Forgotten

This may not elicit many clicks, but I personally really like the photo.

However, I'm very open to opinions and suggestions. Thanks.

[This could fit several categories, but "landscapes" is my favorite, so there

I'll lay it to rest.]

Stephen, 

This is surely an unusual find.  Is this gravestone broken and lying in the grass?  I like the B&W.  Thanks for posting this.   Larry

Yes, the cemetery is very neglected and falling into disrepair.  This family lost 6 or 7 kids within a two-week period in the late 1800s, the father died a short time later, and the last daughter (born about the time the other kids died), passed away when she was 5.  The mother lived for another 30 years or so, but what a burden she must have carried.

A fascinating but sad tale about this family.....I love snooping around old cemeteries.  This is extremely well executed and makes a compelling shot, but at the same time it conjures up feelings of sadness that people are far too often forgotten soon after death.   Had I taken this shot, I might have been tempted to remove the debris from the marker, but leaving it as you've done helps depict what disrepair it's in.....good choice.  Also good in B&W.

Christal, thanks for the comment.  I do sometimes pick away some debris, especially if I think it might draw the eye away from the main element.  Perhaps I should have done that with the two light-colored stems at the bottom (just because they are relatively large and bright), but I didn't mind the very thin stems at the top.  I don't remember for sure, but it is entirely possible that I did remove some bits of vegetation before taking this photo.  I know that's taboo in photojournalism, but I don't feel constrained by those rules; what I do is something that is going to happen naturally during the next strong wind or during the next snowfall -- I feel I'm just speeding natural processes along, especially those that happened at an unfortunate time for my particular composition.

This shot apeals to me in difrent ways, it makes me think about the history of this tombstone and the memory of the person resting there..

I think B/W is a good choice for this photo..

-HelgeB

I am normally not a huge fan of B/W , but I can not imagine this shot any other way. I think leaving the two sticks at the bottom was the right move. They help balance out the one at the top and on the right.       Nice job    Pat