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Questions to guide your feedback
How else would you portray a gravestone in an overgrown graveyard in a steady drizzle?
Other Information
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Image Description
Seeking my ancient roots last month, I visited the area in Scotland that was the original home of the Bell Clan. I explored the ruins of old castles and several graveyards, including this one in Middlebie Parish in Dumfriesshire. Here I found tombstones bearing the three-bell crest of the Bell Clan, all dating back some 350 years. The name and dates on the back side of this stone had long since worn away, but the crest and the macabre skull and crossbones could still be seen as well as a figure of the head at the top of the stone. Was this a likeness of this ancient member of my family?
Technical Details
Because of the rain and the high wet grass, I elected to use the camera on my Galaxy S21 Ultra.
This to me is way more significant than finding and reading a document about family roots.
I don’t blame you for electing to use your phone camera instead of your expensive camera gear since it was so wet.
Even though my camera and lenses are sealed and ready for wet or rainy conditions, I’m always hesitant to test the claims (just to be on the safe side).
Your image was well composed in my view but to me, it seems to have a slight green cast.
I decided to fiddle with it in Ps and while it was at it, I did a little straightening with the perspective tool and I added just a touch of extra shading via a feathered burning brush along with a linear gradient exposure adjustment mask.
I hope you don’t mind me doing that.
Again, awesome discovery and I find it very interesting that they used a skull and parallel vertical bones above the Bell Family Crest
I assume the wings surrounding the head at the top represent Angel Wings?
Good to see you back!
I assume you just got back from this trip?
Thanks, Charles!
Edit: I couldn’t find any meaningful information on the significance of a skull and parallel bones, the skull and crossbones are typically a sign of danger (at least in modern times) but do the parallel bones mean all is good? or the opposite of danger?
I have a curious mind in case it wasn’t obvious.
Thanks, Merv. I like your edits. I too share your questions about the bones, but I think the head might not be a likeness of the person buried but because of the wings, it could be the head of the angel .
Ha, yeah, the old adage about history where we usually walk away with more questions than answers probably applies here, too
It could be that the stone mason meant for the figure to be more abstract than a true representation of the actual person, or it could even depend on the skill level of the stone mason but we will likely never know!
Looking forward to more images from your latest trip, Charles!
