I'm currently studying for my PhD in convict history. I feel that our ancestors deserve to be remembered, even if they're in unmarked graves. It's very satisfying photographing their resting places to help their relatives know where they are. I try to take the types of photos that relatives would take.

When photographing burials whenever possible, I provide several images - a closeup of the inscription, an image of the headstone and an image of the grave itself. These help relatives to really 'see' where their relative is buried. They also have practical purposes.

I like to provide a closeup of the inscriptions as they can be very hard to read if the photo is taken too far away. Often downloading and cropping the photo isn't very helpful as the image clarity starts to deteriorate. I also think having a good closeup helps people with vision issues.

From a historical perspective, these images act as records for the future. The images can record inscriptions before they become degraded and illegible. They can show the intricate craftsmanship of the symbolism that is featured on the headstone.

Full length images can document grave ornaments from different eras as well as the intricate patterns of ironwork fences. Full length images also help to 'position' the grave within the section. That's helpful for relatives when they go to visit as they can know what they're looking for. It's also helpful for cemeteries to have a photographic record of the graves as some may collapse and/or be damaged for whatever reason.

These elements all help to tell the 'story' of the person who has passed and potentially transmit it to future generations.

I'm currently studying for my PhD in convict history. I feel that our ancestors deserve to be remembered, even if they're in unmarked graves. It's very satisfying photographing their resting places to help their relatives know where they are. I try to take the types of photos that relatives would take.

When photographing burials whenever possible, I provide several images - a closeup of the inscription, an image of the headstone and an image of the grave itself. These help relatives to really 'see' where their relative is buried. They also have practical purposes.

I like to provide a closeup of the inscriptions as they can be very hard to read if the photo is taken too far away. Often downloading and cropping the photo isn't very helpful as the image clarity starts to deteriorate. I also think having a good closeup helps people with vision issues.

From a historical perspective, these images act as records for the future. The images can record inscriptions before they become degraded and illegible. They can show the intricate craftsmanship of the symbolism that is featured on the headstone.

Full length images can document grave ornaments from different eras as well as the intricate patterns of ironwork fences. Full length images also help to 'position' the grave within the section. That's helpful for relatives when they go to visit as they can know what they're looking for. It's also helpful for cemeteries to have a photographic record of the graves as some may collapse and/or be damaged for whatever reason.

These elements all help to tell the 'story' of the person who has passed and potentially transmit it to future generations.