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Photography: Local Cemetery

“We’re all ghosts. We all carry, inside us, people who came before us.”
-Liam Callanan

I’ve been thinking a lot about my grandmothers lately. Both of them were strong ladies filled with secrets and heartache. Neither of them lived a happy and fulfilled life. They passed onto me a restlessness and a sharp sadness I feel in my bones.

I don’t have a place to visit them, so for our photography lesson today I took my daughter and mother to our small local cemetery. It was a peaceful morning and I walked around thinking about what legacy I will leave my children. How do I want them to remember me?

I keep coming back to the idea that they need to see me happy. It’s by far the greatest gift I can give them—a legacy of peacefulness and joy. They need to see me publish my book, be active and strong, and cultivate my own happiness. I want to leave them a legacy far different than the one passed onto me. I have work to do.

It’s not my photography day, but I want to share these photos with you anyway. I edited them boldly, exaggerating the colors, and I hope you find something interesting in them.

  • Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW

57 thoughts on “Photography: Local Cemetery”

  1. Lovely photography! 1, 2, 7 and 9 have some great contrasts between the statues and background, and the sharpness of the tree bark really brings out the fine detail that draws the eye. 🙂 Such an important message of leaving a hopeful legacy for the next generation – I’m sure they’d be incredibly proud of how far you’ve grown ❤

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    • Thank you, Tom. I’m glad you like my photos. Yes, I’ve become very motivated by this idea. All I’ve ever wanted in life was for my mom to be happy. She’s always struggled and it’s made me so sad I couldn’t help her. I want to give my kids the gift of seeing me live my best life. I want them to say “mom sure did know how to live.”❤️

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  4. Some say, perfection is not what counts, the state of perfecting is. It’s a verb. You demonstrate that, repeatedly Bridgette.

    Which picture? Easy. The corner-stone where we can just barely notice the time-worn letters, A N. Inspired photograph. Beautiful. Some stone, some lichen, a remnant of memory. Beautiful, twice.

    PS. I went looking at older posts of mine, what might be missed. Your endearing words so often found. Sparse short-term memory, I know then forget a lot. I lose details, but I remember you, a lot.

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    • That photo was one of my favorites too. I took a photo of another one where all you can read on the stone is 1818, but it turned out blurry (which sort of seemed weirdly appropriate). I’m glad you found my lost comments and you find them endearing 🙂 Thank you for all your kindness!

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    • That’s beautiful Paula. I suppose it’s part of getting older (I’m turning 46 this year and I’m starting to get some silver glittery strands of hair). We start to think of our legacy and what we want to be remembered for. I hope I have lots more time to play, explore, and grow.

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      • 46 is still young. Keep fit and healthy by walking in the countryside, and distress more. I’m 63 young and trying to stay young by walking with my friend in the surrounding countryside. We have been walking together for over twenty five years now. Fresh, peaceful mind and spirit and healthy eating.

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      • Love that! I have a beautiful hiking trail by my house but I’ve gotten quite out of shape and the hills hurt my back and hips so much. I was just journaling this morning about how it feels different to walk with someone and when I’m taking photos (I feel the pain far less). I’m recommitting to caring for my body. I have lots to do and I need my body to do it 🙂 Thank you for the inspiration.

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    • I honestly never really got the appeal, except I’ve always wanted to visit the really old ones in New Orleans. Now, I think I may make them a regular place to think and explore.

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      • I used to go to the cemeteries where my family was buried with my grandmother & she would point out the gravestones of our family & tell stories about everyone. I loved that. I always saw cemeteries as places of stories & history.

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      • I love that too! What a special thing to have. It’s important to know where we come from and to remember our ancestors. Cemeteries hold so many stories and history. I think I’ll be visiting more.

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  8. So peaceful and serene, with the most striking monuments and flora, yet people come to visit in various stages of grief. So many stories, told, untold and unfortunately forgotten. The photography is wonderful.

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    • Thank you Tony. I could feel the stories calling out to me as I walked between the gravestones, especially those from the 1800s. It seems back then, at this cemetery anyway, they would put how old the person was in years, months, and days. There was something really touching about that…every day counted.

      This experience really made me sad that none of my family have burial plots (everyone was cremated except my one grandpa that died before I was born). I really wish I had a place to visit and mourn them—to pay my respects.

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    • Thank you so much, Keith. I was surprised by how much there was to see and how many feelings came up as I wandered the rows of graves. I might have to go back again soon.

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  14. Excellent photos, Bridgette. I especially like the first, that broken ornament makes quite a statement about graveyards! We often don’t know who our ancestors were and so we carry their ghosts inside us, in our DNA; so many questions unanswered! 🤔🙋‍♂️

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    • Thanks, Ashley. I liked the broken one too. You are so right. My dad is adopted and I know nothing about his birth mother. I often wonder what her story is and where she came from. Someday I might take up the task of trying to find out, but not until my dad’s gone. He doesn’t have any interest in knowing. So many unanswered questions indeed!

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      • Dear Bridgette, my Mum & Dad (passed some years ago now) left northern England for Northern Ireland before WW2 and so we had no “family” at all when growing up (no aunts/uncles/grandparents etc) except ourselves! It has left a huge gap in my life and it was only on returning to NI about 10 years ago that I decided to try my hand at family research. I have managed to contact some distant relatives and that has been amazing. The thing is, if only I had asked my parents MORE questions about family!!! 🤗🙋‍♂️

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      • That sounds incredibly difficult. I only had my one grandma, as the rest of my family lived across the country. We did visit them though and my other grandma eventually moved here at the end of her life. I’m often so envious of people who have huge family gatherings with aunts, uncles, and cousins.

        You are making me want to ask my parents more questions. I’m glad you are doing some research and are meeting some distant relatives. It’s interesting how that becomes more important as we get older.

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      • Don’t get me wrong but I did meet some relatives but only a few & especially my mother’s mother but I always felt “cut off” whilst those I grew up with had lots of aunts & uncles. x

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      • Same. All my cousins are very close and live in the Midwest. I’m out in California living a very different experience. When I’ve visited them I always felt the great sadness of being an outsider.

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    • Yes, it does feel very deep. I’ve had these feelings before but something felt different this time. It might be the new grey hairs or the stress our family is currently enduring, but I really want my kids to see me thriving. They deserve to have a happy mom.

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  17. I love the pics, except for the hole in the tree, it reminds me of a monsters mouth, or that you’d stick you hand in, and it is sticky, but it isn’t sap, it’s like a decaying something. I do not like the tree hole at all. My mom always loves a Mary statue.

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  19. I think you are so right, Bridgette; it’s so important for our children to see us happy, well and flourishing, if possible. I think you are going in the right direction, and I’m sure your daughter is very proud of you already. We need to look after ourselves if we are to pass that positivity and strength on to our children. I know it’s not easy for either of us, especially you, because of the issues you are having with your lovely daughter. I believe that you are and will be an excellent example to your daughter, even with the odd hiccups we all get occasionally.

    Like you, I don’t have anywhere to go to visit my Mum’s grave. It is in London, and I am 40 miles away without transport. It’s great that you took your mom and daughter to the cemetery. I love your shots. My favourites are – the tree, second from the top; it might be a yew tree going by the bark and the leaves. I also love the stone pillar surrounded by rusty wire – it’s got character, if that makes sense. And finally, contrary to many of your readers, I rather like the whole in the tree as I would be tempted to peep inside to see what little creatures were living in there – hopefully, an owl or nesting birds.

    Back to my first sentence, I remember my Mum being constantly unwell during my life at home. She improved as she got older and even got a little job where she worked as a bereavement counsellor for four hours a week. I was very proud of her, although I always admired her for raising four children without my father’s help.

    Now that I’m back to full health despite my chronically ill days years ago, I hope that my children and grandchildren can remember the strong and happy side of me. Much love to you, my friend. Xx 💖🌼💝

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  21. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and lovely photos!!.. whenever I think of loved ones who have passed on, two poems come to mind, perhaps your grandmothers are not as far away as you think… 🙂

    Do not stand at my grave and weep
    I am not there, I do not sleep
    I am a thousand winds that blow
    I am the diamonds glints in the snow
    I am the sunlight on ripened grain
    I am the gentle autumn rain
    When you awaking in the morning hush
    I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight
    I am the soft star that shines at night
    Do not stand by my grave and cry
    I am not there, I did not die
    (Mary Frye)

    When tomorrow starts without me
    And I’m not here to see,
    If the sun should rise and find your eyes
    Filled with tears for me.

    I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
    The way you did today,
    While thinking of the many things
    We didn’t get to say.

    I know how much you love me
    As much as I love you,
    And each time you think of me
    I know you’ll miss me too.

    When tomorrow starts without me
    Don’t think we’re far apart,
    For every time you think of me
    I’m right there in your heart.
    (Alena Hakala Meadows)

    Hope your path is paved with peace, joy and love and until we meet again..
    May love and laughter light your days,
    and warm your heart and home.
    May good and faithful friends be yours,
    wherever you may roam.
    May peace and plenty bless your world
    with joy that long endures.
    May all life’s passing seasons
    bring the best to you and yours!
    (Irish Saying)

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