Funeral photography

Yes it does, as it should. Just a month ago my sister had her second daughter and we saw her at just a few days old. It's a shock/loss to those left behind, but a relief to the one passing on. I remember reading about Buddha talking about what it was like to die: "It's impossible to explain as it is outside our realm of experience. Can you tell a fish how it is to live on land, breathing air? The best I can do is to say that it feels like removing a pair of uncomfortable, too-tight shoes." (Paraphrased)
 
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FrankS said:
Unfortunately, I am now in the position of experiencing this dilemma first hand, with the passing away of my wife's father yesterday.
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Sorry to hear that Frank. Will this be a Japanese funeral?
 
Funeral Photography

Funeral Photography

I have covered several funerals as a reporter and attended others as a guest or family member but have never seen a photographer at any funeral... I have, however, showed up at the doorstep of a family member to ask for a photo, even though we already had one -- just to deprive the competition of a copy...

As others have said, if you ask the funeral director and the family if it's ok and they say yes, then you might take a few -- but never with flash and never, I believe, of the open casket unless you get special permission...

Circumstances for famous people are different, although I still would want to seek permission... When you get permission to take pictures, you might offer to provide photographs to the family but without cost, unless they order something special... [Remember to write down the address.]

Every situation is different and delicacy is very important and you have to judge the reception you will get if you show up with a camera...The funeral director often can guide you...

And once you have what you need, don't hang around...
 
I'm a minister. It's not a job, it's who I am. Putzing with cameras, photographing, etc. is my creative excercise, relaxation; categorize it in your "hobby" box if you wish. That is, of course, until I'm asked to use those skills to help, encourage or console another fellow. My hobby then becomes another tool of my ministry.

I've been asked to take a handful of photos a few times by my family after the loss of a loved one and once by a total stranger; her husband's Military funeral. On another occasion, the wife of a good friend asked me to stop by and take a few shots of her husband who was confined to bed, dying slowly. And he certainly looked it. He passed before I completed the 20 minute drive back home.

We may ask, "Why do people want pictures of such things?" Because we all mourn, we all are comforted, we all are consoled and strengthened by different things in different ways. Who I am dictates that I reach out. Who others are dictates how.

Frank, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
 
Thank you all. My role during this is to support my wife.

Family blessing:
Grandfather die, father die, son die!
If it were not so, it would be truly tragic.
 
My condolences as well, Frank.

Photo's, especially old ones, become repositories for memories. While scanning old negatives , came across the last photo I took of my mother. It was in a hospital room shortly before she died of cancer. Less than ideal setting but it's the image that evokes the strongest memories.. If you don't have a last photo you'll reget it. <img>
A funeral shot is better than none.


Hope this keyboard is water proof...<img>

M4, 35mm Lux, Tri-x , D76


Glenn
 

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Yes, Glenn, I think it's a wonderful photo. If it were my mother, I would love it because it was "mom." Since it's not, I love it because it's just a very well done photograph of a special time.
 
It is a powerful picture, both in terms of intimate family content. and more generally in terms of photographic imagery. The man, presumably your father/her husband, in shadow, really "makes it".
 
Without a doubt, this is the most difficult task I have been asked to do in photography. I was assured by the family that the room would be closed while I filled their request. It was not. Still, I fondly remember that the family appreciated what I did.
Johne
 
Well, this has been an exhausting week with preparations, visitations, and yesterday the funeral. I took 3 rolls of 36 HP5+ with my Contax IIa and 50mmf1.5 CZO. The camera was easy to focus. Exposure ranged from 1/25sec @f1.5 to 1/50sec @ f2 with asa 400 film.

There were many times when I did not intrude on the moment with my camera. When I did, I know the family will appreciate the pictures for posterity. Film still needs to be developed. Most will be too personal to share here.

I made up 5 11x14 pictures in 16x20 frames, taken of my father in law over the last few years, to display during the visitations and at the funeral (Buddhist). The family was very happy with these images.
 
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Frank, my belated condolences.

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This is understandably a topic in which there is no clear cut answer.

Different cultures are different, and times change as well.

It was once very popular in the US and Britain (Victorian age) to have a post-mortem picture taken, especially of deceased children. I once when to an exhibition with a huge collection of photos of people, mostly in caskets, or lying in state.

Personally, I agree with those above who take the attitude that death is part of life, and so is a legitimate subject (as long as the people close to the deceased consent). The tendency in some societies/cultures to hide death, is, I think, not a psychologically healthy tendency.

I come from a Jewish family, and here I think the traditional Jewish culture is extreme: the dead MUST be buried within a day of death (unless the burial falls on a Saturday, in which it can be deferred to Saturday night or Sunday).

My father died of cancer in hospital in NYC when I was 14 years old. I used to visit him a couple of times a week (the hospital was not local to our home), but I never said goodbye to him, and when he died, I never got to see him again because he was wisked away - next day we were putting a wooden box in the ground. I can really understand cultures which display the deceased for a couple of days prior to burial - you have a chance to say farewell, and this is bound to be healthy.

Anyway, my mother is quite old now and lives thoudands of miles away from me - I fear that if she dies suddenly, she'll be buried before I even get to town. Then I'll appreciate it if someone takes some photos of the funeral.
 
I do not see a problem with it, if the family wants it. At my grandmothers viewing my dad took pictures, no one seemed to mind. I personally did not want to see any pictures, prefered to remember her in life. But I was not offended by the taking of pictures before the service. Also as I read this thread I was thinking about exactly what sleepyhead mentioned, that peculiar Victorian tradition of morning involving pictures. So I looked up more information on it and came across this site,

http://www.deathonline.net/remembering/mourning/victorian.cfm#memento

Thought someone might find it interesting. My condolences to all who have lost.

Nancy
 
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