As the saying goes ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. This is why the photographs you pick for your loved one’s funeral program, obituary, or memorial service matter just as much as the words you include to describe their wonderful life.
If you have been tasked with organizing your loved one’s funeral service, we appreciate you will have a lot on your plate. Picking the right photographs is just one mammoth task to get through, so to make things easier, we have some useful tips on how to pick photos that perfectly sum up your loved one.
Gather Meaningful Photos
During your lifetime, you will build numerous meaningful relationships. Whether you’re someone’s child, parent, aunt, uncle, nephew, or niece, or simply a close friend, you will have a connection that’s strong and unique. When it comes to a loved one who has passed, they will have held many of these roles. Because of this, it’s wise to get your family together who knew them well and ask each person to look for photos that they would like to be shown at the funeral.
Ask your loved ones if they can provide copies of their favorite photos of your loved one. Make sure to collect your own photos of the departed too. There is the option to head to lovingmemoryprints.com where you can create a beautiful funeral photo display set. They also have a funeral program template that you can use for your loved one’s service.
Pick Past or Present
When putting together a funeral order of service program, you will have plenty of space to house photographs of your loved one through the years. For the front cover, you may want to pick a more recent photo of your loved one. If your loved one lived a long life, you are sure to have plenty of photographs to pick from.
Understandably, more recent photos are going to be better quality. For example, if your loved one has passed due to old age, any photos from their childhood may not be of the best quality. Because of this, you may choose not to include them in the booklet as they may appear grainy. Ultimately, it all boils down to how you want your loved one to be remembered.
Consider Context
Normally, the images that are used for an obituary and funeral are formal. This photo may be professionally taken. When deciding on what photos to use for your loved one’s funeral service, make sure their face is clearly shown and they are the only person in the image. This is especially important for avoiding confusion as to who the funeral is for.
Context is also important for images displayed in a photo collage or image board. You have the option to go for a more casual approach and use candid shots of your loved one featuring others. There are no right or wrong answers to this. Instead, simply use your best judgement or speak to your funeral director or loved ones if you need help.
Use Photos as Decoration
If you’re holding a wake following the funeral for your loved one, why not consider decorating tables with framed photos of them? You can group the shots by life phase or theme. Whether it’s photos from your loved one’s childhood, school days, parenthood, or beyond, the choice is up to you. Also, ask guests to bring along a copy of their favorite photo of your loved one.
There is the option to have a photo board which allows guests to have their input in the funeral. If you don’t have many photographs of your loved one, why not look into having them printed on a postcard or t-shirt? These can be thoughtful mementos for your guests.
Think With Your Heart
Sharing photos of your loved one is a visual, meaningful way to illustrate how they were in life. When choosing photos, consider your loved one and the story you’d like to tell. Maybe they were excellent at their job or were known for their love and laughter. Whatever you do, stick with photos that reinforce how your loved one would want to be remembered.
Make sure to think with your heart and allow it to guide you when picking photos. We appreciate stress levels are going to be through the roof when organizing your loved one’s funeral. Before the big day arrives, give yourself some alone time where you can look through their photos. Whatever photos you decide on, the departed is sure to have appreciated and respected whatever images you have chosen.
It’s safe to say photographs hold a special significance, especially when it comes to planning your loved one’s funeral. While you may have crafted together a beautiful obituary, presenting images from your loved one’s life will visually showcase who they were and what made them so special in the world. This guide should help you find the right approach and pick out the perfect pictures to celebrate your unique and special bond.