wmontgomery Loc: Louisiana

I oversee the video production and photography in my church. The first time we got this request I thought it strange. In the last two years we are getting requests to video funerals more frequently. We video from a distance and an angle that will not show the interior of the casket. We occasionally shoot stills. We have in one instance also videoed the graveside service of a veteran with the military servicemen and flag presentation. After some editing we produce a DVD or flash drive. We have not charged for this service.

JoSkalka Loc: San Diego, CA

I too have photographed a couple of good friends' memorials. I think it's really important to check out the venue ahead of time, and take some practice shots at the same time of the memorial. Taking some low light photos inside was very helpful for me. I used my 50mm prime to get some great Bokeh shots of candles and flowers. One service had guests write out a special memory, so I photographed just hands writing a note, those were very powerful. Candid shots of people hugging with lots of emotion (done tactfully). Keeping myself busy behind the camera also made the difficult day easier for me.

I made a slide show using Elements and added music, some from the service, some not. At the end of one of the slide shows I added a picture of the Columbarium Cap which was placed a couple weeks after the service.

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Saw that on the news.

User ID

Great approach .... and thanks for the chuckle.

I look forward to serving someone's "deceased
relatives". I'm a big fan of the Adams Family :-)

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saltysarge

I must say at 74 years old, this is a first for me. I can honestly say I have "NEVER, EVER" heard of some one photographing a funeral or the deceased for any reason.

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Now you know and now you do!

saltysarge

Personally I think that's just a little WEIRD to say the least, and just plain sick.

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`



Well, at 74 at least you've enjoyed
blissful ignorance until lately. And
now you ain't got too far to go, so
you better indicate in your will that
such shenanigans must be banned
when it's your turn to be the guest
of honor ;-)

.

saltysarge

Blissful Ignorance my ass!

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`



Was referring to this remark by you:

"I must say at 74 years old, this is a first for me.
I can honestly say I have "NEVER, EVER" heard of
some one photographing a funeral or the deceased
for any reason."

BTW, in the earlier days of photography it was not
uncommon that a person's 1st time sitting for their
portrait was a posthumous sitting.

As to the "never ever" aspect, pretty much the wide
world is familiar with this example of "photographing
the deceased for any reason". While there are many
examples of the practice, this one is surely the best
known ... if not worldwide, certainly in the Americas:

(Download)

skylinefirepest Loc: Southern Pines, N.C.

It's done almost a hundred percent on service funerals for military, EMS, fire, or police. It's done by request on private funerals. It's easy to explain...in the aftershock of a death the loved ones don't remember who was at the funeral, what was said, or what was done. For service funerals there's always the folded flag and sometimes a bagpiper, bugler, or other service members making presentations to the family. There's quite frequently ladder trucks with the American flag displayed over the road and here at least we use fire trucks to block the traffic coming from side roads on the way to the gravesite. It is a quite solemn affair and by making a video it gives the family something to look at later. Check out YouTube and you'll find all kinds of processions with citizens alongside the road, on bridges and so forth to pay tribute to the deceased. It's a matter of honor!

Hip Coyote

In my prior life I was in law enforcement and was involved in a few funerals for officers killed in the line of duty. Part of that responsibility required me to work with the media. Naturally they wanted to cover the stories and sent photographers to the various events. I spoke to the photographers and asked for discretion when photographing the event. I have to say their photography was very well done capturing the emotions of the event while being tasteful. I suggest you look at some of the photography on line of such events and you will see what pros can do balancing the art of photography and the need for discretion.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

"Speak not ill of the dead".- We must have respect for the dead and they must be treated with dignity. I wholeheartedly agree with these concepts and I also feel we all should RESPECT each other while we are alive and posting here in this forum. Some folks are not doing a good job of that- Y'all think?!

Perhaps some folks here have misconceptions about photographing funerals and memorial services. Professional and serious amateur photographers do NOT photograph funerals out of morbid curiosity or some kind of sick mentality. In my experience, we do it at the request of families, next of kin, survivors and bereaved folks who want to memorialize the occasion as many of the posters in this thread have alluded to. In all my years in photography, I have never met anyone who does this as a "hobby". Usually, they are hired, requested, and/or assigned to do the work and are expected to be in attendance - they/we just don't show up and barge into a solemn event.

It's also important to understand, in a multicultural and diverse society that there are different, unique and specific attitudes, customs and religious tenets pertaining the death, the final disposition of remains, and funeral services in general. Again, RESPECT, understanding compassion are the best approaches to this subject.

As I have previously mentioned, I don't advertise this service or promote it in any way, however, when families I have served at joyous family occasions request this, I won't refuse. It is not a frequent request but I do receive some from time to time either directly from families or their funeral directors.

Some history- A few years ago, a client brought in a very old photograph for restoration. It was a family group and in it was a rather ghostly image of seemingly a very elderly person. It looked as if it was somehow superimposed on or added into the group. The client did not know exactly who or what it was but could identify some of his ancestors in the picture. I familiarized him with something I learned while doing some restoration work for the National Archives of Canada. In some areas of Northern Quebec, many years ago, if someone died during the Winter, the corps was stored in the "ice house" because burial was impossible in the frozen ground. Also, the itinerant professional photographers would not come into the rural areas until spring to photograph families and weddings. If there were no other existing photographs of a deceased person, it was off the ice house to photograph the dead before they were buried. These images were often added to family portraits. Many of these groups, of immigrant families, would show the family in front of there farmhouse or barn will all their furniture, belongings and farming equipment out on display. This was to reassure the folks in the "old country" that they were doing well.

Fortunately, I have never been asked to do that kind of a job and I am not a fan of photographing the dead in an open casket at a "visitation", however, I have been asked to do so. Again, the family wanted to send images overseas to show that the departed was indeed resting in peace. Obviously, folks who are not interested in this kind of imagery will not have open casket visitations or request cosmetology and hairdressing be performed by the funeral home.

Personally, I have been to too many funerals- not as the photographer. During my tour in Viet Nam, I had many dealings with the Graves Identification Unit and I also attended funerals of fallen friends. Nonetheless, understanding and sympathy make the job a little easier when the request arises.

scsdesphotography Loc: Southeastern Michigan

Wow, E. L., I don't think I've read any better explanation of this type of photography. Nor have I read it described with the level of sensitivity you have shown here. Thanks for helping all those not familiar with it to see the value of this in human terms.