive than when I’m combing a graveyard with camera in hand. It has become more than a hobby; It’s more like a life-line, my go-to-place that gives me strength to endure many a tough day.
And while there are many a gravecombing photography enthusiasts like me, I find that most are drawn to the large statues and scenic views that graveyards and cemeteries provide. I, on the other hand, like to get up close and personal (always respectfully of course) with the graves, looking for what lies in the cracks and what spills forth in terms of remembrances left by the living.
I’m so into this, I even self-published a book of photos.
Click here:
Graveside Manners
Some days I worry that I’m being voyeuristic as I literally zoom in on individual gravestones and plots. To ease my (and perhaps your) concerns, here are my self-imposed rules:
Thou shall not move or touch anything (or anyone!)
Thou shall not include names of people (living or dead) in photos
Thou shall not photograph anyone at the graveyard without expressed permission
No one has influenced my photography hobby (and way of looking at my surroundings) more than my Aunt Carolyn.
Here is her sage advice:
“Take pictures of the small things, the things that trigger memories. Take pictures of the hands that feed you lunch, or the backyard chair you sat in, or the roof top or the dog, or the kids that follow you around, or the wooden door at the corner store you won't forget. Take pictures of your routine. Take snapshots, not photographs. Snapshots are memory triggers, not masterpieces for the wall, and they are all of great value. My advice to you is to stay in the present as much as possible. Enjoy the sounds, the words, the smells, the awkwardness, notice what you are feeling, learning.”