Should You Take Pictures at a Service?

Going to the service of a loved one is something that is recommended because it can be a way of coming to terms with the death and starting to heal. A concern that some people have when attending a service is whether or not taking pictures is allowed. Now that most people have a phone with a camera, this needs a bit of clarification. Here are some things that directors of funeral homes in Holland, MI want you to know.

As a rule, it is not appropriate to take pictures of the service. People are at their most vulnerable when mourning and may be crying and showing other emotions. That is not something that anyone wants captured in pictures, so you want to be respectful and avoid taking pictures. Of course, you can always ask the family of the deceased if you can take some photos of the decorations or similar things, but unless they specifically tell you to take pictures of people, avoid doing so. It is also crucial to remember not to take pictures of the casket, not even in the background. This can be extremely disrespectful.

At the reception, it is usually allowed to take some photos. Keep in mind that you do not want to bother anyone, so be quick in the pictures you take and do not disturb conversations. You still want to ask for permission before taking pictures of anyone and ask the family first before you take any photos at all. Some people are really private and do not want to have any photos taken of the reception or even of the location of the service.

You want to also remember that getting permission to take pictures is not the same as having it to post them online on social media. This is such a common impulse, but you do want to take time to ask for permission to do this, too. Lots of families want to keep their service private, and so they might not want to share the photos, either. If you want to share them with a few loved ones, the best thing you can do is send them privately.

Attending the service of a loved one who has died is something that can be crucial and that can help you heal from the loss. You want to know what people expect from you when you attend the service and this includes when you can take photographs or not. The rule to remember is that during the actual service, you should avoid doing so, and try instead during the reception. If you want to know more about attending a service or if you want to get started making arrangements for a loved one’s service, you can reach out to a Holland, MI funeral home like us. Our team has years of experience and we are here to answer any questions you may have about going to a service. Give us a call right now or visit us today.