Is it disrespectful to take pictures of the deceased?
In general, it is wise to avoid taking pictures at a funeral or a memorial service unless you have been specifically asked to do so by the deceased’s family. Deciding to snap a few candids of the cousins gathered together can create tension and ruin the mood at the service.
Is it OK to post photos of a loved ones corpse?
You may have gained permission to take photos at the funeral or after the service, but you should ask permission to post or share those photos, too. The family might assume you wanted the photos for your own memory, or to share in-person with loved ones.
Why are post-mortem photographs becoming less common?
Post-mortem photographs became less common in the 20th century as death moved into medical facilities and photography became cheaper and more accessible. Once it became common for people of different income levels to have pictures taken during their life, there was less need to capture their image in death.
When did post-mortem photography begin?
Post-mortem photography began shortly after photography’s introduction in 1839. In these early days, no one really posed the bodies or cleaned them up. A poorer family might lay a nice dress across the body of a person who died in shabbier clothes before a photographer took a picture,…
Why do grieving relatives pose with a dead subject?
Grieving relatives pose with a dead subject – the long exposure time when taking photographs in this period meant that often the deceased were focused in comparison to the blurred living.
What happens to photographs when a person dies?
Similarly to film photographic processes today, the image would then be rinsed and dried before being placed behind glass within a protective enclosure. These images would then be cherished by the family or friends of the deceased, displayed within the domestic environment or kept as private keepsakes as reminders of their loved ones.