Can You Take Photos at a Service?

There are a number of points of etiquette that you want to remember when attending a funeral or memorial service. Something that can confuse people is whether or not taking pictures is allowed. To be certain that you do not bother anyone and that you are not disrespectful, you want to keep a few things in mind. Here are the guidelines that directors of funeral homes in Mount Morris, MI want you to know before attending.  

At the actual service, you do not want to take pictures. Not only will you bother others by using flash or by making noise as you take the pictures, but you can also make the guests uncomfortable. No one wants to be photographed when grieving , so you want to avoid that. You definitely do not want to take a picture of the casket, because that can be highly disrespectful, as well. If you want to take a picture of anything specific, like a decoration or the memorial display, you will need to ask the family for permission. If they do not agree, respect their wishes and do not insist.  

Usually, you can take pictures at the reception, so that may be something you want to consider. You still want to ask for permission from the family of the deceased and from anyone you want to photograph. Keep in mind that people will be there to mingle and offer each other comfort, so you do not want to disturb anyone or be disruptive. Do not interrupt conversations or ask anyone to move around for a picture.  

Another thing that you want to know is that getting permission to take pictures at the service does not mean that you can post these online. This can be something that people want to do so that they can share the images with other loved ones, but it can be disrespectful if you did not get permission from the family of the deceased. The best thing you can do is send the pictures privately to whomever you want to share them with.  

When getting ready to attend the service of a loved one, you want to remember all of these things. It can be important to consider that you do not want to offend anyone by taking pictures of the casket or by not asking permission before taking those pictures. At the reception, it is generally fine to take pictures, but be sure that you do ask for permission, especially if you want to share these pictures on social media or with other people. The last thing you want to do is to offend the family of the person who died. If you are not sure about attending the service and the etiquette tips that you need to follow, you can always reach out to a Mount Morris, MI funeral home like us. We are here to answer all of the questions you may have about laying a loved one to rest. Give us a call now or visit us today to get started.