Two cousins from a close family, at a celebration.........a celebration of someones life, their nan's.
She was also a dear friend to me. I wasn't commissioned to cover the funeral, but our services were offered. Being a funeographer though, I was compelled to bring my camera as I have done many times before as a mourner. I couldn't contain my desire to take funeographs (funeral photographs) any longer. Having missed some beautiful and memorable moments, particularly the great granddaughter standing next to her nan's open coffin. She was about 3 years old and was leaning against the coffin drinking from her bottle and twisting the lace gently with her fingers; completely unperturbed by being in the presence of her nan. It warmed my heart incredibly and strengthened my beliefs on the importance of including children with funerals and conditioning them to have no fear around death. It was at the wake the family started to realize the importance of having a funeographer.
So..... for this blog I have decided on shameless self promotion.
I'm happy and thankful to say that nearly all of the feedback have had for the concept and reasons for creating funeography in the format I have chosen, has been positive. There are some photographers who have expressed their opinion with the earning potential and some have said it's morbid and will never catch on. I believe it will catch on and will be a great success because it is far too valuable, important, and precious not to. Courage to use funeography is pushing it's way to the front of the queue. Just like it did when I embarked on the wonderful task of putting the funeography portfolio book together and then the company.
Funeography is for everyone, regardless of class, culture, gender and age. It does appeal to some cultures more than others. Some cultures forbid any type of documentation of a funeral but the younger generation within these cultures have different attitudes to funeography. More and more people across the board want to have such a memory and there is no reason why this shouldn't happen.
There is nothing wrong with photographing funerals, it's a beautiful way of capturing some emotion and laughter from the day, and there is always laughter after the tears. Unlike a wedding, the images are real and unrehearsed or planned.
Before anything else, passion for my work and the feel of funerals drives me. The response and joy from the families we have worked for sustains me.
Funeography also creates opportunities for new creative, talented photographers to delve into the world of funeography and experience this kind of work.
Once the decision to look at funeography and commission us is made, it's the start of a wonderful legacy.
I dedicate this blog to the wonderful, much loved and missed Violet Lynch.
