María is how it all began – my fascination with reflections at the cemetery. Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, that is. One afternoon in December 2007, I took a photo of a stained glass window featuring a magnificent woman, all flowing hair and blue robes, with cherubs in tow. I didn’t know she was María back then (I suppose I should call her Mary if I’m writing in English, but I like María better).
My lens was a few centimetres away from the glass door separating us and something magical happened – the tombs across the street were superimposed on the glass so that María was flying past the buildings, hovering in the sky. I had stumbled upon a way of infusing these miniature houses for the dead with life, with spirit. What started as serendipity has become somewhat of a quest.
I spend a lot of time in the cemetery, searching for windows with mystical potential, chasing the late-afternoon sunlight before it fades and waiting until what I see in front of me merges intriguingly with what’s reflected from behind. When people see my cemetery photos for the first time, they often think I’ve used Photoshop to ‘glue’ different images together, but I haven’t (wouldn’t even know how).
So there you have it. My first blog entry and the first from my cast of favourite characters in the cemetery.
I was born in Montreal in 1967, grew up in England and live between London and Buenos Aires. Like many, I came to Buenos Aires to dance tango and fell under the spell of this city where strangers talk to you, tango music seeps on to the streets and the ornate crumbling buildings speak of grander times. I love writing and crafting words – I've worked as a sub-editor for more than 20 years – and taking photographs.
Julie-Anne
Your cementario photos are truly works of art. The idea of superimposing reflections “in real life” rather than digital manipulation is refreshing.
I doubt that any one could achieve such amazing results without a superior “creative eye” and much patience to get the right light and reflection at the right time.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful art.
Bob, You are one of the best photographers I know, so I’m really touched by your feedback. Thank you so much.
How wonderful, Julie-anne!
So glad you have got this site up and running & looking forward to seeing more.
Te felicito. Aeros!
Thanks, Rachel. So pleased you like it. Aeros to you too!
Congratulations! It is lovely to see your creativity online! Keep on reflecting…
Thank you – will do! We need creativity and reflection…
Julie-Anne,
It’s wonderful to see your brilliant work – you are so clever and talented. There are so many unseen strings to your bow, you gorgeous one.
xxxx
Ali, what a beautiful comment to leave – thank you. It’s a rather unusual bow – photographing the cemetery – but there you go! J-A x
She is an apparition arising from the tomb…what is her message?
Hope and serenity spring to mind.
Your images show great creativity and a strong sense of composition. Great to find your site up and running. Looking forward to more images!
From such a super-creative person (I’ve just looked at your website for the first time), that’s a compliment indeed. Thank you, KC.
The images are so diaphanous. I think that is very beautiful and difficult to accomplish in a photograph. Congratulations.
Thanks for your encouraging words, Adriana. Love the word ‘diaphanous’ – might have to work that into one of my blog posts!