[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 24 December 2020].
deck the halls
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 24 December 2020].
untitled #147
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 22 December 2020].
now bring us some figgy pudding
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 21 December 2020].
There's a whole post to come about my first visit to Kensal Green Cemetery; one of the 'magnificent seven' London cemeteries.
But, between now and Christmas Day, I'll be sharing a few more season's grievings images I took during my visit, including this one.
Images from this mini-series had previously been shared early access for my Patreon patrons two days before making them public to the rest of the world.
But I have a few I want to share so they'll become public closer to 24 hours after original posting there in the lead-up to Christmas.
After Christmas, new images from the series will be available early access to my patrons a week before the rest of the world.
the festive hearts
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 12 December 2020].
This looks like being the last season's grievings instalment for now.
If I find any new ones worthy of sharing I'll do so whether that's before Christmas or anytime in the future.
I hope you've enjoyed this mini-series within my sepulchre series.
I'm expecting to have more stained glass images for you soon.
Perusing my digital archives for these images has reminded me exactly how many of my photographs from graveyards, cemeteries, churchyards and more haven't yet seen the light of day.
And don't even start me on how many graves I've captured on film that I would love to share with you!
I especially enjoyed reminiscing over my, as yet, unedited and unpublished photographs from Edinburgh's Parish Church of Saint Cuthbert.
I had the chance to revisit the Saint Cuthbert churchyard in 2011, likely about 10 years after my first visit there. This was due to the generosity of my newest Patreon patron, Sarah Jansen, who gifted me the unneeded return portion of her Edinburgh to London ticket. And Daniel and Mia who put me up for my visit during festival season moments away from the base of the hill Edinburgh Castle rises from. A prime position for photographing the Military Tattoo fireworks (which I did).
I hope to, eventually, share more of my analogue photographs with you, as well as my digital ones. Though a film and flatbed scanner - amongst other things like infinite time and money to devote to the task - is something I need to reinstate into my toolbox first. I'm working on it!
sun-bleached santa
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 10 December 2020].
merry christmas
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 December 2020].
wreath. red ribbons. reunited.
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 6 December 2020].
o tannenbaum
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 4 December 2020].
season's grievings
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 2 December 2020].
As promised in my 22 November post, albeit starting a day later than planned, I've been putting together a new series of photographs.
These are images I've previously taken that have a particularly seasonal relevance. Though, as warned, they're not really full of your usual Christmas cheer.
As many of you will know, I've a bit of a thing for graveyards, cemeteries, churchyards and other places of rest. If you don't know, now you know.
Reviewing photos I imported from earlier this year recently, I realised I've gathered a collection of photographs from various places of rest that capture mementoes of Christmas. Festive ornaments and decorations left by family and friends recently or not so recently.
So, I thought it was as good a time as any to edit a selection of these to share with you as a series entitled 'season's grievings'.
I'm still reviewing how many I have and editing them as I find them.
Given the topical nature of the series, I'm going to share them early-access for patrons-only on my Patreon, but only two days ahead of them becoming public and being posted here and elsewhere on the interwebs, instead of the usual week.
For the avoidance of doubt: these photos are shared respectfully. Both, for those who've passed and the families who decorated their final resting place.
I find these both beautiful and heartbreaking tributes to those now gone.
a child’s bauble
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 22 October 2020].
emanations
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 27 September 2020].
my cross to bear
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 16 September 2020].
heaven or hell
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 14 September 2020].
This is another photograph I submitted to issue #149 of Shots Magazine.
Like encrypted, this photo was taken in the ossuary housed in the crypt at St Leonard's Church in Hythe, Kent.
It's a fascinating place for people like me, but maybe not up everyone's alley...
This was taken about 14:00 one day in summer. The mixture of daylight through the window of the crypt and the artificial lighting overhead creates a nice contrast of red and gold light on the shelves of skulls facing each other.
in safe hands
[I originally posted this image as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 September 2020].
annunciation
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 8 August 2020].
This is another image from a new series I'm tentatively titling stained glass.
The first image I shared, in case you missed it, is pietà, interrupted.
It may seem like a straightforward, perhaps bland, title for a series of photographs of stained glass windows but - like many of the images themselves - it's actually more layered.
Although the central subjects of the images are, unsurprisingly, stained glass windows, many of the photos from the series also make the glass appear 'stained' by the outside world:
the sky and/or trees may be visible through or reflected in the stained glass
adjacent mausoleums may be visible through the stained glass
the view of the stained glass might be obscured by elements of and in the mausoleum
parts of the glass might be missing or damaged
I'm not generally one for explaining my image or series titles. I often prefer a certain level of ambiguity and to see if the viewer 'gets my drift'.
I love words and language, especially puns, double entendre and euphemism, as you may have noticed. But sometimes I feel simple titles convey more than you might initially realise.
I'd be interested to know what you think about the series title. Do you think it's:
Deceptively simplistic and too bland?
Works when you know my thought process?
Do you think you would have related the title to my thoughts above based on the two images from the series I've shared so far?
pietà, interrupted
[I originally posted this entry as early access for my Patreon patrons on 16 July 2020].
Almost exactly nine years ago, I finally had the opportunity to visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery. I was in Paris to meet my friend Victoria.
As you might have read in the encrypted instalment of my postcards from another's life series, I've been somewhat obsessed with cemeteries, graveyards, churchyards and such from a young age.
So when Victoria offered me the opportunity to meet her in Paris, I jumped at the chance, knowing she would be up for visiting the cemetery. And it did not disappoint.
We only spent a few hours there. I felt we like barely scratched the surface (we didn't even visit Jim Morrison's grave). But it was wonderful.
We visited the final resting place of Oscar Wilde - before they cleaned the lipstick off and created a barrier to stop people kissing it - and some other celebrities from the ages.
But most of our wanderings were among the graves of those less known.
I found patterns forming in my photos as we wandered; some definite series forming.
Despite visiting the cemetery on 17 July 2011, I only edited one photo on my return. I edited others in 2014 that haven't yet been posted online.
This photograph I edited tonight.
It fits with a series that formed during my visit. I hope to share more of the images from that series in the coming weeks.
I'll be sharing a post (hopefully within a week!) about my thoughts on the 100 Day Project I just finished. But I don't want to lose momentum on sharing work.
Compared to the time it took to create a digital collage each day for one hundred days editing photos is a walk in the park. And I have so many of them to share!
Not every photo I post will come with so much rambling, but I hope you enjoy them!
cherubs
now playing: michael jackson - thriller megamix
ivy and stone
now playing: jeff buckley - grace
peace perfect peace
now playing: richard marx - children of the night