Most celebrants will be familiar with the various kinds of picture tributes that are now possible at funerals. Obitus, a company that provides music for many crematoriums, can also display photos or pictures on a screen or screens. Their products range from a single photo that remains static throughout the ceremony to slideshows.

These can be set up in different ways. They can loop through the entire service, for example. Or can provide a moment of focus or reflection with the slides being set to music.
At a recent funeral that I was to conduct, the partner of the person who had died was very keen to use some of the many hundreds of photos that the couple had taken throughout their life together. They were great travellers and these pictures chronicled their many adventures. But we were unsure whether to loop them throughout the service or find a piece of music to set them to. Looping them means that they do form the backdrop of the ceremony. But it can detract from the spoken eulogy and at the same time, people don’t really focus on the pictures or the story that they tell.
Making them a point of focus seemed a better solution but what music would be appropriate and not distracting? Or would it be possible to show them in silence?
In the end, I suggested that I speak to the slides. This would be quite normal in other situations. But I’d never done anything like it in a funeral. And my worry was that it would seem too like a powerpoint presentation. I was also concerned about the logistics. Would I be able to see the photos and stay close enough to the microphone? Would I have long enough for each slide?
Helpfully, the photos illustrated milestones and themes in the person’s life. So I was able to note these themes in the spoken eulogy in advance of the photos. That meant I felt I could make more general comments as the slides rolled by, rather than it feeling like spoken captions. The ceremony was at Brewsterwells Crematorium where SICA had held a series of staged funerals and I was able to look at the visuals to check if I could see screen easily while staying close to the mic. I also called Obitus who were very helpful and double-checked that the pictures were in the right order. They explained just how long each slide would display and how long the transitions would be.
Overall, and having now watched a recording of the service, I feel it went well. It brought focus to a life of travel and adventure. It complemented the spoken eulogy. And it provided variety and a a change of tone.
I’m sure other celebrants have done similar things with images but this was a first for me. Definitely something I can suggest in future.
(Photo courtesy of SICA and PhotoJenniK)
Michael Hannah, Dundee, 16 July 2024