Cemetery in black-and-white

[Mike Buckley]

From this cemetery's website: "Alexandria National Cemetery is one of the original 14 national cemeteries established [in the United States] in 1862. The first burials made in the cemetery were soldiers who died during training or from disease in the numerous hospitals around Alexandria. By 1864, the cemetery was nearly filled to capacity, which eventually led to the planning, development and construction of Arlington National Cemetery." The cemetery is in Alexandria, Virginia.

My wife and I spent a wonderful afternoon walking around this small cemetery in late 2011. I converted this photo to black-and-white a few days ago.

C&C encouraged as always, though I have nothing to ask.

[Tony M]

What a coincidence. My daughter wants me to take her to a cementery with simple gravestones like these ones, for an art project. But I can only find cementeries in Madrid with very ornate ones, and with statues and tombstones. I have a fascination for cementeries and it has given me an idea for a photo shoot. But it won't help my daughter much, I'm afraid.

The trees give the photo a nice balance, and the way that the gravestones disappear into the background give it a feeling of expanse.

How long are the rows of this cementery? Could you have played with converging lines by photographing them straight-on?

Tony

[Mike Buckley]

U. S. military gravestones are very simple. If you know of a U. S. military cemetery near Madrid or near somewhere you plan to vacation in Europe, that might meed your daughter's need.

The undulating terrain and the trees as well as perhaps the small size of the cemetery gets in the way of trying to capture lines that converge in the distance. I don't even know if that's possible in the much larger Arlington National Cemetery, which is not far away, but it's a great composition idea to keep in mind.

[Donald]

If you're at the battle sites of World War 1 or 2 , then, of course, the war cemeteries are profoundly moving places. One of the best images I think I've seen was that of Tyne Cot, posted here on CiC by Mike (Clactonian) in 2010. It's here.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for directing me to that thread, Donald. The first photo there is really powerful.

[Donald]

Thanks for directing me to that thread, Donald. The first photo there is really powerful.

You are welcome, Mike.

As for your image above, that too is an extremely powerful image. What I find particularly striking is the composition that gives us no sense of the beginning or the end of the line of graves. All we can see are headstones coming into the frame immediately in front of us and then going away into the distance, with no obvious end point. And they extend out each side of the frame as well. So where does all this death end?

That is wonderful photography.

[Mike Buckley]

There is perhaps nothing more rewarding for me than to learn that everything about the details of a photo that I had hoped to impact the viewer indeed did. So, thank you, Donald, for taking the time to explain your reaction to the photo.

One detail that you understandably didn't mention is that I also see the trees as "looking over" the grave sites, more than just protecting them.

[Aforns]

Powerful image Mike, like the tonal range and composition !!

Never visited but would like go. I believe Arlington National was built around RE Lee's home during the Civil War.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Alfred. If I remember correctly, the home you're thinking of was owned by a relative of Robert E Lee, perhaps someone in the Custis family. I would have to look it up.

[kdoc856]

I believe Arlington National was built around RE Lee's home during the Civil War.

That is correct. When the Union occupied General Lee's home, they decided that if he was going to be responsible for so many Union deaths that he would live with a reminder forever, and they buried their fallen brothers in his wife's rose garden. The Lee's never returned to Arlington, but his eldest son was eventually recompensed for its loss.

[Mike Buckley]

It's always nice to have a few history buffs hanging out here to keep me in line.