Have Started Funeral Photography

[Tom]

I'm guessing you won't be getting a lot of reprints and enlargements.

[Bruce M. Morris]

As Janice said, this was a big business in the 1800's-early 1900's.. and not just of family members.. there are many photos of local famous and infamous people in their coffin. I have seen ones of Billy Bonney and also of Bonnie and Clyde as well as others in the coffin. Interesting but not my cuppa...

[bmiller411]

Originally Posted by d2creative

Ya, and i can understand that.

But general pics of the coffin, grave and funeral home?
Well, like you said, to each his own!
I would just be shocked if there was much of a market for that, that's all.

Here is what you do not understand or have vision of this special event. The coffin is the least of the images. The person in the coffin is only photograph if it is part of the custom or if the family wants them. You have the complete
service to record. The priest, the singer, all the speakers, the piano or organ player. Not to mention all the people who came to pay their respect. Relatives, friends and well wisher that you have not seen for years nor see again.

You also have the family and friends that could not come.

As the grieving family, what is going on around you is a blur. This is your
record of what took place.

95% of the time, the family member who did not want it done is the one
that will not give up the images. An additional book has to be made for them.

I have a question for you - what is your opinion on photographing a hero's funeral?

[bmiller411]

That’s morbid! NO Way would I ever photograph a funeral! You have to be crazy to have a funeral photographed. These are just a few statements that have been made when someone hears that photos are going to be taken at a funeral. But after you talk with them, and explain how this photographs memorialize their love one for generations, they open their minds and see that it is a very feasible, healing, and rewarding act.

Let’s go over a few points:

1. When a family is grieving, what is going on around them is a blur. Thus their closure is not complete. Photos will show them what went on and assist with their closure. Photographs will also provide comfort to the family in days, months and years to come. Do not let us forget the family member or friends that could not attend this very important event. These photos will be of great comfort and aid to them too.

2. On average, not everyone attends a wedding, but everyone attends a funeral. To most, this is a reunion of family, friends, and acquaintances who may or who may not have seen each other or have been heard from for years. And, some of them may be people that you may not ever see again. Their photos would be invaluable when telling younger family members and friends who they are.

3. To record history we photograph our heroes. We sit in front of a television and watch the funeral of a hero, a statesman or a celebrity – AND – we will watch these images every time they are aired. We think nothing about buying magazines that have the photos and stories of these people. When asked WHY? The answer is “For Its Historical Significance”. My question to you is “Why NOT Our Family Members?” They are our HEROES, our STATESMEN, our CELEBRATES.

4. Keep in mind a person’s customs, traditions, and beliefs play a very important part in funeral photography. These are things that the photographer has to be aware of and sensitive to in order to perform their duties correctly.

THIS IS THE FAMILY PHOTO HISTORY RECORD OF THE DAY…

It has been our experience that 95% of the time the family members who did not want photographs to be taken are the ones who will treasure these images when they see them. An additional book has to be made for them.
In the end, the families need to know that this service is available so that they can make an informed decision about preserving the memory of their love ones.

Make sure that the families who seek your assistance in their time of grief are informed of this service so that they can decide how they wish to honor their loved ones’ memories.

It is always painful to hear the family say AFTER the service:

“I WISH WE HAD PICTURES!!”

Bruce

[url=http://www.PhotographerForFunerals.com] – 281.983.9067 – Bruce@PhotographerForFunerals.com

[d2creative]

Originally Posted by bmiller411

I have a question for you - what is your opinion on photographing a hero's funeral?

I don't have one, really.
And I would never compare the death of a stranger to the death of my own mom, sibling, etc.

Originally Posted by bmiller411

2. On average, not everyone attends a wedding, but everyone attends a funeral. To most, this is a reunion of family, friends, and acquaintances who may or who may not have seen each other or have been heard from for years. And, some of them may be people that you may not ever see again. Their photos would be invaluable when telling younger family members and friends who they are.

If you go back and read post #7, this is the kind of thing I was referring to. But when i quickly glanced at your website, i saw pics of the funeral home, grave site, etc.

More power to you if you think there is a market for it.
It's just not my thing. I'm not big on funerals. Or weddings for that matter. Kinda one in the same, really. I kid! I kid!

[bmiller411]

Originally Posted by d2creative

If you go back and read post #7, this is the kind of thing I was referring to. But when i quickly glanced at your website, i saw pics of the funeral home, grave site, etc.

More power to you if you think there is a market for it.
It's just not my thing. I'm not big on funerals. Or weddings for that matter. Kinda one in the same, really. I kid! I kid!

This part of the business is an education plus sale. I do feel that there is a base for this venue. With an average of three a week, it is proving that if someone has an open mind and is open to learning, new avenues will be opened.

Since I started, the clients that I have are all very happy and they are spreading the word on how great it is to have this historical record for them self and their family. It took a little talking to but they all have open minds to start with.

Thanks for your input, I look forward to talking with you again on other matters.

[rockin-photos]

I got a call last week from a woman asking if I could do family portraits at a funeral home. Their loved one had passed away, and this was the first (and maybe last) time many of them would be together. So I went to the funeral home, talked to the director, and shot some group photos for them. They also asked that I photograph the graveside services the next day, and I did.
They are not the greatest photos, since I was trying to stay out of the way, but I think I give them pretty good coverage of who was in attendance.
If you'd like to view the photos, they are posted here:
James Franklin - Rockin-Photos - Photography by Jerry Bishop

To enter the gallery, the password is Edward.

[rusty_tripod]

Rockin-photos, the value of these images will become apparent when another member of the group passes on. Now, someone else may say, "I wish we had thought of that when so and so died. We were so shaken up, we could not think straight."

When my mother died in November, the siblings had not all been together for 23 years. I don't know if we will ever be together again. I took photos.

In December, my wife's cousin died. He had been in the Border Patrol. There was an honors ceremony at the cemetery with the widow receiving the flag from the casket. A memorable event. I took photos.

Funeral shots may, or may not, include the deceased. It does not have to be connected with sadness or morbidity.

You did a fine job.

[Rson]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Taking photos of dead babies is pretty morbid, but there is a certain segment of parents who will cherish them forever.
It's like a lot of things in life. What is OK for some is not OK for others. Living in the USA is greatness because we have choices and they aren't generally made for us.

I am in that segment and I hope that no one every gets to be in it. They are the only recorded images that I will ever get.

[mrsrice22]

There's too much, and please pardon the pun, dead space to the right of the page. Will there be additional links or thumbnails or something in that area?

I think initially the idea was/is shocking to me as well. While attending my cousin's daughter's funeral service, her MIL and another child were taking pictures with the baby's coffin, smiling and just snapping away like it was any other day. I was enraged, I felt it was disrespectful to not only my cousin but her daughter as well. What I didn't realize then was exactly what other's have pointed out, especially to those that have lost a child, these are the only images that you may have and while it's not something you hang on your walls or pass out as wallets to family and friends, it's something for them to remember Amy by. Something real that they can touch later and remember her. Amy was born about 3 or 4 months premature and she fought and hung on to her frail life for a month before finally passing away. It was devastating to my cousin and her husband, she was their first. They now have a healthy baby girl, 4 months old, that was also born prematurely but because of Amy they were able to prolong the pregnancy to 34 weeks, thus giving Brooke a better chance at survival.

We also have gone through losing our mom in October of last year to cancer. She died almost exactly one year after being diagnosed, it's still surreal to me, it's almost as though the last year didn't even exist and i sometimes have to remind myself that she's gone. I wish, I WISH, we had more pictures of her. I wish I had taken more photos of her and our 2 year old, because she just adored him so much. While she was living with us, I had so many opportunities to take her pictures but I was so exhausted with being pregnant with our daughter and taking care of her that I never even thought of it and now i kick myself ever day because I only have literally a handful of photos and none of her and I except one from when I got married. I have her driver's license that I pull out every now and then and kiss, her purse that I sometimes will hug and smell, and a voicemail that I listen to every now and again. These are real to me, they remind me that she was here, I can touch them and remember her, photo's are the same.

When we go back to Colorado in the summer for her service (she was cremated), I'll photograph parts of the service and probably look into asking a friend/photographer to capture the rest. I feel now as though it's also a way to close the chapter in her book of life and will create an album of photos that my dad has from when they were together and what my sister and I have between us and what we have from the service.

[camera shy]

Holy resurrection Batman.....this thread was dead and buried and has come back to life.......