Violamae, The only things I have used on a stone are Charcoal powder or Corn starch. Neither are harmful to stone. Only a nylon bristle or a soft brass bristle brush is best without anything else. Water makes reading worse. As for photography, the stones should be facing west (and most are) so it is better to shoot in the afternoon when the sun is shining on the stone. If you have to shoot in the morning, when the sun is behind the stone, make yourself a reflector from a piece of flat cardboard at least 2ft by 3ft and cover it with aluminum foil. Have someone hold it to reflect light on to the stone. If you have a camera with adjustable shutter speed or f-stop, then bracket your exposures one stop over, one normal, and one under. I have been able to read one, usually a stop under, that you cannot read at normal exposure. I have shot some pictures and have been shocked at the fact that I could read the picture when I could not read the stone in the cemetery. Makes you wonder if you didn't have some unseen help. Gene genrit@yahoo.com Also try using the reflector at different angles to create better shadows on the letters. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.yahoo.com