Shooting a funeral

joshhuntnm

I have a friend whose 22 year old daughter died this week. He asked me to take photos at the funeral. Anyone ever been asked to do this? Any advice?

One specific question; I can bring either my 24 - 105 or my sons 70 - 200. Thoughts?

I did find this useful thread. http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=94899&highlight=funeral

dogwood

I think you'll want both lenses, esp if your 70-200 is a f2.8

I've shot some military funerals and they're tricky. Mainly it can be tough to keep your own composure when everyone around you is grieving. They're telling stories about the deceased so even if you weren't close to the person, you're likely to be emotionally touched. And you have to stay relatively low key -- it's not like a wedding where you can be shooting away and no one minds that you're there.

If possible, find a side door to the venue so you can get in and out without being too obtrusive. At least with military funerals this is important since the shot of the coffin being loaded in the hearse is very important.

Good luck. These are very somber events to shoot.

Qarik

never been to one..I woudl imagine though that 70-200mm would be useful to take shot sso you dont have to be in someone face.

Scott_Quier

I've never done one - don't really want to. But the thoughts I have:

• No flash indoors
• Fast glass. If necessary, use fast primes
• Your 24-105 f/4 is likely to be too slow for any indoor shots.
• Outdoors, you have a lot more flexibility in all the above.

Art Scott

I am headed to HAYTI Mo to do a memorial service for a good friend of mine that is a Pastor and this about the only time his whole family comes together.....for this I am opting for my Konica Minolta A2....as I can turn off all sounds and not even a shutter clik is heard.....the lens is a 28-200 equiv 3.5.....I may have to shove the iso to 400 indoors but as a back up will have my 7D and 24-70 f2.8

Good Luck Josh..................

Nikolai

I did... Last year my colleague's infant daughter was taken by SIDS... I shot for two days
http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/479374
inside: 70-200/2.8 IS, no flash
outdoors: 17-55/2.8 + fill flash, also 70-200/2.8

heatherfeather

Nikolai wrote:

I did... Last year my colleague's infant daughter was taken by SIDS... I shot for two days
http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/479374
inside: 70-200/2.8 IS, no flash
outdoors: 17-55/2.8 + fill flash, also 70-200/2.8

Thanks Nik ... you just made me cry.... very moving photos.

Nikolai

heatherfeather wrote:

Thanks Nik ... you just made me cry.... very moving photos.

Sure..


The tough part, I think, is that you do need to get "close" to show emotions. And by "close" I don't mean telephoto, although sometimes you don't have a choice..

Shooting inside-wise: as usual, alsway check with staff about the house rules. The most typical set of rules is "no flash, no crossing front row, no going to the altar". Essentially, be a fly on a wall.

GemGem

joshhuntnm wrote:

I have a friend whose 22 year old daughter died this week. He asked me to take photos at the funeral. Anyone ever been asked to do this? Any advice?

One specific question; I can bring either my 24 - 105 or my sons 70 - 200. Thoughts?

I did find this useful thread. http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=94899&highlight=funeral

Hi,

My dad went to heaven a couple of weeks ago. My brother asked me to take pictures; I couldn't. I handed him my D50 with a 17-55 5.6 and set it on program mode for him.

He took pictures of the flowers, the venue, some relatives we haven't seen in a long time. The guestbook and the children. He kept some distance when shooting people, except for the children.

Hope this insight helps.
GG

Nikolai

GemGem wrote:

Hi,

My dad went to heaven a couple of weeks ago. My brother asked me to take pictures; I couldn't. I handed him my D50 with a 17-55 5.6 and set it on program mode for him.

He took pictures of the flowers, the venue, some relatives we haven't seen in a long time. The guestbook and the children. He kept some distance when shooting people, except for the children.

Hope this insight helps.
GG

Sorry about your dad :cry
FWIW, that's why it may be a good idea to have a (total) stranger to take this kind of pictures.

rutt

I've done this twice. Both times were for old people, who led full lives. Come to think of it they were sisters, my grandmother and my great aunt. In both cases, I kept my camera in the bag until the reception. I think that was absolutely the right thing in these cases. People are sad, but for non-tragic deaths, they are also drawn closer and it shows at the reception.

I'm thinking that a small camera with a quiet shutter might be good at the actual funeral. Perhaps a point-and-shoot? Worry about composition and not quality at the ceremony and leave the portraits for the reception. It's a thought, worth what you paid for it.

One good thing to do, is to go take pictures of the person's things, room, bed, clothes. All the personal things which will be dispersed. Get close to these things and catalog them.

Shooting at the actual funeral of a young person will be emotionally challenging...

jeffreaux2

Be sensitive
Be unobtrusive

-Mine from last year...http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=94899&highlight=cowboy

rutt

jeffreaux2 wrote:

Be sensitive
Be unobtrusive

-Mine from last year...http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=94899&highlight=cowboy

Perfect. Wish I had said it as well. Very moving pictures, too.