I am NOT making fun of dead people
Intrigue...I guess that's what I would call my latest interest in obituary pictures. I am intrigued as to how certain pictures are chosen of the deceased to accompany their obituaries. I can't really tell the thought (or lack of) behind some of the pictures chosen.
As you have noticed, if you've ever really paid attention, some pictures are very predictable. There are the honorable military pictures. And of course the picture of Grandpa leaning in next to Grandma (who for these purposes has be cropped out of the picture altogether). And the pictures that seem to have been taken for the purpose of accompanying the obituary one day in the future. But, it is the other pictures that throw me for a loop...
There are the VAGUE pictures that intrigue me. These are the ones so blurry and old that they look like the were made in the 80's with some flat camera with the flash cube on top. I mean, is this really the best picture you have of the person? Also, I've seen pictures of people (usually men) wearing hats and/or sunglasses. Just for the record, this picture could be of anyone as far as I can tell. And then there are the pictures where the person is not even looking at the camera. Now don't tell me every picture you have of mom she was always looking away.
Secondly, there are the pictures that make me speculate the cause of death...I've seen a picture of a man with a cigarette in his mouth (died of cancer?), a man sitting in his car (automobile accident?), and several of people smiling and laughing just a little too much for this to be an obituary picture (partying overdose, perhaps?). I recently saw a picture with an obituary that was a drawn sketch of the person that had died. It REALLY looked like a police sketch. Seriously. Imagine my surprise when the obit started by saying: "Wanted by Bryan Lee funeral home for dying on March 19..." (just joking, it didn't say that)
But, these pictures get me every time...I can them the TRICKY pictures. When I scan the obituaries and see a picture of someone who looks about my age, I naturally am interested in such a death. Maybe I know this person. Well, it gets me every time when I read further to realize that the person in the picture IS in their thirties BUT the picture was made about 55 years ago and they have now died at the ripe old age of 85.
Lastly, I must also mention the pictures that when I see them I first think to myself...wait just a minute. I KNOW this person did not JUST die. I remember her picture from a year ago, about this same time...only to realize that this picture is accompanying one of those "in memory" columns. After years of reading the obituaries, I'm starting to feel like I know (or knew) these folks.
Well, I'll let it go for now. I'll see what tomorrow N & O has in store for me.
As you have noticed, if you've ever really paid attention, some pictures are very predictable. There are the honorable military pictures. And of course the picture of Grandpa leaning in next to Grandma (who for these purposes has be cropped out of the picture altogether). And the pictures that seem to have been taken for the purpose of accompanying the obituary one day in the future. But, it is the other pictures that throw me for a loop...
There are the VAGUE pictures that intrigue me. These are the ones so blurry and old that they look like the were made in the 80's with some flat camera with the flash cube on top. I mean, is this really the best picture you have of the person? Also, I've seen pictures of people (usually men) wearing hats and/or sunglasses. Just for the record, this picture could be of anyone as far as I can tell. And then there are the pictures where the person is not even looking at the camera. Now don't tell me every picture you have of mom she was always looking away.
Secondly, there are the pictures that make me speculate the cause of death...I've seen a picture of a man with a cigarette in his mouth (died of cancer?), a man sitting in his car (automobile accident?), and several of people smiling and laughing just a little too much for this to be an obituary picture (partying overdose, perhaps?). I recently saw a picture with an obituary that was a drawn sketch of the person that had died. It REALLY looked like a police sketch. Seriously. Imagine my surprise when the obit started by saying: "Wanted by Bryan Lee funeral home for dying on March 19..." (just joking, it didn't say that)
But, these pictures get me every time...I can them the TRICKY pictures. When I scan the obituaries and see a picture of someone who looks about my age, I naturally am interested in such a death. Maybe I know this person. Well, it gets me every time when I read further to realize that the person in the picture IS in their thirties BUT the picture was made about 55 years ago and they have now died at the ripe old age of 85.
Lastly, I must also mention the pictures that when I see them I first think to myself...wait just a minute. I KNOW this person did not JUST die. I remember her picture from a year ago, about this same time...only to realize that this picture is accompanying one of those "in memory" columns. After years of reading the obituaries, I'm starting to feel like I know (or knew) these folks.
Well, I'll let it go for now. I'll see what tomorrow N & O has in store for me.
posted by Amy at
9:30 PM
2 Comments:
Amy this was a good blog. I've had a lot of these same thoughts too. Some were very strange looking. Good job.
Mommie
By
Gloria, At
March 20, 2007 at 8:27 PM
Here's a thought. . .If we are going to have pic in the paper when we die, maybe we should take a really good one now, and save it for that time. However, then it might be a little outdated. On the other hand, it would be a good picture of us???
By
Laura Etheridge, At
April 10, 2007 at 7:52 PM
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