Funeral Photography? Yes it’s important!
Losing someone close to you is a life altering experience, a profound emotional journey. I know because I lost my father suddenly a number of years ago. Dealing with all the details of death put me in autopilot mode without a chance to grieve. The day of my father’s funeral was an emotional blur. I don’t remember a lot of the details like the speeches or the guests because as I was so full of grief. And I have no record. There are no photographs or video of that time and I really wish I had something visual to remind me of that day as a way to connect and to remember the people who cared about my dad and the ceremony we had to celebrate his life.
Dying is an inescapable part of our lives. It’s not just about the person who has gone, but also about those who are left behind. When the face of our loved one fades in our minds over time…a photo lasts forever.
Funerals may not seem like the kind of events people would like to photograph, but I truly believe in the value of documenting grief. All emotion is beautiful. A funerals is an important ritual, a celebration of a life, and a rite of passage. People are united in mourning, and find comfort in connecting.
Funeral photography is a service not widely advertised or discussed. We don’t want to take photos of the sad moments in our life. We’re used to taking fun selfies and group shots at parties and joyous events, all the times we’re having a good time. But if we’re experiencing a bad or sad time, we want to ignore these moments visually. Delete them.
I whole heatedly agree with death literacy advocate, Katische Haberfield, who says: “Expressing all emotions is an important part of the healing process with grief, and photography can play an equally important part in this process.” She goes on to say: “As a society we need to change this. Life is not about only recording the best moments. Life is full of a range of experiences and emotions and if we focus only on the super sugary glossy ones, we miss the important part of being a human.” The rest of her great article on the topic of funeral photography can be found here.
If you are losing a loved one or have lost someone close to you, consider a photographer for their celebration of life ceremony. Death is a strange and overwhelming time, and a celebration of life photo session preserve the memories you will want to reflect on later. Discrete and unobtrusive photo sessions capture the intimacy and tenderness of family, friends, and love, as life takes its natural course. The raw beauty of genuine emotion when we are at our most human. For inquiries please email info@laurabombier.com
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