Thursday, February 09, 2023

A Perfect Gothic Day In A Cemetery

Last Wednesday, as I was walking to Old City Coffee to grab an Americano, I suddenly changed my mind because the weather that day was my favorite. Which my longtime readers already know from past posts is Goth weather.

I savor those days when the sky is gray and cloudy, and the air is chilly. The kind of day you'd imagine Dracula lurking about.

Yes, I know, I'm weird.

I've only met one other person in my lifetime who cherishes Goth-like days, as I do. She's someone I work with and have known since 2001, who was born in Germany. In fact, she and I often text each other on Goth days and say things like, "OMG...don't you love the weather today? 🧛 Thinking of you!"

Anyway, getting back to last Wednesday. The weather that day made me think to myself, "You know what? Today is a cemetery day. Let's go!" So, I made a quick detour.

You see, not only do I have a passion for Goth weather, I also have a passion for visiting cemeteries. Rather than finding them sad, depressing, or scary, I find walking through cemeteries peaceful and comforting.

Philadelphia, being the historical city it is, has some really beautiful cemeteries with old tombstones. And one of my favorites is the cemetery at St. Peter's Church Yard, in Society Hill. It's an ancient burial ground that dates back to colonial times (first burial was in 1760).

I didn't have my camera with me; therefore, the photos you are about to see were taken with my smartphone. I used a black and white filter to add an authentic Gothic look to the images. I love black and white photos as much as I do watching old black and white movies. To me, there is something powerful and dramatic about minus color. Black and white photography removes any distraction of color and helps the viewer focus on other aspects of the photo, such as the subject, the textures, shapes and patterns, and the composition.

Please enjoy my perfect Gothic day in St. Peter's Church Yard cemetery...