Spanish moss over a Charleston cemetery
PENTAX *ist DS 
Aperture 40/10 ISO 200 Shutter 1/60 Focal Length 18/1 
Charleston, South Carolina, US
Nov, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I was visiting Charleston, South Carolina, for a convention in 2007 and took some time to explore the city. This photo was taken in the cemetery at the Unitarian Church in the heart of the historic part of the city.Time
This picture was taken about midday.Lighting
It was a beautiful, sunny spring day, with lots of light. The cemetery, like most in this beautiful city, was full of mature trees, many draped with Spanish moss, providing shade, and creating interesting shadows.Equipment
I was using my (then) relatively new Pentax *ist DS camera with a Pentax DA 18-55 mm zoom lens and a circular polarizing filter.Inspiration
This cemetery has a reputation for being haunted, but visiting during the day didn't leave me with any ghostly vibe. However, the lush greenery, which almost hid the old tombstones and the moss hanging overhead were lovely. It was an unexpected scene in the middle of the city, and I had to stop to take some photos from various angles and perspectives. This was the best shot of the set.Editing
No post-processing was done on this photo...it is straight from the camera.In my camera bag
On this particular day I was just carrying my camera. However, when I was still using the Pentax camera regularly, I normally carried both an 18-55 mm zoom lens and a 50-200 mm zoom lens, for a wide range of focal lengths.Feedback
When visiting a new city, take some time to just wander and explore. I found this cemetery from an alley, entering it from the rear. I'm not sure I would have ventured this far back into the cemetery if I had entered from the front, next to the church. A spirit of adventure can lead you off the beaten path and reveal some quite unexpected opportunities.
