Photo-a-Day - Aug 2012 - Day 16: Cemetery

Photo-a-Day - Aug 2012 - Day 16: Cemetery

St. Andrews, Sonning-on-Thames  -  Lafayette Cemetery #1, New Orleans

A misty day, perhaps with light fog, really is the proper atmosphere for photographing cemeteries, in my opinion.  Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating in either location.

St. Andrews in Sonning-on-Thames is a wonderful old Normal style church, parts of which date back to the 15th century.  The day I explored the churchyard was over 100 degrees and no one was around of whom I could ask questions, unfortunately.  From what I found, the oldest headstones are either gone or illegible now, but there was a wonderful assortment of traditional headstones, Celtic crosses and monuments.  The most interesting was that predominant citizens were buried within the church.  One walked on their tombstones, and remains, as one walked down the aisle.

Lafayette Cemetery #1 in New Orleans is one of the oldest cemeteries in the city, dating back to 1833.  It is in the Garden District and within walking distance from the house where Ann Rice lived while there.  It is also near a small neighborhood restaurant that served the most amazing crayfish bisque one could imagine. 

Because New Orleans is located below water level, bodies must be buried above ground.  I found the cemeteries in New Orleans very difficult to photograph as they are very crowded; it's hard to gain perspective.  It was interesting to see some of the causes of death listed as yellow fever, apoplexy, and being struck by lightning.