Category: funeral thoughts

Brief encounters of the most intimate kind

Brief encounters of the most intimate kind

Last year I was asked to photograph a birthday party. The celebration was for the 100th birthday of Miss Tuck. Miss Tuck had been a music teacher at an all girls’ school in Sydney. At the celebration the most enormous cake was served, with 100 candles on top which all fitted in with room to...

January 24, 2015March 5, 2018
vietnamese mother

Order of Service Portraits

After my previous blog about consciously having an order of service portrait, I photographed Tan Ho – a 90-year-old Vietnamese woman full of energy and warmth -at the request of her son, Harry. I photographed her in Harry’s home where she was relaxed as it’s a familiar space for her. Tan Ho lives in her own...

November 24, 2014March 3, 2018
widow at funeral

A funeral photographer’s suggestion

When I design Funeral Photo Books I suggest to families that they might want to provide me with a photo of the deceased in the prime of his or her life. Too often, there aren’t any good photos. I’ve only known of  one person, Dr Viv Whittaker, who consciously arranged for a photo of himself for...

November 4, 2014March 5, 2018
Adrian Steirn Philip Gould

When I die, an amazing film by Adrian Steirn about Philip Gould living in the ‘death zone’ and why it gave him meaning

This inspiring video was shared by Bruce Wadd I showed it to my wife who reacted as I did. She cried and said it was beautiful and dignified. Her reactions just like mine. Thank you Bruce so much for sending this. “Wow” indeed! Yes, as I sat watching this, and listening to Philip talking so intelligently...

September 23, 2014March 3, 2018
Funeral photography and why it matters

Funeral photography and why it matters

We live in a society where it is more important to look good than to be good. Universities in Sydney are spending millions on building acquisitions yet teacher salaries and conditions are falling. Most of the news we are presented with reports on people failing to treat each other with respect. It is almost as...

September 3, 2014March 5, 2018