I was reading
one day and saw that she had posted photos she had taken in a cemetery. I've always had wee heebie-jeebies about cemeteries... but I also find them incredibly beautiful.
On a Sunday I went for my usual ocean side drive (to get out of the house--I've been cooped up for almost a month with a ruined wrist, going crazy without knitting.) Along the ocean-side on Dallas Rd is the
Ross Bay Cemetery.
I've driven by it hundreds of times, but in the five years I've lived in Victoria, I have never walked through it. I read a book in university that included a woman's diary who was buried there and have always been curious (I need to unpack said book and look up her name for my next visit!) I went home,
bundled up, grabbed my Nikon and drove back.
At first I felt weird walking around taking pictures of graves. I'm extraordinarily self conscious when it comes to taking photos. I'm not a photographer, and I would say I'm an EXTREME novice when it comes to non-point and shoot cameras. Once I took a few pictures, I felt better and started to get excited. It was about 4pm so the sun was heading down and the light was perfect. I stayed until the light was fleeting (and I couldn't feel my limbs they were so cold!).
These photos are the best ones I've ever taken to date. I have come away with around 50 that I'm happy with... (so I'll spread them out over a few posts.) I loved reading the inscriptions on the headstones... each is a little piece of history. I read that one fellow died on the Lusitania! (As a history nerd--- this made my jaw drop. Reading people's stories was fascinating! It's like an outdoor museum!) I hunted and hunted for an angel or something dramatic (apparently shrouded urns were more popular...who knew?) and just as I was giving up... I came across the most AMAZING statues and carvings. I almost clicked my heels (which is an odd thing to do in a graveyard.)
Here is the first installment of my photos. Thanks
for the inspiration!
