What is your opinion of taking photographs of the deceased at a funeral?

Do you leave photographs in the coffin..at cemetaries/vaults/etc?
If so.. why?

If you find this creepy or offensive.. why?

Has photography become a common practice amongst your family in relation to funerals?

please also specify your religion and if this has impacts on your views...

if any of you have left photos at a cemetary.. is there a way any of you could provide actual photos you have taken for part of my report..(not of the deceased but of pictures left at a headstone and what not) by no means am i asking you to post them here... by email or pm would be great... if not.. i can completely understand...

this is an Anthropology class focusing on how pictures influence and participate in daily lives of ordinary people....

 

I've been around death many, many times. As far as my family goes I've lost a grandpa and two grandmas....but also my parents. So Im basing my answers off of their deaths....

Yes, I take pictures. I have pictures of the funeral service, the bodies in caskets, guests, the flower arrangements. To me this seems normal. However, I have pictures that are far more graphic than that....and they also seem normal to me. To me being able to see their bodies is almost a way of accepting their death.

I dont leave photos as their grave/in the doffin etc....I have left letters, birthday cards, newspaper clippings of big events in my life. I also left a bracelet I made iin each of their coffins. (I was eleven when it happened, so they were just the braided friendship bracelets).

My son is a year old. I have every intention of taking him to their grave as soon as the weather gets nice to "meet" them. He wont be old enough to know whats going on, but it helps me to know that my mom and dad have met him. Does that make sense?

I know that their spirit can be found anywhere....but theres something about being able to visit one location that makes you feel connected to them.

Religion is a part of my life, but it doesnt impact the way I feel about this.

Id be more than happy to share photos, stories, etc with you. Just let me know. PM me or email StrryStrrryNite@hotmail.com (nights/weekends) NLohof@Lithia.com (Business hours)



...nicole...

 

^^ that's fantastic!! thank you so much.. best feedback so far

 

I do not take pictures of the deceased out of respect but for some it does help the grieving process so it is entirely subjective to the individual taking the picture and the reasning behind it....if it is for profit (such as with famous deaths) then I do find it to be unacceptable...if however it is family wanting something to use as a memory tool then I find it completely acceptable.

second question is NA to me but I have left pictures of the deceased from the past on graves or tombs to show the person as real and that others can remember the things the person did while alive. Maybe a pic of them in their favorite activities or with someone they cared for etc. as example.

I do not find this to be creepy or offensive but as I said before it depends wholely on the reasoning behind it.

Photography is not a "practice" among my family at funerals, neither at the service nor at the reception afterwards....I do not find it to be an event of joy and celebration but rather one of deep respect for the one who has passed.

No particular religion has formed my views or opinions on this matter but rather common respect for the deceased and the family involved in the situation.

I have no photos of things I have left at tombstones etc. but if I did I would more than gladly share them with you as it is a way of keeping the person alive in the hearts and minds of others.

 

My family do not permit the taking of photographs of the decedant while a service is being performed, although we will allow media photographs of the congregation.

We will also use photographs as icons to focus the attendants of a memorial service that usually occurs 30 days after the funeral.

We are in communion with the Orthodox Church and the Anglican Episcopal Church.

 

Are you famous? Why would the media want pictures of the congregation? Im not being disrespectful, Im just curious.

 

Considering I just saw a corpse for the first time a couple of weeks ago, I can't really comment.

Personally, I can't imagine wanting to have photos of the deceased -- seeing my friend's grandmother (who was also a friend of mine) in her coffin was really disturbing to me. I wish that my last memory of her was laughing and smiling like I normally saw her. Now, all I can imagine is the way she looked at the viewing, not like herself at all.

However, if others wish to have photos, it's no skin off my back. :dunno: I noticed a lot of people touching the body at the viewing 2 weeks ago, and I didn't understand that. I mean, I guess it's like closure for some people, but I couldn't bring myself to touch her.

 

bump..

 

bump...? what does that mean.

As far as the not understanding the touching of bodies and wanting photos....I don't know how to explain it. Death is never something that freaked me out. As far as having photos of my parents and whatnot....well, I dont know if I even knew what was happening back then. Like I said, I was eleven when it happenned. As an eleven year old who lost both parents at once you get swarmed with people trying to mother you, care for you, console you....you dont have time to let relaity sink in.

In all honesty, I do not think that it really "sunk in" until years later. After all of the 'sympathy' wears off. It took about ten years for people to stop tip toeing around me. When that finally happenned, having those photos was nice. It sort of worked as a tool. It doesnt make me sad to look at them. It makes it seem real and allows me to feel all of the emotions that I didnt feel for the first decade they were gone. :dunno:

But, on the other hand, I can see how it might not be comfortable for some people to see that kind of stuff. I also know what you mean when you say you dont want your last memory of someone to be in a coffin, cold and stiff. Im sure a lot of people WOULD see it that way.....I was with my parents when they died, and it was far from peaceful. Seeing them "laid to rest" is just plain comforting. Besides, a picture or two of them already apssed will never erase the memories from when they were alive.