Another hero was laid to rest today...

Dramatapix®

Wanted to share some images of a funeral assignment I had. Ryan McCaughn, a 19 year old from Manchester, NH was laid to rest today after having been killed in action in Iraq earlier this month.


Members of the Patriot Guard line the street during Lance Cpl. Ryan McCaughn's funeral procession.



Malcolm Forbes of Merrimack, NH, a former marine himself, plays Amazing Grace on the bagpipes as the funeral procession of Ryan McCaughn enters the Pine Grove Cemetary on Monday.









Ryan's mother Nicole gives a tearful final goodbye to her son at the conclusion of funeral services at the Pine Grove Cemetary on Monday.

The rest of the gallery can be found at:
http://www.dramatapix.com/gallery/2145031

kres

Powerful.

Parents were not meant to out-live their children. :cry :cry :cry

justME

:cryEmotive captures. Wow. Powerful shooting.

Barefoot and Natural

I have tears!! Very moving....you captured a lot of emotion!

cry:cry!!

Thank you for sharing!!

Heather

wxwax

Oh dear, that last shot says a lot, all of it painful.

Elaine

Very moving and beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing them.

Elaine

JenGrace

That last show... :cry

System

Very moving series. Damn shame it was there to shoot.

Poseidon

That last shot is real mover.

I am glad to see the patriot guard, we had a group of crackpots from Kansas or something try and spoil a hero's final rest here. Well we scared them away with the Police, Fire dept, Patriot Guard, and several locals that just wanted to let the family grieve in peace.

Dramatapix®

Thanks everyone for the really kind words. This was a difficult assignment for me to shoot. I felt uncomfortable taking pictures of such a solemn event, but it is a story that needs to be told, and is something that touches us all.

photogmomma

My heart goes out to the family.

Very well captured.... Thank you for sharing, as difficult as it is to see.

:cry

pathfinder

Dramatapix® wrote:

Thanks everyone for the really kind words. This was a difficult assignment for me to shoot. I felt uncomfortable taking pictures of such a solemn event, but it is a story that needs to be told, and is something that touches us all.

I wondered how you felt shooting during the ceremony. I'm not sure I could do it. You did it very tastefully.

19 years is way too young to depart this vale of tears....

NeverForget

Dramatapix® wrote:

Thanks everyone for the really kind words. This was a difficult assignment for me to shoot. I felt uncomfortable taking pictures of such a solemn event, but it is a story that needs to be told, and is something that touches us all.

If this was so difficult to shoot - why did you take pictures inside the church? I understand taking pictures of the procession and of the cemetary...but why did you feel the need to take pictures inside the church and of his grieving family and friends? And of them arriving to the funeral home?

If this comes across as an attack I am sorry because that is not how it is intended...I am just trying to understand why photographers feel the need to do this. I was a friend of Ryan's and we are just trying to understand why...

Dramatapix®

NeverForget wrote:

If this was so difficult to shoot - why did you take pictures inside the church? I understand taking pictures of the procession and of the cemetary...but why did you feel the need to take pictures inside the church and of his grieving family and friends? And of them arriving to the funeral home?

If this comes across as an attack I am sorry because that is not how it is intended...I am just trying to understand why photographers feel the need to do this. I was a friend of Ryan's and we are just trying to understand why...

First and foremost my deepest sympathies over the passing of your friend Ryan.

This was an event that touched a great deal of the city, and as such, was important to the citizens of Manchester (as I'm sure it is also important in other communities that lose one of their own). As a photo journalist it is our duty to tell a story with the photographs we take. Some stories are easier than others. As I mentioned, this was a particularly difficult story to tell because of the nature of it. I have friends that were very close to Ryan as well, and I think that also made it more difficult to shoot. I did everything that I could to be as respectful as possible under the circumstances, and did not take your questions as an attack. I hope that my reply has answered your questions.

Angelo

Dramatapix® wrote:

Thanks everyone for the really kind words. This was a difficult assignment for me to shoot. I felt uncomfortable taking pictures of such a solemn event, but it is a story that needs to be told, and is something that touches us all.

and you did a good job!

Michael Allen

Ditto to the complements, very tasteful and excellent photographs. My brother is over there and I just couldn't imagine.

mmroden

That last shot was particularly moving. Good job.

It'd be a time like that when I'd want to have a camera that has no shutter sound whatsoever.

Awais Yaqub

Oh sad event.Last photo is very moving and powerful.I am really sad that he was only 19 .Share my sympathy with his mother if you met her.
Funerals are very different here !

Seneca

Ohhh my gosh...how sad...

The last picture really got to me...:cry

JESTER

Very Moving and Emotional. Being a Former Marine for 26 years and having been on a few of these ceremonies myself it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing these. And I am sure the family will cherish the photos. I know I would.

amadeus

Dramatapix® wrote:

Thanks everyone for the really kind words. This was a difficult assignment for me to shoot. I felt uncomfortable taking pictures of such a solemn event, but it is a story that needs to be told, and is something that touches us all.

photography serves a lot of different needs. I don't see what "need" this photoshoot served. how was it that you were "assigned" this assigmment. do you work for a newspaper?

ian408

I don't have kids and I certainly cannot know what it is to lose a child to
war. Your last shot says a lot.

NeverForget, I'm saddened at the loss of your friend Ryan. May he rest
in peace.

Dramatapix®

amadeus wrote:

photography serves a lot of different needs. I don't see what "need" this photoshoot served. how was it that you were "assigned" this assigmment. do you work for a newspaper?

Yes it was an assignment for a paper.

Seefutlung

Semper Fi