This gravestone is located in San Lorenzo Pioneer Cemetery.
Legend has it that these five children were killed when a train hit their buggy on A Street in Hayward, California. If you do the math with the years and months it happened on March 5 1881.
This is very sad, but a piece of history that should not be forgotten.
Christina, Katie, John P., Frank M., Lillian
May they rest in peace.
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This is one of those pictures that definitely leads the viewer to start asking questions. 5 kids, all at one time. Ouch. Great subject choice for this challenge.
The focus of the stone is very good and enables the viewer to clearly distinguish the writing. Without it, I believe the meaning would have been diminished dramatically. Also, I like the dof you have used. The blurry background hints at the graveyard setting, but does not allow the fence to "steal" attention.
The crop feels a little off to me, but I don't know if backing up would help. I don't think getting closer would. Maybe turning so that it is even more at an angle would add some more drama to it.
The "tone" of the picture is a bit bright, considering the subject matter. What would it look like in black and white? I normally don't comment on outdoor lighting, but in this case, I think it is almost too cheerful outside. Perhaps at dusk it would really give a somber, mysterious air to it.
Nice shot, and best to you in future challenges.
karmat
The subject is a lil too overexposed for my liking. The 'form' of the gravestone feels 'forced' into the picture by the composition.
Considering this wonderful find, I would have deemed it worthwhile to return here at a different time of day (or night) to observe the light and to retake the shot under more suitable conditions...
The placement of the head stone added interest. It certainly "lives up" to the unanswered questions challenge. It brings out my emotions in a sad way. Do you know the reason why all these children died?
I wonder what happened in 1881. WOW, all those kids. Very good interpretation of the challenge. The light is a bit too bright on the bottom of the marker, while the rest of it is in shadow. If you caught this during sundown, the light might have been very flattering, and complementary to the emotive nature of your subject.
This is just good. It nails the challenge topic but isn't an easy photo to 'get'. If you take the time to look, the realization of how bad this must have been hits you. What happened to this family? Was it disease? What about the parents?
I really love this image! It's clean and crisp as a photo, and it's definitely a question that is both unanswered and begs for more information. Nice work!
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