American Cemetery Photo

Photographer’s Note

The World War II Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is situated on a cliff overlooking Omaha Beach and the English Channel in Colleville-sur Mer, France. It is just east of St. Laurent-sur-Mer and northwest of Bayeux about one hundred and seventy miles west of Paris.
It contains the graves of 9,387 American military Dead, most of whom gave their lives during the landings and ensuing operations of World War II.

On the walls of the semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial are inscribed the names of 1,557 American Missing who gave their lives in the service of their country, but whose remains were not located or identified.

paura, Charo, difty93, lrw1966, PixelTerror, jhm, snunney, Budapestman, rodgerg, jlbrthnn, chinchini, gildasjan, kermit350, John_F_Kennedy, Clementi, JCG, Waylim, Didi, AiresSantos, didemay, jorgi has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jimkilgallon (0) 2008-06-05 7:11

Hi Asa
I like the perspective you have chosen for this historic landmark. My eyes seems to go down the diagonal paths more than the straight path ahead. Colours and sharpness look very good. Well composed
Regards, Jim

difty93 (545) 2008-06-05 7:15

Hi Asa!
what amazing picture with perfect POV!
Regards,

Vivi

lrw1966 (1632) 2008-06-05 7:18

Asa Hi:
A wonderful presentaion of this image. Congratulatons very well done. Our son was able to vist this on his Holiday last summer and sent images, it is a beautiful place. Thanks for your presentation.
Larry
USA
TFS!

geert1 (116) 2008-06-05 7:20

Hallo Asa

nice and peacefull foto!
good work!

Geert de Graaf

Jeppo (12258) 2008-06-05 7:45

excellent POV and very good geometrical pattern of those crosses.
these cemeteries are always very clean and well kept. they are full of peace and so it is even more striking when you think about these place were actually the killing fields!

tfs
Silvio

Longroute (10113) 2008-06-05 9:56

I visited myself one of those American war cemeteries in northern France, maybe that one photographed here or maybe another one similar. The sky was overcast like in your picture, I remember I was impressed and moved.
I think your photo has a symbolic value, remembering us about those tragic memories, still it has a graphic motive that hits the eye: all those rows of white crosses that contrast with the bright green grass. A photo that makes one stops and reflects.
Ciao,
Donato

PixelTerror (87195) 2008-06-06 1:58

Hi Asa,
A place that is for sure symbolic for most americans. I find nice to have here a V opening on the perspectives, but here you missed some angle and cut the background tree, in this case a stitch of 2 overlapping vertical views would have done the trick.
Have a nice day jY

Greg1949 (8545) 2008-06-06 2:39

Asa, great shot, great note. thanks

Greg

jhm (83786) 2008-06-06 4:45

Hello Asa,

You brought a visit to the cemetery of American soldiers.
I was three year old, when the British and Americans soldiers did an attack on the France coasts.
My parents live in Belgium and two month later we sat middle of the War.
I my municipality is also the militair cemetery, but almost alone Canedians and Polish soldiers.
This are our liberators, and we are this not forget!
Very well done.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

claudeD (11564) 2008-06-06 12:18

Hello Asa,

we also have an American Military Cimetery here in Luxembourg.I like the choice of the perspective here in this shot.Very well done.

With regards from Luxembourg

Jean-Claude

gunbud (28295) 2008-06-06 19:01

Hi Asa,
Great POV that brings dramatic sharp lines to this lovely historic landscape. The contrast between the white crosses and the lush green grass is striking. Excellent historic note about those who gave the ultimate sacrifce for their country.
Regards, Tom

snunney (35840) 2008-06-07 0:35

Hello Asa,
A very fitting posting to commemorate D-Day and those who lost their lives to free Europe from tyranny. Good point of view with the serried ranks of crosses amid the diverging lines. Excellent colours and clarity.

Budapestman (43292) 2008-06-07 1:52

Hi Asa,
Great shot with splendid composition. The note is excellent,
Have a nice weekend
George

rodgerg (25535) 2008-06-07 4:23

Hello Asa,

Beautiful graphic effect on this cemetery, a very good POV, nice contrast between white and green.
Best regards,
Roger

jlbrthnn (39501) 2008-06-07 5:39

Hello Asa,
Their existence was marked of a cross blance. Alignments are impressive and yet represent the tombs only one negligible part of those which fell to the combat. It is a beautiful image, which encourages to be keep silent.
Have a nice day and week-end
Cordially
Joël

BWJ (1777) 2008-06-07 13:50

Hello Asa,
This is a beautiful picture well composed with the rows of crosses. The strong colors white and green are striking. Being American, it is very meaningful for me to see this picture of the cemetery at Normandy.
Thank you for sharing it.
Betty

Betty

Graal (59126) 2008-06-07 23:54

Hi Asa,
good reportage and informations. Fine perspective of crosses and well composed image. Unusual historic place. Well done picture.
Gr., Aleksander

chinchini (27931) 2008-06-08 5:32

Bonjour Asa,
Très bon choix de photo pour commémorer l'anniversaire du débarquement allié en Normandie. Des croix blanches à n'en plus finir dans ce cimetière comme dans d'autres en France et ailleurs.
Mes amitiés.
Pierre

mark_mk (246) 2008-06-08 6:16

Hi Asa,
you have done a great job capturing the atmosphere of this place, good point of view and excellent depth of field.
Such a sad image, let`s never forget about this terrible war and hope that something like that will never happen again.

Take care
Mark

gildasjan (24235) 2008-06-08 6:46

Bonjour Asa
Un bel hommage rendu aux soldats américains per cette photo tout simplement.
Bonne journée
Amicalement
Gildas

sacimar (7828) 2008-06-08 21:11

Hi Asa,

good picture, I like the way you focused, the perspective, good details, well done,

Regards

Sergio

John_F_Kennedy (32340) 2008-06-08 23:38

Good contrast between the ggreen and the white crosses. Excellent sharpness too. Well done.
Best wishes,
Achim

TopGeo (22495) 2008-06-09 1:07

Hi ASA I like the excellent shot!Good picture that you have here it reminds us that we are here for little. Amazing the prospect and the exceptional clarity.
Georgios

kermit350 (8990) 2008-06-09 4:01

Hello Asa, it was a true massacre on these coasts of Normandy, mainly in the American battalions, you posts the 6, who are the longest day of the history of the unloading, they are well of being able to remember this tragedy, You seized l' well; vastness of the place and its multitudes of crosses which form lines in l' image, the diagonals which these crosses form give l' occasion to see an incredible number and to say of it that each one d' it represents a young person who is tomb so far from at his place, sincerely

barrufeto_77 (25957) 2008-06-09 12:34

Hi Asa.

That crosses are perfect to avoid another disaster as the WWs were. I like this kind of homages pictures. Are lovely in order to remember.

Well done!

clnaef (6289) 2008-06-09 22:54

Bonjour,
Intéressante et agréable perspective.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

JCG (25875) 2008-06-10 0:30

Hi Asa,

I already visited an American cemetery, not that one, but the atmosphere is the same one, a very great meditation, and it is rather impressive. This photo watch well this atmosphere. Good management of the lights and this whole of colors. All these crosses give a good depth to the image.

With all my friendships and with soon,

Jean-Charles

Clementi (45849) 2008-06-10 3:11

Ciao Asa,
Nice shot,right memory for all the soldiers who have lost the life to defend the freedom, in June 1944.
nice work

Charo (32190) 2008-06-10 3:22

Hola Asa,
Estupendo grafismo con las líneas de cruces. Muy buena profundidad y excelentes colores y detalles.
Cordialmente
Charo

Waylim (11339) 2008-06-10 9:03

Must be very emotional to be there. Excellent capture of the cemetery. The white crosses stood out so well agaist the green yet still see various shade of waht on them. Good sharpness and great details. DOF is good with nice soft light. Thanks a little piece of history.
Way

Fis2 (46713) 2008-06-10 14:45

Hej Asa!
Curious composition and frame. I like the colors and sharpness. Very impressive picture!
Regards
Krzysztof

Uhu (7478) 2008-06-11 2:46

High, very good photo of this quite special place. Amazing geometry and interconnection of the Crosses Field and trees and sky above. All those people, there are thousands and thousands of such cemeteries all around Europe. Germans, Russians, Britains, Americans, Finns and so on and so on.
Human life was so low-respected in that times. Here you show it again - all those crosses. Every one have a dead man down there, with a family left to mourn.
Millions and millions of lives.
It's really touching photo, many thanks for posting this.

mumek (17530) 2008-06-11 3:07

Good morning Asa!
Great composition and nice view at the cemetery
in Colleville-sur-Mer. Excellent contrast between white crosses against grass and darker sky
Very well done
regards
ziggy

Didi (36674) 2008-06-11 8:34

Hi Asa
Interesting perspective o V victory in the middle.
I guess you should take a lower POV to give more depht in your composition.
Cheers.

AiresSantos (43270) 2008-06-13 9:29

Hi Asa
Fine view od this American Cemetery. Excellent POV, graphic effect and colours
Best Regards
Aires

RPoole5552 (1643) 2008-06-17 6:48

I think many people today have forgotten about this great sacrifice. As a history buff I would love to visited this hallowed place. Thanks for sharing.

Best regards,

Rob

didemay (2435) 2008-06-18 14:42

Hello Asa,
i liked the POV...but if you went littttle bit to the left what would have happened? lose the big trees position in the compo?

paura (39608) 2008-06-19 17:35

Asa,
The geometrical pattern are really very interesting here. Lighting and colors management also a nice point. Well done!

Abraço

Paulo

messenger1 (1029) 2008-06-23 8:53

Hello, Asa -
This is a striking image. Your chosen POV shows the intersection straight and diagonal rows of stark white crosses, but also give a great sense of large space. Sharp details, very moving atmosphere. Well done.

mikeo (12117) 2008-07-03 12:31

Hi Asa,

Repetition of crosses is main thing here and works absolutely great! Almost never ending terrain with all these crosses looks great and so sad! Nice colours and great composition

TFS and greetings from Poland,

mikeo

jorgi (3804) 2008-12-09 2:27

Hi Asa,

seeing photos like this makes one think about the reasons and motives for such horrible actions and losses that were made in the past and are made as we speak...
Friends disapeeared, sons lost, parents dead... so many life stories, so much pain and sorrow for what?
Well, I better not continue in this direction so I will compliment the photo itself...for its fantastic POV and colour display...quiet image yet very loud, calm yet very disturbing. As it should be.

My best,
Jeri