Graveyards

I seem to be moving through the Flickr cliches. Last month it was rusty junk, this month it’s graveyards.

Of course this isn’t really anything new. I’ve always been aesthetically fascinated by entropy and decay, the way that things settle into patterns over time. Conscious placement is nice but there’s an honest beauty in the way leaves fall on the ground. It’s notable that I never set up the subject of a photo – just frame it as it is from an interesting angle.

The graveyard thing wasn’t a deliberate decision – having exhausted my usual haunts for the time being (once autumn really kicks in I’ll have to return) I’ve been opening up the map and looking for new destinations. The graveyards were just the most obvious starting points. A tip, though, for anyone thinking of making a photographic trip – don’t go on a Sunday afternoon. While I’m sure I didn’t offend anyone wandering around with my camera I did feel a bit awkward and intrusive, trying to avoid the mourners. Thankfully most cemeteries are zones by date and the more interesting graves are the older ones, but some, such as Brandwood End in Kings Heath, are a little more mixed up.

The other problem with photographing graves is the whole issue of positioning. It’s utterly irrational but I can’t stand on the grave itself, even though the body has been down there for 80 years and has no doubt rotted away. Some things are sacred, or just rude, so much leaning is involved.

On the Nikon F2 front I’m waiting for the first roll to be developed before I take it any further. So far I’m not convinced by the joys of SLR film photography, though obviously it’s early days and I haven’t seen the results.