Death portraits of infants

As a new mom (5 months now), there's no way I could take pictures for this group, but I applaud those who can. It would be a priceless memento for the family.

If it works for some grieving people as a method of closure than I am not against the practice. It's not really that much different than the "sleeping" children photographs taken after the death of a child and the mourning jewelry worn in my grandparent's day. That being said I wouldn't want pictures of me taken after death, nor would I take one of anyone I'd lost. That's just not how I want to remember them all quiet and still. It would depress me utterly.

I think different societies will view this differently as was said in an earlier post. I'am all for what ever helps grieving parents and family come to terms with their loss.

As a parent who lost our daughter Lauren to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDDS) I can see it from both sides. Thankfully as a professional photographer I have a lot of photos taken of our daughter before she died, infact the county nurse comented on the fact at the time. However at the time of her funeral I couldn't take any photos, I had to ask an other collegue to do it for me. Now when we look back through her album my wife and I are delighted that we did have those photos taken. Our son, who was too young at the time to remember, loves to look through the album also and likes to see the last few photos of his sister. For him it's then end of her short life story.

magkelly said:

If it works for some grieving people as a method of closure than I am not against the practice. It's not really that much different than the "sleeping" children photographs taken after the death of a child and the mourning jewelry worn in my grandparent's day. That being said I wouldn't want pictures of me taken after death, nor would I take one of anyone I'd lost. That's just not how I want to remember them all quiet and still. It would depress me utterly.

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For the same reason, I have no interest in seeing a deceased person in an open coffin. When my father died, my mother asked me to go with her to view his body, and I did so for her sake. When she died (18 months later), I did not want to remember her as a body in a coffin, so I did not view her. It's not that I'm squeamish, it's just that I would rather remember them as they were when alive, not dead.

However, as a professional I can understand other people's feelings and wishes. When a friend asked me to go into the funeral home before the funeral and take photos of her deceased husband in the open casket, I did so, and did my best to make photos for her that she would treasure... just as I would if he had been alive. She was very appreciative of my work.

I have never photographed a deceased child, but would do so if asked.

eddym said:

For the same reason, I have no interest in seeing a deceased person in an open coffin. When my father died, my mother asked me to go with her to view his body, and I did so for her sake. When she died (18 months later), I did not want to remember her as a body in a coffin, so I did not view her. It's not that I'm squeamish, it's just that I would rather remember them as they were when alive, not dead.

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I had an identical experience...after my Mother and I viewed my late Father's body, my Mother said some time afterwards "Don't let anyone see me like that when I go".
She passed away a couple of years ago and I observed her wishes, and now remember her only with pleasure in many happy situations when she was alive. But, believe it or not, I had some nasty remarks from some family members who wanted to "view the body".....:rolleyes:

Almost 25 years ago I was asked to take photographs for the funeral of a 5 month old baby who passed away unexpectedly. The parents were close friends and I spent time with them taking photographs on a number of occasions between the child's death and the burial. It is one of the the most moving experiences I have ever had, and one I will always treasure.

From my own experience, I suggest that if you are invited to be a part of such an special and intimate moment, you will receive so much more in return than you could ever give.

bdial said:

It's not a new thing, tintype death portraits of infants are common.

If the photographer has the skill to pull it off, why not? If it helps the parents through a very difficult situation, it's a good thing.

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railwayman3 said:

Similar photos of infants (and, to a lesser extent, even of adults) were not unusual in Victorian times. They may seem rather strange to present-day sensitivities, but times and circumstances were very different then, and if the pictures helped in grieving.......

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This tradition is even older than that. There are 17th century paintings of deceased baby's. Also, it was very common for families to have family portrait paintings with children that died either included as little angles floating in the sky, or pictured as living children but usually set apart from the rest of the group to signify their death.

Marco

Andrew K said:

Also - I've done a little wet plate/tintype photography - exposures were not in the 10-15 minute range - using an old camera of the period in daylight you are talking at most a 3-8 second exposure...by the late 1880's exposures in a studio were down to 1-3 seconds with wet plates based on contemporary accounts...

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I have no experience with these materials. I was told about these death portraits and the reason for doing them in a funeral museum (yes, there is such a museum in Vienna). I don't remember when this was common so I don't know what kind of film material was available then. Also, the portraits I saw in that museum were indoor, so exposure times must have been much longer.