Sadly missed, Picton cemetery. 11.59 a.m, 14 April 2018

A striking cameo, illustrating colour composition. The two elements of the composition have been widely spaced, but there is just enough line and texture to hold the frame together. The simplicity of the image owes everything to the uncommon colour of the plastic flowers. As for the succinct inscription, those two short words are an effective final statement.  I did not see them used elsewhere here.

A short telephoto lens works well for this type of assignment. However a slower shutter speed using the self-timer would give better depth of focus for the inscription. I don’t always think through optimal manual settings – and here I was wary of camera shake, which 85mm exaggerates. My main object was good definition on the key feature.

The drainage built into the site is proof that this cemetery is perched terrace by terrace on a steep hillside. This is not at all unexpected in Picton, a ferry town surrounded by high hills, where flat land is at a premium. The Latin tag “Memento mori” is a shorthand reference to the inevitable mortality we each face.

1/500th sec at f4.5. Nikon 85mm; ISO 500

Posted by Barney Brewster

Tags: cemeteries, composition, flowers, focus, Marlborough, memento mori, Nikon D700, Picton

Categories: Daylight photography, Memento mori