Long Shadows on the Yellow Grass (yet another photo thread)

[Antisocial_Worker]

I was bored, so I walked around shooting.

[bhskittykatt]

Nice pics!

Hubs and I love walking through our local cemetery. It's interesting to think about who the people were and what they were like based on the memorials left for them. Big gravestones, small ones, well maintained ones, ones that have been neglected, couples, singles, a couple's stone where only one space was ever used, etc. It's kinda fun to think about what it all means about who's buried there.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Thanks. Personally, I find cemeteries to be peaceful places, and I'll always treasure something that happened when my boyfriend and I went to Riverside Cemetery that one time when we were first dating. We were walking along holding hands and a car pulled up, stopped, and the driver leaned out the window to tell us what a beautiful thing that was to see.

[Ree]

Thank you for sharing.
There are some really beautiful pictures there.

That child's grave was sad to see.

I love cemeteries.
They are a great place for reflection and just sitting quietly for a bit.

There is a cemetery beside our store and I sometimes think I would like to spend my lunch or break walking through it because it seems like such a peaceful place.

When I visit the cemetery where my husband and parents are buried, I can spend an hour or more just walking around visiting the "family" graves and thinking about the people who have passed.

There is so much history, too.
I will sometimes walk across to the older section and look at some of the headstones and check out the names and dates and wonder about the people and the lives they led.

As for the pictures of vandalism, I think there is a special place in hell for someone who would trash a grave.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Thanks, Ree.

Riverside Cemetery is classified as, and is used as, a public park, which means that you'll usually find people there unwinding or having fun whenever you go. I saw joggers and mothers pushing strollers, not to mention those couples on dates. There's also a marathon that runs from Riverside to downtown, which means that every year in the paper there are pictures of runners trotting past the gravestones.

[AnaKhouri]

Wow, I love cemeteries! I wish the pics I took of Cave Hill Cemetery were on my digital camera, but they are from the days of 35 mm. If I find them maybe I will try to scan them. Cave Hill has some massive obelisks, a sphinx(!) and some truly great monument art. One whole section of the cemetery is devoted to tiny stones with worn lambs and doves on them; it wasn't until I started reading that I realized the entire area was children.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I am always excited when I see you've posted more pictures. I love the quiet thoughtfulness in your photography, how you manage to distill the landscape down to what will the tell the story the best.

I love to walk through old cemeteries, too. I like to think about the people who've lived in another time, and who they were.

I know you went to Charleston, SC once and took some pics, but I can't remember if you visited any cemeteries. The Charleston ones are particularly interesting, since the city is so old. You'd also love Salem, Mass, because that's really old, too, and the headstone art is incredible. And you can also visit the witch trials cemetery, but that's pretty freaking sad when you consider why those people died.

There are some cool old yards here where I live, too. So if you ever find your way to the middle of the state, drop me a line and we'll go on a tour.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Thank you both, and thank you, Kinkoid, especially for your critique. I don't recall anyone actually reviewing my style or technique before.

Yes, last spring my boyfriend and I did get to spend a morning in Charleston before leaving on a cruise from the port there. I think I remember passing some churchyards, but we didn't get the chance to really linger in any of them because there just wasn't time. We were running around exploring downtown before the ship left.

Boyfriend is from central South Carolina, by the way, so it's possible I might find myself down in your area sooner or later.

[Dips]

Those are beautiful.

You and my husband must be kindred spirits. He's always stopping and taking pictures of cemeteries or making mental notes about them to stop next time we're passing by.

[Lady_Pigeon]

Gorgeous pictures.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Thanks, both of you, for your comments.

[kansasgal]

Wonderful pictures, especially of some of the different headstones. I love cemeteries, and enjoy walking amongst headstones and reading the epitaphs. I find it soothing, oddly enough.

You did a beautiful job in your photographs. Thanks so much.

[mikoyan29]

I've only taken a few pictures at cemetaries. Probably my favorite was getting the headstones of Bob Ufer, Fielding Yost and Bo.

And yes, you do some pretty nice photography and I'm always interested when I see you posting a thread.

[Antisocial_Worker]

I think this might have gotten the biggest response of any of my photo threads. Thanks so much to everyone who replied!

[Bella_Vixen]

Your photography transcends words.