Do you think its disrespectful to take pictures of the deceased at a funeral? If so why?

First of all, I’m sorry for your loss.

To answer your question, at most of the funerals I’ve been to there was (1) a photograph of the deceased on the front of the program and/or (2) they gave out photos of the person, and/or (3) they had a slideshow of photos and videos of them that they were willing (and very excited) to email me.

There will most likely be plenty of opportunities to have remembrances of the loved one without the possibility of offending family members. On the other hand, if it’s your own family member who died, or someone you’re very close to, you do whatever you want because it’s none of anyone else’s business.

So I may be making this up but…

I think at some time in history people believed the flash of the camera stole a piece of your soul, (some photographer still say a photo captures a person’s essence) so maybe after someone is dead they don’t have soul to spare- they may need it later.

Either way, I think most people don’t want to be remember as a corpse. I think it might be a little weird however most people will have more important things on their mind than you.

My vote is no but who cares what others think you need to do what will make this difficult time easier on you.

Yes, it is crass behaviour. If is saw someone taking a photo at the funeral of any relative of mine I would take the camera. It is incredible bad taste – memories are not of corpses.

Personally I would err on the side of caution. Get in touch with the mortuary people and try to get your pics taken in private. A funeral can be a time of extreme pain/emotion for some folks, something perceived as “odd” or just something unexpected transpiring could be highly upsetting.

Why would anybody want to have pictures of a corpse? Aren’t there any pictures of that person when he/she was still alive?

Well, I’m pretty morbid and kind of ghoulish, and I’m a big fan of Victorian death photos, so I’ll give you three guesses what I think, and the first two don’t count.

The immediate family should be the arbiter of what does/does not happen at their loved one’s funeral. If they don’t have a problem with it, no one else’s opinion matters.

Just don’t go there snapping pics and assume it’s ok. It’s not.

Also, if they are divided in their opinion about it, just drop the matter out of consideration for their comfort above all.

I don’t think it’s disrespectful to the dead, but it could be viewed as disrespectful in the eyes of the others attending the funeral. When emotions are running high, things can get taken out of context and people can over-react quite easily. I like the taking them in private beforehand idea that @FutureMemory suggested

I think there’s a tactful way to do it. I was at a funeral where people were taking cellphone pictures and that bothered me a bit. But so long as you are respectful and maybe tell people attending the funeral before hand to get their opinions I don’t see anything wrong with that

Ask the immediate family. If they’re okay with it, no problem. People have very different views on death. I’ve known folks who have hired photographers to take pictures at wakes and funerals.

Just ask the immediate family if it would be okay for you to have a private viewing maybe shortly before the normal viewing time? Taking pictures while other people are there…it gives off a bad impression and may make the family uncomfortable. And funerals are for the benefit of the family, so I would be careful to have tact and and not appear as a morbid deviant.

It’s not uncommon. I actually prefer the family socialization aspect of funerals more than I do weddings.

thanx

I can imagine a full range of feeling on the subject, from “No problem” to “How dare you?” Personally, I think it can be done delicately and tactfully, but I would not advertise it.

I took pictures of my mother in her casket, not at the funeral but at the funeral home. I did it very discreetly and surreptitiously, while photographing the flowers, because I wanted that last glimpse preserved, but I thought other relatives would think it was a bit ghoulish. So when I shared photos, I left those out. Then my sister wrote and said, “Didn’t anybody take pictures of her in the casket?” and so I shared them just with her.

Yikes. I think I’d be offended if someone started snapping photos at a family member’s funeral. What are you going to do with a photo of a dead person anyway? Frame it? I suppose if someone really felt the need to take a picture, they should do it in a tasteful way. Maybe before people arrive?

Yes, some people thought it was disrespectful when I snapped a couple of pictures of my father in his coffin and then in his grave at his funeral but they could have all kissed my ass – he is my father and I do want to have pictures of how he went into the night – and I look through them sometimes on my phone, I’m glad I took ‘em.

I think if you are immediate family, then I don’t think anyone has a right to tell you what you can and can’t do to help you grieve. My grandmother had pictures of my grandfather in his coffin…and she kept them out. Yeah, I’ll admit to finding it creepy, but he wasn’t the man I had just spent over 50 years in love with. Who knows what I’d want of my husband to remember her by.
I will say though, I don’t mind seeing the pictures and actually find them fascinating.

Let me start by saying how sorry I am for your loss .

I personally do not see anything wrong in taking pictures of the deceased with permission from the next of kin etc….

My very good friend of over 30 years passed away a year ago and while at his service ; I took pics… now his daughters and neice have ask me for copies…

thank you all for the sympathy and great advice

I was at a funeral in May where the family posed smiling around the casket with the body in it.

If it helps emotionally to have such a photo, then there’s nothing I can or would say. everyone deals with things in their own way.