Quite Possibly the most moving photograph I've ever taken...

My great grandmother passed away last Saturday, November 29. Her funeral was this past Tuesday.

She had a disabled son at 15, and he lived with her all of his life. He knew no life outside of "Granny."

At her funeral, all he asked was I take a picture of Granny in her casket. It was the most moving photograph I've ever taken. This one photograph captured the undying love Granny had for her son, although her body gave out died.

It's what makes me love photography.

This is a very moving story, indeed. I really feel for the son. His world must have collapsed. I hope he manages to deal with his grief.

God bless!

Well said -- and that son will treasure that photo for the rest of his life. Thanks for sharing with us.

I can relate somewhat to your story. For background, I maintain a home-based B/W darkroom, and dabble with, aside from conventional film cameras, pinhole and "alternative lens" cameras. One of my alternative cameras is a 5"x7" nested box camera made from black foamcore, using an objective lens from a pair of 7x50 binoculars. The binocular lens has good coverage for 5"x7" when stopped down, and when operated wider open it has great bokeh. I sometimes use it as a portrait camera.

Last year I took the setup over to my Dad's house (he was 90 years old) and shot a portrait of him. The light was harsh, and the paper negatives reveal skin blotches (blue sensitive emulsion, no pancake makeup used) but I managed to get an interesting image of Dad that reflected his failing state of health yet maintaining his stamina and dignity. Little did I know that would be the last image taken of Dad at home, before his health failed and the inevitable came.

I wish that portrait could have been better, but I'm glad nevertheless that I have it. The lesson for me is it's never too late, or too soon, to capture the lives of our loved ones and friends.

~Joe

OK, so I have a photograph (it is 20x24) of my great grandmother that was taken by Olan Mills in 1989. It is mounted on canvas with a clear-coat to look like brush strokes. I want to make an exact replica of the original for my grandfather (the original will stay with her disabled son).

First of all, can I legally reproduce the image? If so, what would be the best way to do so. I know how to glue the photograph to the canvas, my only speed bumps right now are my rights to reproduce the image and the best way to do it.

I have access to a locally owned camera shop in Charlotte, NC, so I could use them (I'm assuming they could copy something that big). Or, would it be possible to just hang up the portrait, and using a tripod and a prime lens (and a 3-way flash arrangement to obliterate shadows)?

I would like to clean up the image quite a bit before re-printing (leaving the original as it is); it's been hanging in a home that was heavily smoked in for many many years, so there is a LOT of tar build-up on the image and canvas.

Also, thank everyone for their kind words. It drove the point home for me that there's no way to know how long we'll last; take all the photos of your family while you can.

Joe VanCleave said:

The lesson for me is it's never too late, or too soon, to capture the lives of our loved ones and friends.

~Joe

Click to expand...

Couldn't have put it better myself. I think some photogaphs have such special significance. They don't necessarily have to be a portrait. I remember having a great winters day climbing in the Lake District. It was a perfect day. I got a shot of my friend walking into a snow covered scene with the clouds below the tops and a rapidly setting sun giving an almost ethereal glow to the picture. Anyway, during the drink at the pub later that night, I got a phone-call from my brother saying that Dad had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The prognosis was not good and he died three days later. Looking at that picture evokes such bittersweet memories.

Nice post/thread to stumble into...
it got me thinking about one of the first times I really felt like I'd captured something actually important on film, my grandfathers funeral.
I actually still have them on my website, amazingly enough... would love to see the image Brofkand.


My grandfathers casket at the church.


My father in dress blues saying a few words while the Caisson folds the flag.



Hope you don't mind me sharing these JPGs Brofkand.

I have always been the "family photographer." Every time family mambers would gather, I would take a few snapshots. ...at dinners, outside, or in fun activities, whatever seems appropriate at the time. ...even group mug shots. Then my little sister got cancer. We got together more often. She passed away 27 years ago at age 40 leaving a husband and three daughters, and we have a lot of good family snapshots. Our parents are gone now, and we have lots of happy "memory photos." Since then (and I am age 75 now), the camera is always at family gatherings and ready. My idea is that we never know when that final opportunity will be. So, I try not to miss it. Yes, we have some casket photos. But the happy ones get viewed more often, and evoke memories of pleasanter times. ...and try to mark dates, times, and people of the photos, so that generations to come can identify who is in all those photos.

My mother left a banker's box full of family snapshots with no identification on them. We can only guess who most of the people in them would be.
Just my thoughts...

Jack