Choosing and preparing a photo for a funeral or memorial service

When someone dies, the family is often asked for “a photo for the service” within a day or two. Here is what helps.

Picking the photo

• Choose the face you remember, not the newest photo. Many families pick a picture from a happy time, even if it is twenty years old.
• The face matters more than the quality. We can repair scratches, remove other people and the background, and enlarge a small print. What we cannot recover is a face that is turned away or completely blurred.
• Group photos are fine. Tell us who the portrait is of — “the man on the left in the blue shirt” is enough.
• Have two or three options. If you are unsure, send a few; we can tell you which will print best.

Sizes that are usually needed

Use	Common size
Easel portrait at the service	16×20″ or 18×24″
Frame on a table, guest book	8×10″ or 11×14″
Printed program, prayer cards	a small file for the printer
Slideshow or screen	a digital copy

Our memorial portrait file is made for all of these: sharp enough for 16×20″, plus smaller copies.

Timing

Funeral homes and print shops can often print the same day if they have the file in the morning. We prepare memorial portraits within 24 hours of your order, and you approve a preview before the final files are sent.

A few gentle tips

• If the photo is black and white, keeping it that way often looks more timeless than colorizing.
• Ask us to keep the details that made them them — glasses, a smile line, a favorite hat.
• If you are arranging this for someone else, you can order on their behalf and send the files straight to the funeral home.