Bookmark - Christ in Colroado County Graveyard / The Magic of Cemeteries

There is such a great variety of potential subject matter that photographers - if they stick to it long enough - inevitably settle into a niche, a genre if you will.  I've always been fascinated with old, abandoned houses and buildings, and was delighted upon discovering that there is an entire culture of photographers dedicated to capturing just those things...even going so far as to break the law, trespassing onto properties that hold these nuggets.  One time here in Houston I ran into a series of beautiful prints of staircases, of all things (mentioned also in this post).  The photographer that focused on these demonstrated incredible creativity in capturing stairways in all sorts of surroundings and lighting environments.

Another of these would have to be graveyards.  Nothing like a graveyard to encapsulate a culture in a given period of time.  And - generally - they are places of quiet solitude that will allow the uninterrupted time and reflection necessary for creativity.  Besides that aspect, it must be admitted that, at least in my case, there is a morbid curiosity involved knowing that we all will end up here one day (or scattered to the winds).  In my case, as time marches on and age leaves its marks, there is even a competition with its inhabitants!  I've been known to calculate the age of the deceased to determine whether I've lived longer than they did.  It's a satisfying feeling when the percentages go up...

One time I got into trouble photographing a graveyard.  In Austin I'd just dropped off a colleague at the airport and was on my way back to a meeting when I passed the Texas State Cemetery.  I happened to have the Fujifilm 7000 with me and pulled in, intending to stay just for a bit and snap a few.  But with all the history and beauty that was there I soon forgot all about the meeting and ended up there for almost two hours.  It did cross my mind, but seriously - a boring government meeting or this magical place...are you kidding?  The boss got mad and I ended up having to take a few vacation hours.  Worth it.