People taking photos at funerals can seem strange or even disrespectful to some. However, there are a variety of reasons why people choose to document funerals with photos. In many cases, the reasons are sentimental and well-intentioned. With the ubiquity of smartphone cameras today, taking photos at funerals has become increasingly common.
To Remember the Deceased
One of the most common reasons people take funeral photos is simply to remember the deceased. Funerals are essentially the last chance to see the body of the deceased before they are buried or cremated. For many, taking photos helps capture that last moment and memorialize the deceased as they remember them. Photos can document what the deceased looked like, what they were wearing, and how they were presented during the funeral service. This can provide comfort to the bereaved in the days, weeks, and years after the funeral. Looking back at the photos can help keep memories of the deceased alive.
To Document the Funeral Service
Many people also take funeral photos to document the funeral service itself. This might include photos of the casket, floral arrangements, funeral programs, speakers, and attendees. Photographing these details creates a visual record of the service. For those who spoke or participated in the service in some way, these photos can memorialize their contribution. Photos also document who attended and any particularly moving moments, like the presentation of a flag or releasing of doves. Even if the service was difficult emotionally, photos can help preserve meaningful moments to look back on.
To Share with Others
Funeral photos are often taken to share with family and friends unable to attend the service. Especially for those who lived far away or were too grief-stricken to attend, photos provide a window into the service. Sharing photos on social media or via text allows more people to feel involved and see how the deceased was honored. Even if they didn’t know the deceased well, photos give them a sense of closure. For close family members, having photos to look back on together can help unite them in their grief.
To Honor Cultural Traditions
In some cultures and religions, taking photos at funerals is an important part of honoring the dead. Open-casket funerals accompanied by photography are common in many Hispanic and Caribbean cultures, for example. Capturing the scene allows family members to appreciate that their loved one had a proper funeral service. In Judaism, taking photos at funerals is generally discouraged. But photos can be taken discretely to send to faraway relatives who couldn’t attend. Understanding cultural norms allows people to take photos in a sensitive way.
To Aid Grieving
Some mental health experts believe that taking funeral photos can help in the grieving process. The photos can allow mourners to confront the reality of death and begin processing their loss. Having images of the deceased can provide a point of focus during the intangible process of mourning. Looking at the photos over time helps mourners transition to remembering their deceased loved one more fondly. When the photos capture positive moments, like fond remembrances by speakers, they underscore that death is a part of life.
To Fulfill a Duty
For some mourners, photography serves a practical purpose. Professional photographers are often hired to document high-profile funerals. Journalists and media photographers take photos to accompany funeral stories and obituaries. Police photographers take photos at funerals, particularly of homicides, to aid investigations. Family members may feel obligated to take photos to provide to news outlets or to document legal details. While fulfilling this duty, photos also create a historical record for the public or family archives.
To Aid Genealogical Research
Funeral photos can serve an important genealogical purpose as well. Pictures of deceased family members, their spouses, distant relatives, and ancestral gravesites provide useful records for family historians. On the surface, this photographic documentation may seem morbid. But in the context of genealogical research and family storytelling, it provides invaluable information about family connections. Looking back through old funeral photos allows younger generations to gain perspective on the family’s narrative arc.
To Aid Future Generations
More broadly, funeral photos create valuable historical records for future descendants. Long after first-hand memories have faded, photos preserve memories for generations to come. Images capture details about the funeral customs, fashions, and cultural norms of a particular era. For example, photos of funerals from the Victorian era seem antiquated today but offer insights about societal attitudes toward death. Even ordinary funerals give future generations a window into a time period. This can create a sense of continuity, perspective, and appreciation for family history.
Reasons People Avoid Taking Funeral Photos
While many people embrace taking funeral photos, others avoid it for various reasons:
– They consider it morbid or disrespectful
– Their culture frowns upon photographing funerals
– They want to be fully present in the moment
– They find photos too upsetting or emotionally difficult
– They prefer to remember the deceased in life
– They don’t like drawing attention to themselves
– They think the deceased would object
– They worry about disturbing other mourners
Mostly, cultural norms and personal choice dictate attitudes toward funeral photography. If handled sensitively, photos can provide comfort. But they should be avoided if they disrupt the solemnity of the service or cause distress to the bereaved.
Etiquette for Taking Funeral Photos
If you decide to take photos at a funeral, following some basic etiquette guidelines will help you do so in a discreet, respectful way:
– Ask permission from the immediate family, if possible.
– Remain unobtrusive – don’t disrupt the service.
– Avoid using flash or making noise.
– Dress and behave respectfully.
– Be mindful of others’ grief – don’t interrupt mourners.
– Consider the deceased’s wishes – don’t overstep.
– Capture moments, not just posed shots.
– Share photos sensitively, not compulsively.
Following cultural norms about funeral photography is also wise. For instance, some cultures discourage photos of the deceased’s body. Ask what is appropriate and what the family prefers. With their consent and a sensitive approach, funeral photography can produce meaningful mementos.
Appropriate Use of Funeral Photos
While funerals are public events, it’s important to use funeral photos appropriately. Sharing them on social media or displaying them publicly may spread images further than intended. If shared locally, images should be selective, dignified, and designed to memorialize the deceased with respect.
Photos should not be used against family wishes, exploited disrespectfully, or shared in ways likely to cause distress. Doing so would undermine the original dignified purpose. Those who take funeral photos should thoughtfully curate, print, and share a small selection. With prudence and compassion, images can comfort and enlighten.
Conclusion
Funeral photography may seem unusual, but serves numerous purposes for mourners seeking to memorialize and process loss. From honoring cultural customs to aiding genealogical research, photos provide an important record and outlet for grief. And as mementos, they can sustain cherished memories and stories about the deceased for generations to come. While the practice warrants some discretion, funeral photography often comes from a place of reverence. In moderation, photos offer mourners an additional touchpoint for remembering someone dearly departed but not forgotten.