Photos Taken in a Country Churchyard

I saw a field in the distance and made a left turn off the main road to Lebanon, Pennsylvania. I followed it as it went up a slight incline and saw a little graveyard next to a nondescript, otherwise forgettable building with a little sign in front read "Shirksville Mennonite Church." I drove up another rise into the completely empty driveway and parked the car. I walked into the churchyard and experimented with various shots of capturing the graves and the vista beyond:


I think this might be one of the more successful shots.

Then I have two shots where I experimented with the location of the horizon, and you'll see that both have issues:


You'll notice that white strip at the top of the frame. I have no idea what that is. It looks like the emulsion just tore right off. Maybe it did. Maybe it was a bum roll, but I can't complain, since it's the first time I'm seeing this happen after all the Ilford rolls I've shot.

This next shot was taken from the same place with some more sky, and a little error...:


You'll see in the upper right part of the frame a darker, oval shape. That isn't some kind of UFO or spirits manifesting themselves on film, that's what the photo pros call an "air bell." It's where a bubble formed in the developer and prevented said developer from doing it's developing duties. Now I always make sure to do the tap and slam while processing my negatives. But sometimes these things still happen. I think if I really wanted to go further with either of these photos, I'm sure Photoshop could fix those right up.

I took this one in front of all the older graves:


If I'd have gotten High fully in frame, this would have been a pretty successful shot. I wonder how the SWC would have handled this situation. Maybe I'll make the two and a half hour trip out there the next time it snows to find out.


THE EPITAPH

Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,
And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,
Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:
He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,
He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.

No farther seek his merits to disclose,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,
(There they alike in trembling hope repose)
The bosom of his Father and his God.