Advice on Photo Project

[kelly_dykstra1]

I am starting a new project and I need some advice. I think it's challenging

because the subject matter is somewhat of a cliche in photography. I want to

photograph in graveyards--medium format color. I don't want to photograph in the

way that graveyards have been traditionally photographed..i.e..b&w, tombstones

etc..I am interested in focusing on the atmosphere of these places, the ideas of

them being portals between life and death--more of the psychology behind

them--what they say about views of spirituality, or the "feelings" of them.

Anyone have any ideas on this project? Advice on how to make sure that I avoid

cliches?

Any work I should look at? I will post images as I get them scanned.

[w.smith]

Clichés are unavoidable when it comes to graveyards, Kelly. (Unless you go so abstract

that it isn't identifiable as a graveyard anymore of course. But what would the point of that

be?). So I suggest you approach it from the other direction: make cliché images! But make

cliché images that are BETTER than anyone before you did. Go over the top!

 

Have fun!

[beeman458]

In honesty, go, walk and photograph....

 

"I am interested in focusing on the atmosphere of these places, the ideas of them being portals between life and death--more of the psychology behind them--what they say about views of spirituality, or the "feelings" of them."

 

Forgive me but it's "your" photography, not ours. You have the right idea; make your idea a reality, your way, not our way.

[al_gorman]

--medium format color

 

Make sure that I avoid clichés? started of with a cliché'.

 

Looking at technical quality already? Would it matter regarding the "feelings" of

[pico]

<i> I want to photograph in graveyards</i><p>

Then you must use expired film.<p>

[luke_neher]

Ignoring Gormans non-sensical and apparently random placement of words. (I joke

Gorman. I'm just saying what you wrote was a little hard to understand, maybe reiterate?)

I think that any shot of graveyards is going to be very cliché unless you really push the

envelope. Do something that really hasn't been done. I have suggestions. But you can

think for yourself.

[al_kaplan1]

One possibility would be photographing funerals. Some people actually want the funeral photographed, including the deceased lying in the casket at the church. Speak to some of the clergy in your town about it.

[al_gorman]

..I am interested in focusing on the atmosphere of these places<div></div>

[pico]

So, Gorman. How does your photograph contribute to the OP's question?

[elliot_n]

Take a look at Jeff Wall's picture, 'The Flooded Grave'.

[al_gorman]

So, Gorman

 

AL. Not Gorman. Try using some manners.

 

The poster is looking for feeling in his project, i presume.

 

I don't want to photograph in the way that graveyards have been traditionally photographed.

 

I posted something different to give him another perspective other than the usual traddy stuff.

[pico]

Okay, MR. Gorman, so who cares what you want to shoot? How about answering the question

with helpful words instead of hijacking it with a completely irrelevant photograph?

[phyrpowr]

Perhaps a comparison/contrast between country church graveyards, small town ones, larger fancier "perpetual care" types, little isolated ones out in the country, etc.

 

Photographing the funerals at them, as suggested above

[luke_neher]

Seconding PICO.

[jray]

Your portfolio online is very impressive, so I don't know that I can give you any advice that

you haven't already thought of. I'm being presumptive, but I'm guessing that this is a

project of personal importance to you, so perhaps that is a way to approach graveyards.

What kind of relationship do you have with them? How do you feel there? Have you

thought about staging images? Doing self-portraits? Using lights?

 

I often am inspried by movies, and I would recommend a few that might help you.

"Stalker" (1979, directed by Tarkovsky), "Photographing Fairies" (1998 dir. Nick Willig),

"Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" (1964 dir. Paradjanov), "The Navigator" (1988, dir

Vincent Ward), "Household Saints" (1993, dir. Nancy Savoca), "Angela" (1995, dir Rebecca

Miller). They all deal in one way or another with representing the spiritual, some of them

are oriented more toward the supernatural, but maybe they could be beneficial. Good

luck!

[w.smith]

Thirding Pico!

[beeman458]

"I am starting a new project and I need some advice."

 

BFA and you're needing advice? (he writes while scratching his head.)

 

What happen to initiative. Where's the individuality, the uniqueness, the structure of your own personality?

 

Am I so jaded that it's wrong to expect of others? Please, a light in this forest, a forest who's trees block my view.

 

Who will come visit me on Ching Ming Day? For I am forgotten.<div></div>

[beeman458]

The seasons come and the rains go, I gave, now only the unrequited echoes of the past.<div></div>

[beeman458]

A string prevents your entry, but only a string.<div></div>

[gdw]

Kelly, there is hardly anything that is not a clich頩n photography. But, the best photographers can get around that.

 

Do not concern yourself with clich鳬 with what has or has not been done, with even what we think. A clich頩s only a clich頷hen it is a trite, unthinking approach to photography.

 

Go to the cemetery, you have already expressed a longing, need, desire to photograph cemeteries?examine what it is that creates this need and find in the cemeteries what visually expresses that need. Then your photographs will be your own, not a rehash of what has been done by by someone else. Making sure that you are following your own vision is the only guarantee that you will ever have that you are not producing clich鳮

 

Just remember that if you come away from the cemetery with images that are truly your own, no one may like them because they are not clich鳮 <g>

[andy_laycock]

Good idea and I think using MF colour will definitely help you avoid the cliched, cemetary pitfalls. I think in order to focus on the atmosphere you may have to work with the people who visit the cemetary - which could be a very long, difficult process. I like to photograph in a cemetary near me, mainly because it's one of the few places that is relatively peaceful and quiet in the bustling city I live in. Quite often I feel uncomfortable when people are there visiting their departed loved ones and I wish I was brave enough to talk with them to see if they would mind if I photograph them with the grave sites...but I'm not brave and I hope someone does this.

 

For books I highly recommend Hart Island by Joel Sternfeld. It's a book on the 'potters' cemetary on Hart Island off of NYC. I won't go into details about the book itself because I couldn't do it justice. I'm not sure if it's still in print but you can probably find a used copy on Amazon or Abebooks. Good luck with the project.

[Spearhead]

Choosing materials isn't going to make your photos any better. Photos work that come from having something to say, and if you have something to say about what you are photographing, it will come through with any choice of materials. The materials should server the vision, not vice versa.

 

FWIW, I shot a unique cemetery in rural Mexico with medium format in color. I've never bothered to show the photos, or even print them, because they aren't that interesting. The best part of the shoot were the wild dogs that roamed the cemetery, they put a real edge on the whole thing.

[beauh44]

<I>the ideas of them being portals between life and death--more of the psychology behind them--what they say about views of spirituality, or the "feelings" of them. Anyone have any ideas on this project?</i><P>

 

Well I'm a lazy cheeseball but about 30 years ago, fresh out of high school, I took a B&W photography class at the local community college. The teacher was rather brutal and did what many do - leaving pretty much all of the students not particularly enamoured by the whole thing, unfortunately.<P>

 

But if he'd given me the above as an assignment he'd probably want something like this:<P>

 

I'd dig a rectangular hole, at least several feet deep. I'd put my (medium-format, color) camera with a wide-angle lens at the bottom, looking up. I know you said no tombstones but there'd have to be one in a shot for this guy to identify it as a grave. Since it's color, I'm guessing he'd want it shot at night, with the moon in view, overhead - to reflect on the vastness of the universe as well.<P>

 

Reaching down from above would be a child; in his/her other hand, he/she would be holding a Bible, looking into the camera.<P>

 

I'd do it but I'm too lazy and talk about cliche'! ;-)<P>

 

You do have some lovely images on your site, Kelly. And it's ironic because the only person who ever asked me to take their picture in a graveyard was someone named "Kelly"!<P>

 

I'm not qualified to critique a Wheaties box but it seems to me it's very hard not to take a picture of a tree when your camera's pointed at one, so to speak. ;-) Good luck!

[don_e]

Kelly,

 

Where is your family buried? Where you grew up, are there neighborhood cemetaries? How many funeral services have you attended? How many to graveside? On whose tombstones have you placed a flag on Veteran's Day, Memorial Day? Or flowers on their birthday or an anniversary? Will you be buried alongside your family?

 

The "spirituality", the "psychology", the ""feelings"" are not in the "graveyards", but in you or not.

 

--

 

Don E

[cenelsonfoto]

I love cemeteries - the older, the better. That said, Al Kaplan tossed you a nice bone to mull over. Check with local mortuaries... check with the county coroner even. Get it from start to finish. Sure, cemeteries pack plenty of mood, etc., but working your way to the grave, starting with the individual about to end up there, might be a very good angle. You can include family, friends, wake, funeral, etc.

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<img src="http://nelsonfoto.com/mein/2007/01/28/t/08.jpg">