The tombs in the Montmartre Cemetery are filled with small altars and still life presentations. Many of them are like this photograph. A composition of Mary and Jesus, celebrating the Catholic roots of the French people.

Other tombs may have more familial arrangements with photographs and favorite objects. Some include flowers, while others have greco statuary.

I am fascinated by the play of light, color, and objects within these tombs. While most people will look at the outside structure and the name upon the plot, the real interest lies within.

I believe this was shot on a Nikon N90 with Agfa Scala 200 on a 35-80 zoom lens.

I had a photography teacher, Bob Barry, that tought us not only to look at composition from left to right and top to bottom but also foreground to background. This simple idea has become a mantra for me.

Most people walk by the tombs of cemetiere Montmartre and look at the doors, the inscriptions, and textures. I’m constantly looking inside the cracks, windows, and distances between them to find the hidden relationships between the foreground and background.

This photograph is shot through a small window on the tomb door. You can see the light streaming through one window on the left, contrasting it with the window on the right.

I believe this was shot with either Tmax 100 or Scala with a Nikon n80 and 24mm lens.

I’ve shot these tombs many times. They stand under a bridge overpass and only catch the light for a short period of time each day. I probably shot this in early summer.

This photo was taken with a lensbaby and t-max 100 with a Nikon n80.

This cast iron crucifix sits on a tomb in Cemitiere Montmartre in Paris. I’ve shot this tomb many times, the inky black figure stands out from the engraved marble tombstone.

I believe this was shot with tmax 100, probably with my micro-nikkor 55mm lens on a Nikon n80.