DTCOP Loc: Camarillo, CA

Earlier this week someone posted about taking pics of funerals and I replied stating how a similar arrangement had been made for me and what it meant to my family. It got me thinking about a market I had never explored before and a host of questions/problems arose. finesse in shooting is a given. The attendees are suffering in many ways but what of the logistics of the shoot. How far away from the mourners is considered adequate. Pictures of the corpse... bad taste or not. Charging? What would you charge people for this service. Naturally if they're "friends" then it is gratis but strangers? What is a reasonable amount. Put the pictures on a CD/DVD.... how many copies and what does each one cost. If you sell them there are license fees involved. Can this be done through the mortuary/cemetery. There are ay more points to consider but this will hopefully get the ball rolling. Thanks to all.

Robert Graybeal Loc: Myrtle Beach

If they take pictures at my funeral

1. I hope I'm late.
2. I guarantee, I will not 'smile'

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

You really need to sit down with the family member in charge of the funeral arrangements and talk specifically about what he/she wants, in every detail. Without this communication, I strongly advise not taking the job. You don't want to have to guess what is and is not appropiate.

If you do take the assignment, you want to be as "invisible" as possible - not blocking anyone's view, for example. Positioning yourself on the outskirts of the procession. Making virtually no noise and keeping movements to a minimum. The guests should hardly be aware of your presence at all.

Personally, I can't imagine why anyone would desire photographic momentos from a funeral. Unless maybe if the deceased was some kind of famous personality.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Agree with points one and two, but those should probably be true for any professional engagement. Deliver the goods with minimal intrusion, don't be an influence just an observer, and follow the engagement guidelines.

Third point, I disagree. My family and friends are celebrities - OK minor celebrities - in my world, and having the record brings back good memories. It is, I am sure a personal choice, but the video my wife took of my brother's funeral is the very last tangible connection I have with him. That is priceless to me.

Each to his or her own, I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl5vi9ir49g

I have a record of the end, and for that I am grateful.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Interested in your comment regarding 'naturally' not charging friends.
When I was full time professional, many of my friends became clients (and many clients actually became friends, and repeat clients).
I charged them all at the same rate although I do recall discounting some that might have had problems paying, we were all young then and struggling to get ahead.
Anyway, my point is that I would probably have gone broke if I hadn't charged friends for my professional service.
Is this common practice, not to charge friends, by pro USA photographers.

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

I don't know who took this picture of the funeral for my uncle who was killed in the last month of ww2. I was born a couple of months latter. This shot and five others I was able to save said more to me about him than anything anyone could have written. It also says a lot to me about the times and the effects it had on our family. Are pictures of a funeral important. I think they are if not for today, but for down the road.

n3eg Loc: West coast USA

At least if I'm dead, I won't be taking selfies.

chickenfish

My mother passed away recently and was buried out of state with a graveside service. I met with the funeral home in that town that handled all the arrangements. When meeting with them I asked if it was possible to video tape the service only, nothing else. The funeral home arranged for a local videographer/photographer that did a great job and I'm so glad I thought to have that done. Where I'm going with all this is, my suggestion would be to work with local funeral homes for funeral photography. At a time like that, most families don't want to have to deal with something additional, and would prefer for the funeral home to handle all the arrangements with the photographer if one is desired.

tomcat

Make absolutely sure that you put your camera on the Silent mode. You do NOT want any shutter noise

tjphxaz Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Take yourself out of marketing and meeting with the grieving family by contracting your services through funeral homes. Let them counsel with the family and then tell you to either shoot a "standard" package or any special requests.
Funeral homes are also good at gouging the grieving and will likely negotiate a much better price for your services (even after they take their cut) than you would and with far less stress to you.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I officiated a memorial service for the president of one my camera clubs and it was videoed so the daughter (who was not able to attend)could see the service later.

Many people from the camera club attended and none of them brought their camera. Nothing was said before about bringing your camera, although I had thoughts of about 50 people photographing this service and wondered what 50 shutters going at the same time would sound like.

My point is that I thought it showed more respect by them not bringing cameras. I can see why the family of the deceased might want pictures at reception after a funeral/memorial/wake to get those family and close friends dressed well and who may have come from a distance to attend. During the service itself, very few pictures, maybe the oficient, singer, and place of service, and if requested the deceased or urn. Gravside images may also be good to have.

As for this being an untapped market for pro-photogs, I think it might as good as it first seems. Many funeral homes offer to make a video using photos from the family as part of the service or the family makes that video. My other thought is that at least one exteneded family member can use thier camera on auto and get the shots that keep memories for the family. It just seems that this is a "dead" market for non-family pro's.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

When my grandfather passed away my mother asked me to take a picture of the open casket in the mortuary before viewing started. Did so and later kearned my grandmother was ever so gratified. As years pass, memories of those oassed dim but the pictures can comfort. Be inobtrusive and invisible to the extent possible.

DebAnn Loc: Toronto

It's beginning to sound like we need to put a note in our wills saying "Do Not Photograph any part of my funeral"! (Or vice versa). Personally I can't think of anything more macabre than funeral photography - especially taking photos of the deceased in the casket. That would be your very last memory of the person. Surely you'd want to remember happier times when the person was alive. Just sayin'.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

Death is a part of life. If we take pictures of happy moments to remember those events, why not of the sad times, too. Pictures taken at a funeral should be discreetly and only by the person wanting the pictures. Looking at the pictures at a later time could be part of the healing process.

When our son died in 1988, digital cameras weren't available. I wouldn't have wanted pictures of him in the casket, but I would have liked pictures of the flowers, etc. However, I did want the service to be recorded. Something happened and it wasn't recorded. I would like to hear the music that was played by our son's piano teacher and to hear the eulogy his father gave. It would be part of the healing process. It's something I got through, but will never get over.

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

In 1988, I learned of the death of our teen-age won while in Indiana helping a daughter after she gave birth. While on drive home, I heard this song and it brought tears to my eyes. I bought the record and had it played at his funeral while his two sisters lit candles. To me it was a way for them to unite with their younger brother. Whenever I hear this song, it will always bring back memories of that day. So, too do the songs Fur Elise and Memories from Cats, as they were played at his funeral.