Funeral photography and video - discreet, for the family and for relatives far away

Rules for discreet filming

At a funeral the person behind the camera should go unnoticed. They must never become the focus of the mourners' attention, only a quiet witness. That is why our photographers and videographers follow strict rules:

• Appearance: dark, modest clothing, silent cameras with the shutter sound switched off, and never a flash.
• Distance: filming is done from afar with a telephoto lens, without coming close to the family or the coffin unless the family asks.
• Church: we film inside a church only with the priest's permission, and any moments he restricts are not filmed at all.
• Close-ups: we do not take close-ups of tearful faces without the family's consent. The footage shows people, flowers, the ceremony and respect, not private pain.
• The family's wishes: before filming starts, the lead operator asks the family what they do not want to appear on camera, and that list is followed to the letter.

Moments we capture

1. The farewell: the home or the hall, the wreaths and flowers, the messages on the ribbons, and the stream of people who have travelled to pay their respects.
2. The panikhida: the priest, the candles, the family; sound is recorded so that the prayers and singing can be heard.
3. The procession: carrying out the coffin, the farewell in the courtyard, the hearse and the procession on its way.
4. The cemetery: the final farewell, the words spoken, the lowering of the coffin if the family agrees, and the laying of flowers.
5. The wake: if wished, the toast to the departed and the words in which relatives remember the person.

Prices

We deliver the material to the family within two to five days, digitally, via a private link or on a USB stick. During editing the family can choose the music and tell us which moments to include or leave out.

Families who value it most

Most of our bookings come from families whose members live in different countries. When a son in Italy or America cannot travel to his mother's funeral because of work or paperwork, the recording is his only way to share that day with the family. Many people watch it again years later, on the 40th day (ormotsi) and the anniversary. Bookings also often come from the family of an elderly husband or wife whose health kept them from the cemetery, and from children who want their own children, years from now, to see with what respect their grandfather or grandmother was laid to rest.

An album and a film as a family heirloom

Many families who were hesitant during the funeral days tell us years later that the album is one of their most treasured possessions. It shows how many people came, who brought a wreath, what was written on the ribbons and who spoke. The printed album is kept by the eldest member of the family, and a digital copy goes to every relative. Some add photographs from the person's life, starting from childhood, and the album becomes their biography.

Equipment we film with

A funeral is a demanding setting for photography: inside a church it is dark, lit only by candles, at the cemetery there is bright sun or rain, and flash or extra lighting is out of the question. So our photographers work with cameras that produce a clean image even in low light, and with lenses that take a close-up from thirty metres away. The videographer uses a silent camera on a stabiliser and a separate wireless microphone, discreetly clipped to the priest or the speaker, so that prayers and words are recorded clearly and are not drowned out by the wind.

Editing the film

The edited film, usually ten to fifteen minutes long, brings together the key moments of the ceremony: the farewell, the panikhida, the procession, the final goodbye and the words spoken. It often opens with a photograph of the deceased with their name and dates, and may close, if the family wishes, with a few pictures from their life. The family chooses the music: church singing, a classical piece or a song the person loved. Before the edit is finalised we send the family a first version, and any changes are made free of charge.

When the family is unsure about filming

In many families one person asks for the funeral to be filmed while another objects, feeling it is disrespectful. In that case we often suggest a compromise: only wide shots without faces, only the stages everyone agrees on, such as the flowers and the headstone, or just an audio recording of the panikhida with no pictures at all. The family makes the decision, and we carry it out exactly.

Privacy of the footage

Funeral photos and video are the family's private material. We hand them only to the family who ordered them, never publish them on social media or in advertising, and never use them in a portfolio without written consent. After delivery the digital files remain in our archive for one month, in case the family needs another copy, and are then deleted.

Filming the 40th day and the anniversary

Photos and video are not only wanted on the day of the funeral. Many families also film the 40th day and the anniversary, especially the blessing of the headstone, so that relatives abroad can see the finished grave and the ceremony. This kind of shoot is shorter, and the price is lower accordingly. A photo film combining old family pictures with music is often shown on a screen during the 40th-day or anniversary meal.

Public funerals and the press

When the deceased was a well-known figure - a scholar, an artist or someone prominent in public life - journalists often come to the funeral. Our operator then looks after the family's interests: we give the press material the family has selected, so that a crowd of photographers does not disturb the relatives, and we agree with the priest and the organisers where the press may stand. For the family we prepare a complete private archive, including the shots that will never be published.

A portrait for the farewell

Besides filming, in the first hours many families need a good portrait of the deceased: to stand with a black ribbon where the farewell is held, for the obituary and for a social media post. From a photo the family sends us, our designer prepares a retouched portrait within a few hours, prints it at the required size and frames it, and sends the digital version to the family. Later the same portrait is often used for the headstone.

Frequently asked questions