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Getting Permission To Shoot At Graveyard
I have been wanting to do a cemetery shoot for a while now and found what I thought would be a great location. Went there today to spend some time looking around and just take some pictures of the area. I was there alone with a DSLR just shooting headstones when I was confronted by two very large and angy men who wanted to know what I was up to. I told them I was just taking pictures of headstones but they seemed to have a problem with that and informed me that I was tresspassing. I had no idea it was a private family cemetery, so I just left, I don't like conflict. Does anyone have any experience in securing permission to shoot at a cemetery you can pass on? I want to do this shoot but I don't want to to get into any trouble. Jul 08 06 11:37 pm Link I've shot in a few, but my experience is that it is VERY hard to get permission to shoot. I've shot w/o permission and when no ones around, staying away from the grave stones. In Texas there are A LOT of abandon graveyards. To answer your question, you have to talk to the management group that administers the location. Try searching on the web to see who's in charge. Best if you have your information in written form with examples of your work when you go in to talk to them. Pray for the best and expect the worst. Jul 09 06 12:04 am Link bump Jul 09 06 09:09 am Link The cementary in Sacramento encourages photos because it documents the history of the place. The city college actually does a yearly photo contest that is of cementary shots (at least when I went there). I have also shoot at other cementaries in CA and have never encountered problems. However, the cementaries are usually fairly large and in or around large cities. One time I was shooting a model, and the guys who were working there came up and started talking with us. On of them actually creates medeival wardrobes and was trying to recruit the model. So, don't be discouraged, just move on to the next cementary... Jul 09 06 09:19 am Link I meant cemetery. I just haven't had my coffee yet 8-) Jul 09 06 09:21 am Link HarveyT wrote: If only more places had that forward-thinking mentality! Every place that is photographer-unfriendly is losing out on creating a legacy for future generations. Jul 09 06 09:22 am Link I actually shot a nude in a cemetary. We shot at 2:00 a.m. We were just going to run in and do a few quick shots, but ended up shooting for over an hour. It was March, and it actually started to flurry. To say the model was a trouper is an understatement. And I was using a flash - obviously no one saw the flash, which I'm sure you could see from quite a distance. My guess is, if you ask for permission in a cemetary, you will get turned down. It is probably best to find an old, small, secluded cemetary. Chances are very little anyone would see you. If someone does question, play dumb and say you didn't know permission was needed. As long as you aren't causing any destruction, chances are no one would go thru the hassle of any legalities. Jul 09 06 10:24 am Link Bonaventure Cemetary in Savannah, Georgia, is a wonderfully historic location. It's open to the public, so one encounters grounds keepers and tourists, as well as descendants. We were respectful of the place and no one seemed to mind our being there.  Jul 09 06 10:40 am Link Don't ask for permission, you won't get it. I have done 3 shoots in the cemetary, 2 of these were nude shoots. Do a scouting run to try and figure out how them fellers spotted you then avoid them. Dress in black and take flowers. If you are alert and don't have too much camera gear you may pass as mourners. Early in the morning is a good bet, although I did have a nude model climb up a monument and pose!! She said she could see all the cars on the road from there. Jul 09 06 12:46 pm Link https://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pic … ad6638f691 This is one of the photos I shot I mentioned in my earlier post/ Jul 09 06 02:29 pm Link The major cemetaries in New Orleans are soo used to tourists, that when I went there 2 yrs ago to shoot on Halloween with a photographer, we had to move away from one crypt because there was a walking tour coming through. Other than the grounds keepers circling around in a car (probably staring at the vinyl bodysuit I had on), we weren't told to leave or anything. Jul 12 06 02:36 am Link it's cemetEry, please. i've shot in several cemeteries, usually just for fun with friends. never had a problem. Jul 12 06 08:16 am Link Tim Little Photography wrote: For me personally, this would fall under the "better to ask forgiveness than permission rule." Technically wrong, yes, but it reminds me of the following quote: Jul 12 06 08:22 am Link It all depends on the graveyard. I do a lot of photography at Spring Grove Cemetery (the second largest cemetery in the U.S.). No special permission is required there - in fact they welcome photographers. The last few times I've been there, I have run into other photographers there. Last time, in fact there was a guy setting up an large old fashioned medium format camera on a tripod in the road. Groundskeepers will even wave to you when they drive by. Jul 12 06 08:32 am Link Michael Longeneker wrote: Hmmmm...this strikes me as wrong in a few ways. I don't mean to be critical Michael, but this seems quite unprofessional. Jul 12 06 08:44 am Link My Studio sits in a small (1+ acre) cemetery,  Cool little graveyard, Most of the stones were placed between 1835 and 1910, I'm on good terms with the owners, so in theory I just need to walk out the side door and start shooting, But I never have, The graveyard with models thing just does not really appeal to me that much. Jul 12 06 09:55 am Link If it's a cemetary, and it's not locked at the gate, who you gonna bother ? Just do it !...  Jul 12 06 09:56 am Link I think older historic cemeteries are ok. European ones are great. No one says anything. Here in the states I've had someone question me when I went to take photos of my grandmothers headstone. The said that was ok since I was a relative but otherwise, they didn't like photographers showing the names on the headstones or tombs. Jul 12 06 10:06 am Link Carpe Imago Photography wrote: So I take it that you would consider the work of Henri Cartier Bresson, who almost never asked permission before or after shooting pretty much anybody or anywhere, to be "unprofessional," "completely disrespectful," lacking in "common decency," and "stealing?" Just IMAGINE the damage that HCB did to the rest of us photographers with his life's disrepectful work. The SHAME! Jul 12 06 10:18 am Link |
