Funeral Planning: Sifting through Digital Photo Memories
Sifting through Digital Photo Memories
One of the most time-honored traditions that a family undertakes following the death of a loved one is to sort through photographs. Whether you are selecting a favorite photo to be published in the obituary, creating a memorial collage, or putting together a collection for the funeral brochure, there is quite a bit of healing that goes on in the act of sorting through old boxes and albums.
In fact, many families use this as a bonding time, asking loved ones to contribute their own favorite photographs and sharing memories that may have been forgotten over the years.
In our digital age, however, this process is changing. Instead of having boxes of old photographs stashed under the bed, we have digital files containing hundreds of photos—some of them nicely sorted and backed up, others lingering on SD cards and other hardware that can get easily lost. Sharing these pictures is easy—often done via email or on social media—but we also might not take the time to get them printed out, which makes the time-old tradition of picture sorting no longer relevant.
Pros of Digital Photos in Funeral Planning
Because digital photos can be so easily shared and organized, it is often much easier for families to collect pictures for a photo collage or photo board at the funeral by asking people to email their favorites.
Digital photographs also allow you to:
- Easily make changes, crop, or adjust lighting
- Put together a virtual slideshow
- Avoid having to scan individual photos for safekeeping
- Quickly provide photos to the funeral home and/or newspaper
- Print out favorites in any size
- Share with family members and friends
- Create a memorial website with photos
Technology plays a role in almost all these steps, so having digital photos only works well if you are comfortable using computers and working with digital files.
Of course, not everyone has very many digital photos, and for many elderly relatives, the bulk of life took place long before every moment was captured on film. Not to worry, however—most funeral plans continue regardless of the type of photos you have. In most cases, photo printers will gladly put a rush on your order to get copies or blow-up versions of the picture made for funeral purposes, though you may need to scan them and digitize them first.
Pictures and memories go hand-in-hand, and our digital age helps the mourning process by making it easier to sort through them. If you have any questions about using pictures to create a slideshow or memorial website, talk to your funeral director. Funeral homes often take on this task for you, or they can direct you to resources in your area.
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