What’s in my Bag?
Trusty Nikon D850 with a Nikkor 70/200mm Lens in Green Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Dia de Los Muertos.
A friend of mine was murdered way back when I was in middle school. His body was found in the Trinity River. I still think about him to this day. Such a short life.
I was heading to Green Wood Cemetery because I had heard it was famous for the walk on line between life and death. Like a dumb ass I also thought it was the same cemetery from the film The Warriors, but I was mistaken. Regardless, Green Wood Cemetery was on my list of places to visit in New York.
Photo tip: A 70-200mm is an excellent lens for shooting, but it is also a challenging lens compared to a 24-70mm. Try and take yourself out or your comfort zone when you’re doing these types of shoots.
I photographed the cemeteries in New Orleans, Louisiana a few years back. All of the dead underneath your feet, and the names and death dates could be heard through whispers from the passing tourists. I thought about all the ways you could end up in such a place.
So on my walk, I was extra careful. I even managed to take photos of some birds chilling on a fence, and the beautiful New York architecture along the way.
No Pearly Gates.
Upon my arrival I walk on through and take a look around. It’s peaceful, green, and filled with trees. Probably the most amount of green I have seen in the city. Each section filled with tombstones and elaborate statues commemorating the dead. It’s impressive, but I can’t help but to feel a sense of dread.
You want to leave because of how real it seems, but you also want to stay because of how surreal it is.
Alas Some Color.
It is all a graying montage of beauty over the small piece of earth where the dead finally rest in peace. Each grave representing the existence of a person. Some are not just tombstones, but tomb monuments.People live and then they die. This is a place where the living can remember them.
