Friday, July 22, 2011

Summertime Photograph Scavenger Hunt: Cemetery

This gorgeous cross is at one of the cemeteries in Half Moon Bay, California. The cemetery is  called the Our Lady of the Pillar or Nuestra Senora del Pillar Cemetery. It was opened after the more historic (and more well known) Pilarcitos Cemetery was closed.
The cemetery has an older section up top, where this cross is and a modern section, down below. There's also a "potter's field" with unmarked graves. You can read more about the cemetery at this link, although I think it was written quite a while ago because the cemetery is in much better shape than in the write-up.  I enjoy taking photographs at cemeteries. I find the images work well in collage art and also for sympathy cards. But, I'm not sure everyone shares my sentiments. Helena shared her thoughts and some great photos in her post here. How do you feel about cemetery photography?
Posted by Maria Ontiveros at 11:00 PM
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9 comments:

Amy said...

It has never occurred to me to take photos there, I think I feel as though they are places of reverence and history and perhaps me poking around taking photos is not what people would like to see if they are visiting the grave site of a loved one. Having said that, I do find them fascinating places to visit from a historical perspective.

July 23, 2011 at 12:00 AM
helena said...

Beautiful cross. Like Amy I find them fascinating places to visit as an historic record

July 23, 2011 at 12:20 AM
debs14 said...

The cemetary where my parents are buried is really, really old and some of the old tombstones are fascinating. Some made of iron and even one of wood. I see no harm in taking a photo of something that takes your eye, they are put there as memorials for people to see after all.

July 23, 2011 at 4:09 AM
Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

I share Amy's sentiments and have never taken a photo in a cemetary before. That will change with this scavenger hunt.

Maybe I'll get my cemetary photo when we visit Half Moon Bay next month! ;o)

July 23, 2011 at 5:38 AM
Sian said...

I took a cemetery photo in Norway - it was the most beautiful, peaceful spot you could imagine. But you have touched on something I had been thinking about minutes before I took the picture - what places are out of bounds for photographs. I would never take pictures inside a church, for example. I have been thinking about writing a post on this

July 23, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Alison said...

I have mixed feelings on this one too....I had friends here a year ago and one of them asked to go to the local cemetery to take pictures, and I found it very odd...but I shall be doing the same thing for the Scavenger hunt
Alison xx

July 24, 2011 at 6:09 AM
Lauren said...

OMG! This is gorgeous!

I have taken photos in cemeteries over the years and posted one on my blog some thing ago: http://doublehdesign.blogspot.com/2009/06/enlightenment-at-bingham-hill-cemetery.html

I should do a blog post with some photos at a neat old cemetery in Virginia I checked out back in October. Thanks for the reminder!

July 24, 2011 at 1:17 PM
Ginger said...

I've not taken a photo in a cementary, in fact I've never thought to. I'm not opposed to it at all. Your picture is beautiful Rinda :)

July 24, 2011 at 8:31 PM
Becky said...

I took a whole group of photos in a cemetery when I did one of Cheryl Johnson's online classes. I find it very moving to take the photos and read about the person on the memorial. I had never thought of using one on a sympathy card - might do that next time I need one - hopefully not for a long time though.

July 25, 2011 at 6:26 AM

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