03 March 2010

How to Photograph Gravestones


1. When shooting gravestones flat to the ground, stand directly over the stone. Make sure your shadow doesn't cover the stone by shooting in full sun or full shade. The ideal time of day to take photographs outdoors is in the early afternoon when the sun is not at its highest point.

2. To shoot vertical, upright gravestones, get down on the ground and make sure you are eye to eye with the stone. Again, make sure your shadow isn't in the way. You can angle your body off to the side a bit if you need to.

3. Need to shoot a mausoleum or large tomb? Shoot from a corner angle so you can see the depth and scale of the building. When you shoot straight on, directly from the front, the building will look two dimensional.

4. If you are shooting close up details or text, try not to use a flash if the stone is shiny. It's better to move back a few steps and zoom in rather than putting the camera right up to what you're taking a photo of, this allows the lens to focus.

5. As always, be repectful and quiet. There could be greiving families nearby, so don't use a lot of equipment. A tripod isn't necessary.

Written By ~ Kirsten Agnello-Dean

Kirsten is the daughter of Brenda, a budding social media maven and is married to photojournalist Chase Agnello-Dean.

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