These are great. When I visit the cemetary I try to think that I am "visiting" and that those who reside there may enjoy my company... does that help?

I've tried the cemetery shoot before also, but have had limited success. I think lighting is everything in a scene like that--more so than most places. The flash didn't look as good as natural light in that context. If you can time it right, and don't get spooked easily, try getting there just before dusk on a sunny day, when the shadows are long. Another great time is in the winter with a little snow on the ground. You do get snow in your part of MO., don't you?

like the soft feel of 3, enjoyed the pics. cant tell you what to do, but i can tell you what i try... i shoot manual and over and under expose... then when i get on the putor i see which ones i like. another thing if you have a zoom, try shooting at 100-200mm. you will find the background blurs out and isnt distracting. playing around with the f stop can narrow your depth of field too. having said that, the best thing you can do is what your doing now... shooting. and i have seen, your work keeps getting better. i think this is how jimmy started... mr macro king... and moose, sultan of panorama... and sg, oh well.. you get the point. keep shootin and posting, your doing great

Looks right to me...nice shots really liked flag...

When I'm playing around and testing things, I just always try each shot about 15 different ways, varying everything you can (ISO speed, shutter, DOF, exposure, white balance, flash.) Then (assuming you're using digital) open the pics with a program that will read EXIF data from the pics (including the free program Picasa,) and you'll be able to see what all you settings were for each shot (depending on your camera), so you can see what worked and what didn't. (It sure beats the old method of writing everything down in a notebook for every shot...)

Kay - some great shots. You didn't mention if you used a tripod or not? To Jeffrey's point bracketing is always a good idea (especially in tricky light). But, the subject matter is really good and keep trying.

cemetary shots are good.-liked #4 in the set. I'd like to give my hand at this as well. But old glory is very good--I think I like it because it's not what I expected.

I like #3...and love "tree". I can't give any advice because I am just learning.....

Your shot--the thumbnail--reminds me of a pic I took of a statue in a local cemetery--oh, here it is! Must have been a popular design! These are varied and interesting, and I'm not sure you did anything "wrong"--given the weather conditions. A cloudy day will just make everything flat. The flag shot is just dynamite, too--love that angle.

I liked the pics. Cemeterys scream to be in black and white. I also think a little extra contrast and some long shadows always help set the mood. They right day can always make the difference. When it is scaryest to be there, its probably the best time to take the pictures. Wait for a low fog that is burning off. Don't use a flash. Definitely use a tripod. (Always use a tripod if you can.) Maybe try getting the full moon in the picture (if you dare.) Wet grass is cool in color pics. Walk around for awhile and find the perfect shot. Take as many as you can. Go back and take the same shots, trying to fix anything you didn't like. I really liked a couple of them. Good shots.

Kay, I haven't done much in cemetaries, so can't say much more than those above. Keep plugging away, and you will become better. The flag shot is good even if that is never the correct way to treat a flag. It should never touch the ground. Here, as we all should know, is the proper way to dispose of the flag.