I have been asked to present to Funeral Celebrants Association Australia about my work so I reached out to a client whose reason for wanting a keepsake book surprised me when she told me in 2015: Margaret said her father had dementia and she wanted the book to help him understand that he had lost his wife. Margaret gave me a very thoughtful and considered response when she replied last week which I quote in part below as it has given me a greater understanding of how important my work is: When dad went into care, we used the funeral...

When I mention that I’m a funeral photographer, people are often a little surprised. It’s natural—they tend to picture celebrations like weddings instead. Many wonder, “How can photography fit within such a tender and private moment?” But that’s exactly why it matters. There’s much more to this work than people first imagine, and I’d love to share a few thoughts about what being a funeral photographer truly means. i. A funeral photographer isn’t a wedding photographer! When a wedding photographer arrives, everyone knows what to expect and how to behave. At a funeral, it’s different—people are in an unfamiliar and...