| My name is John a.k.a. Ghostory. I am the owner, designer and photographer
behind this web site. Death Angels : A Photographic Essay started way back in 1997
as an HTML example for our failed web design business dreams. I had no idea the site
would be as popular as it has been or of the amount of interest people would show in the
photographs. The original photographs were taken way back in 1975 as a homework assignment
for a photography class I was taking. ( The professor didn't like them. ) Taking pictures
of cemetery angels went along with a growing interest, 'ghost stories' and 'urban legends'
of the Chicagoland area. While scouring through cemeteries searching for this grave
or that grave I finally took notice of the beautiful statuary used as monuments to
the dead. I was also taken by the quiet and serenity of many cemeteries. It
gave me a feeling of comfort and inner peace. Nothing ghostly or ghastly about these
gardens of stone for the dead. People often mistake the purpose for this site as
being one promoting some 'gothic' idea of death. I assure you it's not, but I do
accept blame for the mood of some of the photographs and the color scheme of the
site. Hopefully this new 'gray scheme' will end some doubts. This site, plain and
simple, is to promote interest in a dying art form, the cemetery monument. The olden
day 'garden of stone' has been replaced by 'golf course' type lawns easier to mow around
but lacking any soul or love. I'd like to encourage everyone to visit the cemeteries
in their areas to view and appreciate this art form, and I hope by all means they'll
photograph them and help to preserve them for future generations. The site also grew to include my love for angels and to encourage others to pray to their angels, pray for the sick and dying and to pray for the souls of the dead. When I talk about angels, I talk about my good old (pre Vatican II) Catholic vision of angels not some new age make-believe television inspired mumbo jumbo. In fact I dedicate this web site to my Guardian Angel, who I've never seen, but I know worked overtime keeping me safe and alive over the years. Some day when I die, if able, the first thing I want to do is give that Angel a big hug and countless thanks for staying with me. |
