Shepherdess in Cemetery
Noratus, Armenia 2016
I remember this day! It was after I’d ruptured my Achilles and I could only hobble over the uneven ground. A strong wind blew and I used my monopod to steady myself, fearing that the wind would cause me to topple over. As I slowly crept through the ancient cemetery, I spotted this woman grazing her sheep between the ancient monuments and I quickly got a few shots before she noticed me.
This is her life. Taking her sheep to graze every day. Wandering through the hundreds of ancient carved stones thinking her lonely thoughts. Later, she posed for me and I’ll show you that, but it was awkward between us with her trying to understand what I wanted and me not knowing exactly what I wanted. This shot is my favorite.
The stones, called Kachkars, display ancient Christian symbols of Armenia. The earliest kachkar in this cemetery dates from the 8th century.