I was profoundly impressed when I saw my own name on a tombstone at a young age- I had a great aunt with the same name who died the year after I was born. At that moment I realized "Hey, those are real people, with real lives buried there, not just stones!"
Since then I have had a real appreciation of tombstones and who they represent. I take pictures of stones that touch me, as well as those of people I have met.