WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:
There is something bittersweet about seeing and reconnecting with people at a funeral. The common element of saying goodbye to a loved one brings out emotions that people usually aren’t willing to show, and those are the moments I love to capture. There is sadness, of course, but there are also the smiles of family seeing each other, laughter at long-forgotten stories, and moments of quiet remembering. For me, photography is about capturing the beauty of a moment. There is beauty in sadness too, and it deserves to be remembered and cherished.
WHY I PHOTOGRAPH FUNERALS:
My parents on their wedding day
Photo Credit: Jules ALexander
As with many things in life, my mom and dad are the inspiration for me shooting this genre of photography. It was at their recent funerals that my idea began.
For both occasions, my sisters and I worked very hard to ensure that the funerals were uplifting. Even though it was a solemn time, and we were experiencing intense sadness, their funerals were truly a celebration of beautiful lives that meant so much to us and to other people.
Because I am a photographer, I tried to take my own pictures, but was too busy chatting with people or taking care of other matters. I really wish we would have had someone there who could have photographed all of the gorgeous flowers, the food presentation and centerpieces that were lovingly put together, the memory table display we made, and the funeral service itself because my sisters and I spoke and all the grandchildren sang a beautiful song about how families can be together forever. Most importantly, I wanted to have pictures with our beloved relatives and friends who came to support us.
This is the service that I now want to provide for other families.