Shooting a cemetry at dusk with flashes..

If you're as Atheist as I am you'll just click away and not worry about any imaginary hoo ha.

I'd just make sure I didn't get in anyone's way if there was anyone around.
 
Very unlikely to be public ground and in my opinion using flash at night/dusk has the potential to cause upset - speak to the owners (the vicar or whatever) to request permission and explain what you will be doing.
 
Be very carefull at night,and if these two pop up leg it & run.
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wysiwyg said:
Are they public ground. Or will I burn in hell?
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AFAIK it depends on the cemetery.
Some are attached to churches, some are privately owned and some are designated public land - so best to do some research on whichever cemetery you decide to visit.

Either way, I very much doubt that you'll burn in hell :lol: But you do run the risk of upsetting people or being asked to leave if you're causing a disturbance. Just try to pick a quiet time and spot so that you don't intrude on anyone actually visiting a grave and if you do find that it's privately owned try to seek permission first.
 
Just be careful.

Read a story once,where a vicar used to fire his guns across his cemetry.

When his daughter told him he might hit someone one day.

He said, if he did the chances are their already dead,if not they were in the right place.

:)
 
As a rule I've never has a problem shooting in church grounds, if I'm there in the day time I will go inside and stick a couple of quid in the collection tin :thumbs: I've taken hundreds of photo's in graveyards including this one taken last night :thumbs: HERE one of the locals did come over and ask what we were doing but we told them and they were more than happy with that :D

If your just taking a few normal photo's rather than going to the extreme like I did in that photo above I can 100% assure you that there will not be a problem :thumbs:

Matt
MWHCVT
 
If you have read my posts you will know that I live at Cemetery Lodge, Tavistock.

They are definately NOT public ground, and there are rules, however I have yet to find a cemetery owned by a council that will not allow you to take photographs.

1. ASK permission
2. Show respect for people visiting and any funerals
3. NO dogs for obvious reasons
4. Show respect for where you walk and place tripods, just because you can't "see" a grave does not mean there isn't one there.
 
I live at a Cemetery lodge, so please

1. Ask
2. Respect others/visitors to graves
3. Just because you walk somewhere and can't "see" a grave doesn't mean there isn't one
4. Don't walk where you want to, stick to paths.
5. Be aware mourners and funerals don't want a camera happy person snapping away.

This is my back garden, and thay are mainly owned by Councils, or churches so are private wit public access.


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This was NOT placed there by me but one of the chaps strimming, if you see something like this great just don't do it yourself.

Remus my/the cemetery cat

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Bilko said:
If you're as Atheist as I am you'll just click away and not worry about any imaginary hoo ha.

I'd just make sure I didn't get in anyone's way if there was anyone around.
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Are you really an atheist or agnostic ;)
 
Atheist Jeremy. My life's in a enough disorder as it is without anything else. Religion has been part of the reason I'm in my current mess.
 
"It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission" I was once told. Seems a good manra... ;)

I suppose that unless there is something going on (i.e. a funeral) and/or there are loads of people visiting loved ones, then it won't be an issues.

I've never done anything with flashes in a cemetery but I can't see any objections if you pick the right time. If a member of the public moans then see their viewpoint but don't take it as authority.

Are you shooting at night or in the day?
 
specialman said:
"It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission" I was once told. Seems a good manra... ;)

I suppose that unless there is something going on (i.e. a funeral) and/or there are loads of people visiting loved ones, then it won't be an issues.

I've never done anything with flashes in a cemetery but I can't see any objections if you pick the right time. If a member of the public moans then see their viewpoint but don't take it as authority.

Are you shooting at night or in the day?
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What happened to manners, staff work there and like to be "asked", it is also "polite"
 
gramps said:
:plusone:

Whether you are religious, believe in God or not, it is common courtesy to request permission.
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While I argree it's courtesy to ask, these days the "health and safety" excuse is used far too often to stop anybody doing anything, regardless of how harmless or safe it is. So sadly I would shoot (without making a pain of myself) and risk getting told off later.
 
to follow your argument through then you'd have to ask permission of everyone you took a photo of in the street too, and any structure - they all have owners somewhere.

common sense also applies
 
What rubbish some of you talk, a cemetery is a WORKING environment AND MY HOME for a start, there are many lodges and people working there, have some common sense, manners cost nothing.

ASK, Is it ok for me to take some photographs, yes will be the reply, courtesy costs nothing. And it/many are COUNCIL owned and managed.
 
swanseamale47 said:
While I argree it's courtesy to ask, these days the "health and safety" excuse is used far too often to stop anybody doing anything, regardless of how harmless or safe it is. So sadly I would shoot (without making a pain of myself) and risk getting told off later.
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Oh well bad manners it appears also cost nothing.

Remember as I have siad and will say agsin I live at a cemetery lodge, i have a right to know who is photographing just as much as you would want to know if someone started taking photographs at your house

I don't care who takes photos it is GOOD MANNERS to ask unless you have none.

And lets forget the In the street C****, it is a cemetery if nothing else and I believe in no god, it is manners and "respect" something some have obviously forgotten

Oh and for your information I live there and I have the good manners to "ask"
 
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swanseamale47 said:
While I argree it's courtesy to ask, these days the "health and safety" excuse is used far too often to stop anybody doing anything, regardless of how harmless or safe it is. So sadly I would shoot (without making a pain of myself) and risk getting told off later.
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sturisoma said:
to follow your argument through then you'd have to ask permission of everyone you took a photo of in the street too, and any structure - they all have owners somewhere.

common sense also applies
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But generally it's not public land is it, i.e. it is private, owned by the church, it is appropriate to ask permission - any Health & Safety issues that the owners may feel liable to affect them are also valid. It is no different from wandering into Harrods or wherever and randomly taking pictures.

As for being the same as in a 'street' that is clearly not correct, the 'street' generally is a public place.

Part of the problem here is that in our current Godless society, few people have even scant regard for anything remotely connected with the church, (not that the church has anyone to blame but themselves!).
 
I have to say I do not believe in God, and in fact believe anyone argueing agaist not asking is simply agruing agaist "manners".

If it's not manned and no one is there what harm does it do to make a short call, all have phone numbers, if I were in there not even as a photographer, I go in there for peace and quiet, to sit, rest, enjoy, as do many elderly, disabled, blind, deaf and they don't all want people in there doing "what they like".

I don't work for the Council, I live in the Lodge, but when it snows I grit for them, I have painted their windows, railings etc when doing mine, I do agree however that too many people assume they have a right to "do as they like< a cemetery is NOT a shopping centre.
 
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Jeremy - chill out.... I'm not saying going in there with a full Joe McNally-style eight-strobe set up with tri-grips and reflectors all over the place. The OP hasn't even said what he's intending to do, just that he wants to use a flash. He could be taking a picture of a headstone with a bit of on-camera fill, something as simple as that.

What I'm saying is do what's appropriate. Like Wayne says, often it's a case of if you ask and get refused, even for something so simple as one shot, then where does that leave you? It happened to me recently when I tried to get a shot of a fishmonger in Sainsbury's. Ended up spending 15 minutes on the phone to HQ asking for permission, which they wouldn't grant. So I just went in and took one shot and left. No harm at all.

If you met me Jeremy you'd see that I was raised with manners that 99.9 per cent of the time I remember i have. Maybe you should start looking at your posting style before you comment on my manners?

Do you think people with mobile phones and compacts who happen to take a photograph ask for permission?

BTW, the OP isn't on about coming into your back garden and why your beliefs in God have to be brought into the thread is beyond me.....
 
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Please dont tell me to chill out I am simply responding to a thread, and if you care to read all the posts it was not me who raised "god", so facts please....

Also I am fully in favour of your posts, and not having a go at you or anyone else, it was the tone of two others who raised my response and the response of gramps too by the way.
 
My garden adjoins a cemetery, it's nice as the neighbours are very quiet and never complain about my bonfire's, in fact I rarely hear them :suspect: There's also the added bonus that when I pop my clogs it's just over the fence. City link phoned one day and I was out, the man asked if it was ok to leave the parcel with my neighbour :shake::lol:

On a more serious note, I've done a fair amount of photography in cemetery's and if I see the groundsman I always ask if it's ok. If there's a funeral going on I will return at a later date. The only time I've been caught out was when I was doing a shoot at night with a full moon, I'd been waiting around 30 minutes for the moon to be in the right position. I was just about ready when someone put a hand on my shoulder, to which I responded "Jesus ******* Christ!". Unfortunately it was the vicar, after composing myself and offering humble apologies the vicar was absolutely fine about it and couldn't apologise enough to me, he even fetched tea and biscuits. Turned out he was a keen amatuer photographer himself.
 
JSER said:
Please dont tell me to chill out I am simply responding to a thread, and if you care to read all the posts it was not me who raised "god", so facts please....

JSER said:
I have to say I do not believe in God....
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Jeremy, I use the phrase 'chill out' to mean calm down - by way of the several posts, all mentioning that you live on a cemetery, it seemed that you were getting a little het up. Maybe I should stop using 'yoof speak' now I'm in my 30s but hey, that's life....

JSER said:
Also I am fully in favour of your posts, and not having a go at you or anyone else, it was the tone of two others who raised my response and the response of gramps too by the way.
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You clearly aren't in favour of my posts, hence your assumption that by virtue of my opinion about venturing into a cemetery, I lacked manners. Have a go at the two others who got your hackles up, not me.....

....you do have a valid point about asking permission but as has been pointed out, it's at the photographer's discretion if he or she decides to seek that advice, especially if it's just one shot that is required... :)
 
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spaniel said:
My garden adjoins a cemetery, it's nice as the neighbours are very quiet and never complain about my bonfire's, in fact I rarely hear them :suspect: There's also the added bonus that when I pop my clogs it's just over the fence. City link phoned one day and I was out, the man asked if it was ok to leave the parcel with my neighbour :shake::lol:

On a more serious note, I've done a fair amount of photography in cemetery's and if I see the groundsman I always ask if it's ok. If there's a funeral going on I will return at a later date. The only time I've been caught out was when I was doing a shoot at night with a full moon, I'd been waiting around 30 minutes for the moon to be in the right position. I was just about ready when someone put a hand on my shoulder, to which I responded "Jesus ******* Christ!". Unfortunately it was the vicar, after composing myself and offering humble apologies the vicar was absolutely fine about it and couldn't apologise enough to me, he even fetched tea and biscuits. Turned out he was a keen amatuer photographer himself.
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I bet you were glad it was only the vicar,and not one of the more perment residents :D
 
Have read through this and have little to say that would enlighten the subject.
But for my two penny's worth ,If anyone was around I would talk to them and explain what I was doing,if no-one where around I would just proceed with the pictures.
At ALL times I would respect the living and the dead,and hope not to offend anyone.
I think the operative words are respect,and all on this site IMHO would hopefully do that.:thumbs:

PS
If the Vicar had done that to me I would be glad to be wearing brown trousers........:lol:
 
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Jeremy, get down of your high horse before you fall down :shake: please lose the holler than you attitude that you have in this thread, I take photo's in grave yards all of the time, and have never once asked permission, I suppose in your mind that will make me very rude :thinking: but I often shoot at the dead of night so there is no one there to ask, if someone comes and asks about what I'm doing sure I'll discuss it with them :thumbs: but I'm not going to go running around asking permission for everything that I do, that's just not realistic at all...

Matt
MWHCVT
 
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towershot said:
Have read through this and have little to say that would enlighten the subject.
But for my two penny's worth ,If anyone was around I would talk to them and explain what I was doing,if no-one where around I would just proceed with the pictures.
At ALL times I would respect the living and the dead,and hope not to offend anyone.
I think the operative words are respect,and all on this site IMHO would hopefully do that.:thumbs:

PS
If the Vicar had done that to me I would be glad to be wearing brown trousers........:lol:
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That is all, 100%
 
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