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Adding deceased relatives to photos

(62 Posts)
Katek Tue 03-Nov-15 23:22:11

I've just been reading a FB thread about adding deceased relatives....primarily children/infants....to current family pictures. People have added fathers/mothers to wedding pics, children to pics of their living siblings, and tiny babies who died at days old into photos of their newborn siblings so they look like twins.

I find it very odd, not to say macabre. Reminds me of those dreadful Victorian photos where the deceased were propped up on frames and photographed in a last family pic. I would find a picture like that emphasised the fact that my relative was no longer alive - it wouldn't be real.

Cossy Tue 25-Feb-25 09:01:02

I think it up to each individual to deal with awful grief of losing a baby in their own way.

It’s not for me, the babies in some of the photos are very very pale, sometimes with blue lips and I’m afraid it’s all too much for me.

But whatever gets these families through this terrible grief.

I once worked with a family who had a massive family canvas with their still born baby right in the middle, I’m sorry to admit it gave me the creeps.

Cossy Tue 25-Feb-25 09:11:55

Mmm just seen the date of OP, why and how do these pop up?

love0c Tue 25-Feb-25 09:12:52

I have a friend who is all in favour of doing this. They had a family wedding and had their father 'added'. I thought it a bit strange really. I would have displayed a nice photo of the dad alongside a wedding photo.

Shelflife Tue 25-Feb-25 10:23:14

Photographing a still born child - yes of course I fully understand that. However adding decreased relatives to a family photograph is not for me.
I have photographs of family members taken when they were here with us and that is enough for me. Having said that it is a very personal issue and if adding a deceased member of the family to a photograph brings peace then why not ?

Homestead62 Tue 25-Feb-25 10:30:57

What people do is up to them, but it changes your family history and could be very confusing for the generations to come who inherit your family photographs. You'd perhaps encounter conversations like ' so and so died in 19**, how are they in that photograph all these years later?' It's not something I would do, a person has their place in history.

rafichagran Tue 25-Feb-25 10:50:51

I had a stillborn son, he was washed,dressed and stunningly beautiful. I can still see that beautiful face, I did not want a photograph and still would not, I would find it uncomfortable.

love0c Tue 25-Feb-25 11:41:22

rafichagran You do have a picture. It is in your heart for ever.

Cossy Tue 25-Feb-25 11:44:23

rafichagran

I had a stillborn son, he was washed,dressed and stunningly beautiful. I can still see that beautiful face, I did not want a photograph and still would not, I would find it uncomfortable.

💕 flowers

M0nica Tue 25-Feb-25 12:45:32

In the mid 19th century there was a fashion for (very recently) deceased people to be dressed and posed with family members for one last picture www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36389581

Imarocker Tue 25-Feb-25 14:50:13

We have a photo of my father, his siblings and their mother and in the background, on the wall, is a photo of their deceased father. I find it quite sweet that they wanted to include him in the photo.

rafichagran Tue 25-Feb-25 17:18:48

Thankyou loveocc and Cossy