Funeral Photography Isn’t As Creepy As You Might Think. It’s Actually Beautiful.

When you think of photography for life’s major events, you think usually think about weddings and maybe births, right? Well what about funeral photos? Yes, this is a very real business, and it is surprisingly beautiful.

Priscilla Etienne is a funeography journalist in the U.K. and she runs her own funeral photography company called, Funeography. Priscilla took some time to chat with us about her very unique line of work and share a few photos.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us today about your work Priscilla. Could you tell us a little bit about your business?

Thanks for having me. Funeography is a funeral photography company. I take pictures at funerals and produce a personalised hardback book that people can keep on a bookshelf.

How would you define funeral photography?

Funeography is a concrete memory of a day that can never be repeated. We never remember everything that happens at a funeral as grief tends to overshadow everything else at the time. It’s a good way of seeing what we missed.

How did you get into doing this type of photography?

I grew up with seeing pictures taken at funerals but when my mum died in 1996 there were no pictures taken. My brother has been a photographer for 25 years, he was too upset to do it and had never done this type of photography before.

8 months later my dad died in the Caribbean and we could not get there for the funeral because we only had a few days notice. Having a Funeography book sent over from his funeral would have been wonderful.

What does a typical assignment look like for you?

I usually meet with the family a few days before. We fill in forms and check if they want anything in particular captured, find out if it’s a themed funeral because that would determine more colour shots than monochrome. The average funeral in the U.K. lasts 4- 5 hours.

Some people might consider what you do to be a bit morbid. How do you approach your job in that regard?

There’s that word again – ‘Morbid’. I don’t like that word. I don’t see how working at funerals or attending them can be morbid, death is part of the natural process of life.

How do you handle being around death, and sadness like this?

When I leave a funeral I have lots of mixed emotions. A little sadness, laughter, inspiration. I always feel cleansed though, I always learn something new about myself and human behavior.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us about what you do. Is there anything else that you would like people to know?

Funeography is really important. Future generations can see the funeral process and how much the person was loved, and some of the relatives they probably heard so much about but had never met. More and more people are seeing the benefits and taking control of the type of funeral they want.

You can learn more about Priscilla and Funeography by visiting her websites here, and here. You can also find her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.