Getting into funeral photography

12 years 2 months ago #198469 by John37
Many a moon ago I used to repair furniture for a living, structurally and the fine finishes. I landed a job at a funeral home repairing various wood surfaces, filling in nicks and other blemishes. I was around the deceased constantly. Being a pro, I didn't feel about it either way. I found the problems and fixed them. One time there was a deceased man laying on a table about 3 feet from me, and for about 1/2 an hour. I didn't let it bother me and I didn't keep staring at him. I was there to do my job. I imagine it would be the same for a pro photographer. If he or she is paid to shoot the funeral, that's what should be concentrated on. Now, granted, at one point I was considering to be a crime scene clean-up person. So seeing deceased people wasn't terrifying to me. I ended up being a rock star instead. :lol:

"The most endangered species? The honest man!"
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12 years 2 months ago #198648 by Street Shark
Honestly the pay would have to be really up there for me to want to be around dead people all day. Too depressing for me.


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12 years 2 months ago - 12 years 2 months ago #198681 by Baydream
Good point, Joves. After all, photojournalists in war zones have captured some really gruesome images. If the shoot is of the deceased, I would think that it would be done in private with only the funeral director present. It would take a "detachment" on your part to do this job.
My son was an EMT for a number of years. He could "scrape up" bodies off the highway but could not handle the body of his pets.

Funeral directors and medical examiners do this type of detached work all the time. If you can't detach, don't do it.

Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork

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