our local paper has taken to taking pictures of peoples funerals,showing the mourners following the coffin or carrying the coffin,now i feel that this is an extremely private moment of grief and should not be photographed by the local rag....or am i being oversensetive??...how would you feel being photographed as you attented the funeral of a loved one???...i feel its totally out of order....
my friend passed away a few years back, and as she was only 17 it was in the papers etc. while the service was happening there was a photographer right next to me taking pictures the whole time. i found it very wrong. i caught him taking a pic of me can you believe it!
when the coffin came in, of course i started crying etc and he just took a picture! i told him what for very quietly and to show some respect for everyone, he moved after that. i felt bit bad but who takes pictures like that? so so wrong in my opinion
it really gets to me ummmm that they can publish pictures like they do...only today there is the picture of a little girls pink coffin with their parents behind it..i find it extremely tasteless...
Ive commented on this before -I think its a step too far -I would hate to see a picture of a funeral of a loved one- my mental image is tough enough.
Thats sad lumi -sorry for you.Awful you had to take time out to tell him to get out your face:(
ive commented to the local rag taht it is out of order but they dont take any notice,i hope they never try to photograph any of my loved ones funerals [hope its a long time in coming]....because i surely would shove their cameras where the sun dont shine.....
arwyn.yes there are stories behind the deaths,but surely the funeral of a 4 year old girl over xmas of meningitis should be free from the cameras....made my blood boil to see such cold heartedness....
I just can´t see the problem....the dead are dead and they will not complain.
UK is bathed in exhibitionism....weddings, funerals, birthdays and ABers spread their emotions all over the Internet.
I feel one should grieve in private, but this is not what we are experiencing.......in death, flowers by the roadside, obituaries in the media and photographs of funerals.
George Best, Princess Dianna ect.....what is the difference?
I'm not keen on it, I think moments of grief should be private or shared with loved ones. However, if the family agree to it or there's a news story behind it then I can't see how it can (or necessarily should) be shot.
I just hope for their sake that should I ever attend a funeral where someone is taking pictures, they don't aim their camera in my direction, I'm not generally known for my quiet dignity.
'shot'?! I meant 'stopped' of course... Although the former is a fair idea of what any photographer can expect to happen to them if they invade my privacy ;0)
erm Sqad -the dead are dead-its relating to the people left behind-not all are as pragmatic as you in dealing with emotion.
I would hope that family or Funeral Directors would be asked beforehand if they objected.
(have to say though i have always had an issue re pics in the paper showing the remnants of an accident printed only for sensationalism and when it came to my home to roost it was bl00dy awful and i complained vigourously to the papers concerned only to get an apology but they continue to do it -sick and serves no purpose same as pics of funerals)
i've read somewhere (or perhaps i've just dreamed it) that people are actually employing photographers to take photos at a loved ones funeral, much like a wedding. that i DO find odd.