Respect and Devotion, Novodevichy Cemetery, Russia
Tiny niche's holding plaques and flowers in the grounds of Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.
One of numerous photography projects I've worked on explores notions of devotion through commemoration and memorial.
Centered on cemeteries and public memorials the body of work includes photography from Argentina, Australia, India, Greenland and Russia.
As a taste of this project I'm happy to present the above photo made at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.
About to Travel?
Novodevichy Cemetery | Moscow’s Most Popular and Prestigious Cemetery
I very much enjoyed wandering around this well tendered cemetery. A popular site on the Moscow tourist trail, many visitors come to view the graves of former political leaders, artists, musicians, scientists and other notable public figures.
It's interesting to see how some of these people are represented in death by their countrymen. In some cases the graves are not all that flattering and, arguably, not terribly respectful.
The above image features a detail from a long wall of smaller memorials. They present a quieter, more personal experience and were an interesting contrast to some of the larger and more extravagant graves on display.
A beautifully carved bust of an important military figure on his grave at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.
The cemetery is situated right next door to the Novodevichy Convent, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which, after being given inaccurate information, I arrived at too late to enter. Next time, maybe.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Novodevichy Cemetery is used only for the most symbolically significant burials.
President Boris Yeltsin is one such figure to have been buried there over recent times. Though, frankly, I felt his grave was too ugly to photograph.
A peaceful scene of a beautiful gravestone in the grounds of Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.
Being Respective Can Help You Make Better Photos
Of course I was very respectful photographing the graves, always from appropriate places and never in a way that would prevent the progress of the many other people visiting the site.
I made sure I stood to one side and allowed the numerous tour groups to do their thing before I set up to make my own photographs.
The staff on duty seemed to appreciate my approach and allowed me to continue, despite the fact I was working with a tripod.
You see its one thing to have a good camera but, from the point of view of many officials, a tripod identifies you as either a professional stills photographer or a videographer. And they can become very suspicious if they think you fit into either of those camps.
Do You Like Hanging Out In Cemeteries?
If ever you get to Moscow you might well enjoy a wander around the Novodevichy Cemetery. I did and am glad to have added a number of images from my visit into my eBook, Photographing Cemeteries.
The world is full of fascinating things that are great fun to photograph. From my point of view cemeteries offer a range of wonderful photography opportunities.
Whether your interest is beauty or the bizarre you’ll likely find it exploring cemeteries. But please be respectful when you do so.
After all, assuming a Viking funeral pyre is out of the question, the dead centre of town is where we’ll all end up.
