Both of these beautiful mature women said during their individual sessions, ‘that’s the photograph, I want to be enlarged for my funeral.’ You can imagine my surprise when they said that to me. First of all, I have a hard time thinking of any my clients no longer existing. But then I thought of the many funerals I have been to and seen a primary photo blown up and on an easel that well, wasn’t the person’s best day or was from a camera phone and so the print quality was rather rough.
When our loved ones pass, we don’t grab external hard drives, flash drives or cell phone galleries to pass around to others and weep over. We tear stain boxes of prints and flip through photo albums and hold them to our heart, as if it is one last hug. Both women taught me the impact of portraits during our life and after we’re gone. They made me think of my own mortality and yes, I have chosen which portrait I want on featured at my funeral.
Of course, most of my clients have framed their portraits and hung them on the wall, others have albums or folio boxes that are keepsakes. The reality is the digital image comes to life when it is tangible, when we can touch it and hold it, that portrait becomes a family treasure.
