Cimetiere Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Montreal, QC – 17 SEP 2010

I headed to Canada this week-end, to revisit a place I’ve always wanted to photograph with my professional equipment, Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery. I recorded images here in 2000, with a 1st generation digital camera (which meant a small pixel size). I remember that day as being overcast and on the verge of snowing…which gave me a great quality of light (no harsh shadows). Today I was not as lucky.
The day was bright and I had to wait until the sun moved to get the image I came to see again:
This is one of the most unique monuments I’ve ever seen.
On the side (with the photo) it says:
1915 Palmina Cotroni 1997
.1928 Michel Cotroni 1986
.........Expoux de ..................(husband of)
....Mariette Rondeau
When I looked the names up on the Internet, I found Cotroni was Canada’s largest Mafia family. Palmina being the sister to the Godfather (Vincenzo) and Michel her younger brother (who stayed out of the Mafia business). Now I wish I had read the surrounding stones. Even tried to capture it in black & white.
Without repeating the stones I showed you before (TravelsWithAuntieM Jan 2009here are more images from Canada:
I've also seen this one in New York City, which isn't that far away and could be the same stone cutter. And there was a similar one in Colma, CA.

He looks like someone from Disneyland's Haunted House.This one looks like one of the images from 2000, only with the photo missing from the frame. I had to study them both closely to notice the hand placement was different.








This one also looks similar to a 2000 image, only this one still has it's forefinger.
To view more of my cemetery images: EnfocusGallery.com