Change of Pace I Guess - Funerals

[michaelanthony]

I prefer to shoot funerals than weddings. They don't quite pay as much but tend to be a lot less stress, other than some ministers having issues with flashes going off during such a solemn event.

http://web.mac.com/my8x10proofs/iWeb/Site/Ding_files/Ding-1-0003a.jpg

http://web.mac.com/my8x10proofs/iWeb/Site/Ding_files/Ding-1-0015a.jpg

http://web.mac.com/my8x10proofs/iWeb/Site/Ding_files/Ding-1-0123a.jpg

http://web.mac.com/my8x10proofs/iWeb/Site/Ding_files/Ding-2-0087a.jpg

[paul33]

Wow ...... you shoot funerals ?!!!

That must present some interesting challenges as a photographer !

[tuttifrutti]

Blimey... i've never heard of anyone shooting funerals before. Is there big demand for such a thing. Don't think I could ever do that snapping away whilst the family's grieving - well done for being a little diverse though :cool:

[splithesky]

this is something i have thought about before. its something id really like to do eventually. i just dont know how id approach someone about it.

[stathunter]

I do weddings but have never done a funeral. I am going to approach a few funeral homes and sell them on handling the situation. Seems like steady work but not sure how to sell the family during this time.

[blondine]

I shoot Weddings (which = happy times) I also shoot funerals...these can be very dificult depending on how soft you are, personally for me my tears roll when I shoot a little person... you need to be emotionally strong if you plan on doing this.

[Jim G]

I particularly like the first one here.

[FLiPMaRC]

Wow! This is new to me. Great shots BTW!

[s8langwo]

I've shot two funerals at the request of the family. This allows out-of-town family members to share in the service.

In both cases, the photography was well received and I was thanked for providing images. There was a lot of emotion and some of the images reflected that.

Kevin

[Aleem]

Not to hijack your thread, but i just recently did one for family...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2807233505_f1d4936a45_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3094/2807229291_cbca21b1fe_o.jpg

[BeccaJ]

i think there's alot to be said about capturing the emotions in funerals. and in the last one, even through their sunglasses, you can see the sadness in their faces.

i took pics at my cousin's funeral in December (KIA Operation Iraqi Freedom). And i plan to bring my camera to any family member's funeral in the future.

[_aravena]

I've never took photos at a funeral, but when everyone gather at the house of my grandfather when he died. IT was quite hard but everyone was reminiscing so there was laughter and tears and all sorts of mixed emotions. I couldn't actually shoot a funeral though. If asked maybe, but I couldn't promote myself as a funeral shooter.

One thing I know I couldn't do is take a photo of the person like you did. I just scrolled on past, a little creepy.

[Maxxum5]

Taking photos at a funeral are hit or miss. My Mom asked me to do this at my dad's and although I don't look at the pics often at all, I am sure she does.

As a member of the Armed Forces, I was also in the Honor Guard for 3 years. We did take some video solely as a training aid to help evaluate ourselves following the service. At first, it was awkward, but some families were ok with it. (Thats because we were providing full military funeral honors).

We did however, take photos at time, but the photos were prior to the family arriving. This was to capture some solemn moments of our squad as a team.

I agree that, unless the family gives expressed permission, the sound of a shutter frequently clicking away and a flash blowing off could be VERY disruptive.

Be cautious, but there are some family members who may wish to have some photos close to heart when a loved one passes.

[Grace]

I am forever grateful to a friend that shot my brother in laws funeral in Jan. I'm not in an emotional state to shoot them myself right now, but will certainly return the favor for someone that needs the service in the future.

OP, nice job oncapturing the details and staying back and giving the family space.

[heathermarie]

uhg I think I'm going to vomit! People want to remember their loved ones when they were alive!

[EMART49]

+1
why would you want pictures of a funeral?.. I don't get it..

good shots though

[Yeoer]

If there is a photographer at a funeral I feel sorry for the people greeving who don't want to be seen crying or breaking down just in case the picture is posted on a public forum...!!! or worse used in one of those email jokes...!!!!

I mean come on, show some respect you can see the guys face for god sake.

[collierportraits]

My best friend's mother died while we were in High school, and I was asked to take photos of the funeral. So, perhaps I can say this was my first job ever. No fee, but actually a client. Different? Yes. Could I have said no? Never. And they have that forever recorded now. The photos were pitiful, I'm sure, but they seemed to enjoy them.

Shot with my Nikon EM. Anyone remember that camera? You had one manual shuttter setting, I think it was 1/90 sec. otherwise the camera was all aperture priority, if I remember correctly. ;)

[S-S]

i think the OP did a very tasteful & artistic job with this event... his images respect the solemnity of the occasion and are quite beautifully done, esp the open casket view. assuming the family has requested that photographs be taken, it would still be difficult to not feel like you were intruding on their grief - he did well

but that was a valid point raised - did he get permission from the family to share these photos here? funerals are such a private event...

[Grace]

uhg I think I'm going to vomit! People want to remember their loved ones when they were alive!

It's obviously not for you, but some people do cherish the photos. I believe it is very obvious the op covered the ceremony in respect and dignity. It serves no purpose saying "I think I'm going to vomit" The title clearly states its about a funeral, you didn't have to look.

[I26]

You did do them well. Not for me, but if others are willing to fulfill family wishes then why not...

[michaelanthony]

If there is a photographer at a funeral I feel sorry for the people greeving who don't want to be seen crying or breaking down just in case the picture is posted on a public forum...!!! or worse used in one of those email jokes...!!!!

I mean come on, show some respect you can see the guys face for god sake.

that was a valid point raised - did he get permission from the family to share these photos here? funerals are such a private event...

yes, i do have written expressed permission from the family to use the pics on my website and public portfolio... i also made sure it was only the immediate family seen in the majority of the pics as well... as for the more private pics, i even have full close ups of the deceased... that did creep me out a little, but i am used to it after having previously worked in a hospital morgue...

for a lot of ethnic groups, a funeral photographer is common as they tend to also ask me to host them on a server for them to email to family overseas who are unable to attend the services...

in the case of the funeral i posted, the next of kin asked to have the pics on a server and the bulk of the relatives then sent out emails to friends and family throughout the world with the link to my host site for the pics...

i am also working on a few requests from family members in Asia for print albums of the services...

[michaelanthony]

or worse used in one of those email jokes...!!!!



i certainly hope that doesn't happen...

guess i am too trusting of the folks in this community...

now you have me thinking twice about having shared...

hmmmmmm...

[michaelanthony]

thought twice....

open casket image removed...

[Spidy]

These types of pictures were more common years ago. I remember going through my grandmother's photo albums and running across many caskets (open and closed), grave sights, headstones, etc. Not so many pictures of the guests, but of the ceremony.

If it is creeping anyone out, it's obviously a personal issue with them. Dying is a fact of "life" and shouldn't be looked at as something ugly or vulgar. I think these photo's were done very nicely.

[S-S]

i personally didn't want any pictures of my nanna in her open casket... i didnt actually want to see her lying in there either (i did visit her a short time after she died - in fact i was travelling to see her before she died and i was too late, something that was very hard for me to take for a long time afterwards) but not because i was creeped out or in denial at all - it was just that often, the last time we see something or someone is the image that stays with us, and i wanted to remember her alive when i looked back, not lying still in a box.

but, i did end up seeing her briefly after all - however i am glad there are no photos. the whole day is like a haze for me, as is the time a few days later when we scattered her ashes - and i really prefer it that way, because it is all SO sad that i would find it difficult to relive through pictures.

but that's just me - i know others feel much differently, especially if they were unable to be there.