Just had this thought and I’m caught between the two. Assuming anything being considered were all “good” photos, what would you prefer if it were you?
*Lots of great responses! I do want to clarify that I am not currently dealing with this scenario myself, but I appreciate the thoughtful comments. Hopefully they can help people that are struggling. I know I’ll keep them in mind for the future.
US Funeral Director here, You should use the best more recent photo that you have. The purpose of the obituary photo is recognition by people who may not know the name.
If you want to have two photos, you could do a recent photo, and a prime photo, but the recent photo is more important. The prime photo only has significance to the family.
Name checks out.
Oh, something I actually know something about as I was working with people choosing pictures for the gravestones and/or funerals…
There are no strict rules, but I always saw the tendency for going with voices of the family “he looks really handsome on this one”, “yeah, that’s her face, you know, she always looked like this during the fall, her favorite part of the year” and so on… This might not be helpful but the best one is the one representing the connection as much as possible.
I have this strong feeling after so many of those — sometimes very unpleasant — talks, that anyone that has to choose, already made that choice internally, they mostly just don’t want to make it officially, as it is making the loss and whole situation even more real.
It is mainly for everyone mourning, a form of expressing how they want and need to remember this person. I would go with the one that pulls the string inside “yeah, that’s them, that’s how I see them”… Most often, that picture was actually making people smile, cheer up, even if through the tears, that was the sign for me that we have the best one.
If it’s me go with whichever looks funnier.
If it is me go with a picture of someone else.
Why have one picture, make a collage of photos all throughout their life.
You could have one of those digital photo frames.
Option A) Do what the deceased would have wanted Option B) pick the most embarrassing picture you can find. Like that picture of them throwing up in college or when they were five and got their head stuck in the playground ladder.
What’s the photo for? You can display multiple photos at a funeral. If you’re publishing it, probably go with them in their prime
Wikipedia uses photos in their prime. I think it’s fine if they look healthy.
If it was me I’d prefer the best photo from my life.
Which would definitely be the one where you timed that hilarious face on that roller coaster.
Haha, not for me but for many people yes.
use the ones that look “most like them” in your opinion
I don’t think they care
