Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Creative Photography: Resting at Harvard


Hope ya'all will stop by the CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY site and check out all the entries. I know I say it every week - cause it's true - there are some amazing, creative folks roaming round these internet tubes.

This photo is of a small private cemetery. I wish I knew the name of the place. It looked to be a very old church. It was gated and all the entrances were locked. I didn't see a plaque or a name anywhere. The building and the grounds were quite large, wrapped around a city block. This is the entire cemetery. It sat at the corner, directly across from one of Harvard's main entrances.

It was October and the ground was covered in leaves but it was still early enough for the trees to be full. I found it so endearing that the branches hang so low, as if to shade and protect all those resting there.

44 comments:

tt said...

That is a beautiful photo dianne. Why is it we take pics of cemeteries? For some reason I think they're peaceful and restful photos. Obviously the 'residents' are at peace...hopefully...
it's endearing.

Suzanne said...

You have captured such an atomshpere in this place, what a wonderful photo.

Mahala said...

I love old cemeteries. There's an indescribable peacefulness there.. well.. until it gets dark.. then it gets a little creepy.

maryt/theteach said...

Dianne, this photo makes me speechless! It's so lovely! You really have an eye for creative photos! Good Luck to you! :)

Knight said...

Wow. This is beautiful. It makes me want to end up there in the cozy little cemetery with the life growing back out of the ground and as you said, protecting it.

Dianne said...

tt - there's always something in the air at a cemetery. and I mean that in a good, spiritual way. there's a cemetery in Brooklyn - surrounded by traffic and noise and there are very few trees yet the moment you walk in the aura becomes peraceful. I always imagine souls that have moved on comforting our souls.

suzanne - thank you! I stayed there for quite a bit, the atmosphere was so lovely, thank you for feeling it.

mahala - I like cemeteries at night too, until the shadows do something to my over active imagination.

mary - thanks for such kind words. :)

knight - you have a poetic soul sweetie. the trees truly felt so much a part of those resting there. I wish I could have captured how wonderful the breeze rustling the leaves sounded.

Unknown said...

Love this shot. Love these places too -- for some reason, I've always felt a spirituality exuding from them. Not many pepl do. Glad you shared and good luck in the contest.

Raven said...

Beautiful shot.. Very mysterious yet peaceful... I like the way way you framed it too. Beautiful.

Jay said...

Very beautiful photograph.

Old cemeteries are cool places to take pictures.

bobbie said...

This is very beautiful. I love old cemeteries too. So peaceful. the tree branch above is perfect.

Raven said...

Composition... I like the composition... that was the word I was looking for and all I could come up with was framing firs time through. This is a lovely, lovely photo.

Leighann said...

What a spectacular shot. I love how you interpreted the tree branches, that's exactly how I saw them too.

Old cemetaries are fascinating.

Leighann said...

Thing #1 just said: "Cooool!" hehe

Jeni said...

Beautiful picture, Dianne. Your pics really are very good -and very creative.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

nicely framed...

good luck

CG said...

If I was going to be buried (and I'm not!) I'd like to be buried somewhere like this!

Kelly Ann said...

The post editing is just perfect for this type of photo. Nice framing inside the image too. :)

Sandee said...

This is a beautiful photo. It's awesome in B/W. Old cemetaries fascinate me.

Akelamalu said...

Great photo Dianne, you really captured the atmosphere of the place.

Dianne said...

chuck - that's exactly the feeling! I stayed there quite a bit and even through the gate you could feel the peace, it floated on the wind :)

raven - framed and composition!! I did good with both!! lol - I really wanted to capture how safe and peaceful it felt there and how strong yet gentle the trees were. I was having a heck of a time working around the fence. It was an old iron fence and the slats were very close together and rusty. I would get the lens to bypass the bars but then I couldn't see thru the viewfinder. It was a hilarious calamity and to top it off I would keep cursing to myself and then apologize to the headstones !!! I crack myself up.

thanks jay - It would be so much to go shooting together - I think you have such a great eye.

bobbie - it was so peaceful, I guess they need to protect the beauty from too many people but I wish I could have walked around inside and read the stones.

leighann - how cool that you saw the trees the same way - doesn't surprise me since you are the daughter I never knew I had.

thing #1 - thanks!! you're a pretty cool kid.

jeni - thank you buddy, I appreciate that.

bond - thank you! and thanks for the visit :)

cg - me too - and me too!! I'm going to be scattered off the Golden Gate Bridge - the North side. Oh, after I'm cremated - before would be so messy ;)

thank you chica - I wanted to give the trees the attention they required without taking away from the headstones - thanks again!!

sandee - isn't it amazing how many photographers love cemeteries. Or actually just creative people in general - how wonderful that they can feel and see all that's there :)

Dianne said...

akelamalu - thank you! that's what I was hoping to do.

Berni said...

I bought myself a camera a while ago but I am not that creative with it and I seem to be too slow also to get a decent shot of anything. I have a lot to learn about photography

juliana said...

beautiful shot.
love the toning

Anndi said...

I always feel compelled to stop and walk through old cemetaries...

It's a beautiful picture Dianne.

Jo said...

That photo is so perfect, Dianne...pulls me right in to a timeless sort of feeling.

I love old cemetaries...we had one next door to our summer house in this sleepy little Wisconsin town, and it was my favorite place to think big thoughts.

DivaJood said...

Beautiful image, congratulations.

RW said...

Awesome Dianne, Thank you for your Creative Photography submission.

Mom Knows Everything said...

What a beautiful picture! I love it in the black and white.

Dianne said...

vic grace - I've taken some photography classes and I've read a ton of books BUT trial and error is the best, and most fun way. Just shoot and shoot and shoot. And play around with some simple software. Just scene effects - like going from color to sepia and cropping a bit. My camera and I are attached and I just try to get it to see what I do lol
So nice that you stopped by, thanks.

julianna - thank you. I took it with B&W film then played a bit with tone to enhance the trees, hoping to give them a bit of the warmth they just exude into the air. They are the most loving looking trees.

thank you anndi - I really wish I could have gotten in there. I'm going to Boston this fall and I'm going to go back there.

jo - I was just looking for you over at your place!! Hey sweetie.
the place absolutely had a timeless feel to it, I'm thrilled that the photo showed you that.

thank you jood!!

thanks roger!! another great bunch of entries this week. I don't know how you do it.

thanks tammy - and it was good old fashioned film lol I even changed mid-roll becaause it just begged to be shot in B&W

Ron said...

This photo is beautiful, Dianne!

I love that you used black and white film to capture the image.

Fall is my favorite time of the year too.

I know this sounds bazaar, but I really enjoy walking through cemeteries. I find it peaceful.

Many years ago, when I bought my first good camera, I shot two black and white rolls, of nothing but cemeteries.

If you have other photos of any of your black and white iamges, I would love to see them.

Thanks for sharing this, Dianne!

Anonymous said...

I would say you've captured the essence of the place very well. Peaceful and tranquil.

Unknown said...

That is a great shot. I just did a shoot at Greenwood Cementary. Loved it. Thanks for stopping by my place! Hope you have a great week!

the walking man said...

But would you go there at midnight during an equinox with only a candle for illumination, while the druid priest does his tree spells and the coven led by the witch boils things unknown in a pot?

Patti said...

Lovely shot, Dianne. I also like the atmosphere, as others said, and how you framed it.

Good luck in Roger's contest ;-)

Odat said...

Great shot!!!

Peace

Bobkat said...

This is a wonderful shot. the sepia tones really suit the subject and give it more emotional impact.

Thanks for the wonderful compliment you paid me over at my blog. I wnated you to know that it really made my day :) Right back at you, by the way!

Ivanhoe said...

I love how you explained the atmosphere. That's exactly what the pic breaths on me :o) Good luck at the contest!

Schmoop said...

Incredibly well-done Di. Cheers!!

Dianne said...

ron - we are such kindred spirits - walking through cemeteries, film not digital, B&W - how cool are we!? I have tons of stuff that I just started to archive. Before the blog no one really saw my photos - family and friends not into photography unless they're in the picture LOL


napaboaniya - what a wonderful compliment, thank you - it is what I love about photography and I'm thrilled when others see and feel what I did

Dianne said...

for the people - are you going to post any of your Greenwood shots? I'd love to see them. There is a Greenwood in Brooklyn, I believe it has some historical signifigance. what I always loved about it was that once on the grounds the world of traffic and factories and noise and street gangs just slipped away.

walking man - how the hell do you know what I did last night!?

patti - thanks so much! :)

odat - thanks Lady - Peace

bobkat - you're welcome - just telling the truth ;)
and I'm pleased you like the tones - I messed with that for a bit.

ivanhoe - thank you - it was the trees that were most important to me, without distracting from the stones. those trees truly had a voice.

thank ya matt-man - I'm blushing again ;)

Ralph said...

Excellent shot in B&W. The shadows give a poignant view of the cemetery where sadness may lie, and the shadows offer a soft inviting view.

Sometimes B&W photos really seem to capture the immediacy of the moment better than color. I don't know why.

Anonymous said...

That looks like a beautiful and restful place. Lovely photo :)

Unknown said...

I love this photo... it's very haunting.

Dianne said...

ralph - you always say the most poetic things, thank you

thank you jackie :)

rentolen - it was a haunting place in a very comforting way though - I hope that makes sense. thank you.