RonMos Loc: South Carolina

To my fellow Hedgehogs I propose a question or maybe a opinion, My father drew me into photography many a year ago, long before all of the digital camera of today. He over many years in private went in to the last resting places of some of my family and photographed the grave sites, flowers and headstones. I have photo's of my grandmothers's graves, grandfathers's graves, and my sisters that have gone before. I really treasurer these photo's. I also have photo's of some of them in rest. I feel each was taken respectfully, and never published or posted on the modern web. I in respect have taken on this hobby (for the lack of a better word) and only offer to let anyone who in my family would like a copy. Do you think this would be a morbid way to promote a income? How do you feel the general public would react to such a proposal. Just asking a honest opinion, please don't be mean or hateful. Thank you in advance.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Think about this like any other business, and evaluate the market. Is there a need to be met and can you fill it? S-

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

Doesn't bother me at all. I don't know about making money from this activity.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

Some people want pictures of their deceased relatives. Years and years ago relatives would pose in family portraits with their deceased family members.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I now live far from the grave sites of many generations of my family who chose to be buried -- I don't care, don't believe they do, since those I knew still live in my heart and mind. Can't see how this would be offensive to most -- I for one, would not pay for pictures of that kind. When it comes to "open coffin" pictures taken by some -- I prefer memory of the living person to photos of the best of the mortician's art. IMO

SnappyHappy Loc: Chapin, SC “The Capitol of Lake Murray”

RonMos I see nothing morbid or wrong in shooting photographs of grave sites or cemetery's. When you ask about promoting it as a service for income, that for me is beyond my comfort zone. I can't imagine a way to promote such an offer in a tasteful way.

lev29 Loc: Born and living in MA.

Dear RonMos,

I'm a little confused. You state that, " ... only offer to let anyone in my family would like a copy." You must've skipped typing a word, the importance of which I don't know, since the phrase as written is grammatically incorrect. I am assuming your offer consists of your relatives sending you their e-mail addresses and in turn you would e-mail them the photos. (Alternatively, I suppose, you could try posting them to a password-protected website so they can download them.) I take it you wouldn't dare ask your relatives for financial compensation and that, if not already, you are digitizing these old photo prints or negatives at your own cost. That sounds perfectly reasonable.

So what am I confused about? You then mention promoting an income, but from whom is not clear, unless it's the general public to whom you next refer. But what precisely are you offering the public? Photos of your family's tombstones? Why would anyone pay money for headstones of people they don't know? OR is it that you're thinking of soliciting the public to hire you to take photos of grave sites of their loved ones? Whether money is involved or not, I can't imagine there's much of a market in this. Ahh, I have an idea. Maybe you could look up the official organization of Necrophiliacs?

Yes, that last line was a joke. But everything else I did write was serious about your questions, most of which were poorly formulated. Good Luck!

lev29 :hunf:

firtree Loc: Florida, USA

There is a service out there called "Find A Grave". Family members post requests for photos of their families' grave sites and/ or tombstones and 'locals' do their best to locate and submit photos of the headstones. It is all done free of charge. Personally, I would not pay for or charge for this service. To me, good karma is a better reward.

Impressionist

Have always brought camera to funerals of departed friends and family. While some will question why, many are the requests for copies shortly and long after an event. Some cultures have made death masks. There is probably a market. Check with those who arrange funerals.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I actually have or had casket photos ... grandma with a plastic smile.... this was common practice in the 1800s.
http://www.viralnova.com/post-mortem-victorian-photographs/

How would mod people react.. I do not think they would much care, but would probably think it weird. My friend in England said death is not talked about much.. sort of a taboo subject.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Important to show respect at all times combined with a nice catchy name. "Stiffs are us" maybe?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'd rather remember people in general as they were alive. Don't even want a photo of a dead relative! Tomb stones and crypts and the like can be interesting in themselves.

As I recall I've taken images of my parents grave plaques but mainly in case someone else asks. I really have no reason to look at those images. I've also photographed a few stones or crypts of friends and celebrities but mainly if I haven to be there for a funeral, not going out of my way to be at a cemetery. I on such occasions find it interesting to read some of the inscriptions or dedications.

On the occasion of a burial for a (musician) friend I read a few of the surrounding plaques. I noted the birthday date of one person, it was the person's birthday today (that day)! It was sad as no one was there to "visit" them on their birthday yet we were standing over them for our friend's burial that day. Dirt all over as well. Normally I would not be so emotional about such an nonobjective thing, but it made me sadder that day.

Aside from dead trees or non-living rocks and earth, I pretty much keep my camera aimed at living animals (people too) and living plants. Don't really like looking at dead things. Well, dried flowers are OK. And I love Sea Shells (Gastropod Exoskeletons).

muggins88 Loc: Inverness, Florida

I was a public health nurse in a rural in Ohio. I viewed pictures in homes, on the wall, of family members with the deceased and of the closed casket on 2 timbers over the open grave. They were fond of those pictures.
I don't think that is the thing to do. If done, the pictures should be kept in a private place.

Millismote Loc: Massachusetts

I have taken photos of military graveside services by request of the family through the funeral director. I have posted them on a private photo site and provided the key to unlock the photos to the funeral director.

grandmadeb Loc: illinois, usa

I find cemetery's to be very interesting historically speaking. also the monuments are very interesting to look at. Now at a funeral, it would not bother me to take photos of the deceased but I think family, especially mine would be horrified. When my mom was dying in the hospital, I only had my cell phone and I took some pictures of her interacting with family members before she became unresponsive. I didn't tell anyone and didn't let them see some of the pictures. But one was of my mom watching the world series, with her Giants playing. It is such a great picture in such a sad situation, but now when we look at that picture we talk about it so positively. I really hesitated to take pictures and did it very dissceatly. Like I said, I hesitated to even tell me sisters I did it. Deb