Choosing and Preparing Photos for a Funeral Program

The photo on the cover of a funeral program is the first thing everyone sees, and often the image people remember. Choosing it can be one of the most emotional decisions of the whole week. It can also be one of the most technical: the perfect photo might be a faded print from 1978, a screenshot from a social media post, or a group shot where the person is small and slightly out of focus.

This guide covers both sides. First, how to choose – what makes a good cover photo, and how to handle disagreements kindly. Then, how to prepare it – finding the original file, scanning prints, checking resolution, cropping, gently improving light and colour, and laying out several photos on the back page.

Part 1: Choosing the photo

What makes a good cover photo

The best cover photos usually have a few things in common:

• The face is clear and in focus, with the eyes sharp
• The person is looking toward the camera, or at least their face is visible
• The face is reasonably large in the frame, so it can be cropped to head-and-shoulders without becoming blurry
• The light is even, without harsh shadows across the face
• They look like themselves – the expression people will recognise

That last point matters more than technical quality. A slightly soft photo that captures their smile is often better than a sharp, formal portrait that does not look like them.

Which stage of life?

Families often debate whether to use a recent photo or one from an earlier time. There is no right answer. Some approaches:

• A recent photo shows the person as most guests knew them, and is the most common choice for the cover.
• A photo from their "best years" – the age at which they seemed happiest or most themselves – can feel truer to them, especially after a long illness.
• Both: a recent photo on the cover, and a younger photo on the back page or inside. This often resolves disagreements gracefully.

If the person had strong feelings about photos of themselves, honour them. If they always hated a certain photo, don't use it, however good it is.

When the family disagrees

Photo choices can stir strong emotions. A few ways to reach a decision without hurt:

• Narrow the choice to two or three options, then ask the spouse or the closest family member to choose
• Use the runner-up on the back page or the prayer card
• Remind everyone that more photos can go on a display board or slideshow at the service

Photos to avoid on the cover

• Photos taken in hospital or during illness, unless the family specifically wants one
• Photos with other people cropped awkwardly at the edges
• Sunglasses, hats that shadow the face, or heavy filters
• Photos the person would have found embarrassing
• Very busy backgrounds that compete with the face

Part 2: Finding the best version of the file

The same photo can exist in many versions – the original on someone's phone, a compressed copy in a messaging app, a smaller copy on social media, a screenshot. The original is almost always the best.

Where to find originals

• Phones: the original is in the photo library of whoever took the photo. Ask them to send it as a file, not through a messaging app that compresses images.
• Cloud photo libraries: download the original from the web interface, choosing "original" or "full size" if offered.
• Social media: images on social media are usually resized and compressed. If you can, ask the person who posted it for the original.
• Email: if someone emailed a photo, the attachment may be full size – but some phones reduce attachments to "medium" by default.

Sending photos without losing quality

Messaging apps often compress photos heavily. To keep quality:

• Send as a "document" or "file" rather than as a photo, where the app allows
• Use email with the "actual size" option
• Use a shared cloud folder or file-transfer link

iPhone HEIC files

Many iPhones save photos in the HEIC format. Some design tools and print shops do not accept it. You can change your phone's camera setting to "Most Compatible" for future photos, export as JPEG from the Photos app, or use a converter on your computer. If a file will not upload to a design tool – ours included – exporting it as a JPEG usually solves the problem.

Part 3: Scanning printed photos

If the best photo is a print, scan it rather than photographing it with your phone at an angle.

Using a flatbed scanner

1. Clean the scanner glass and the photo gently with a soft, dry cloth.
2. Place the photo face down, square to the edge.
3. Scan in colour, even for black-and-white photos (it captures tone better).
4. Choose the resolution: 600 dpi for standard prints you plan to enlarge for a cover; 300 dpi is fine if you will print it the same size or smaller.
5. Save as JPEG at high quality, or TIFF/PNG if you want maximum quality.

Small prints (such as old wallet-size photos) need higher scanning resolution if you plan to enlarge them – 1200 dpi is common for very small originals.

Using a phone scanning app

If you do not have a scanner, a photo-scanning app produces far better results than a casual phone photo. These apps typically take several shots and remove glare and perspective. Lay the photo flat in soft, even light, away from direct sunlight and overhead lamps that cause reflections.

Photos in frames or albums

Remove photos from frames if you can – glass causes glare. For photos stuck in old albums, scan the whole album page; trying to peel off old photos can damage them.

Part 4: Checking resolution

Print needs more detail than a screen. A photo that looks sharp on your phone can print soft on paper.

The rule of thumb

For good print quality, aim for about 300 pixels per inch at the printed size. So:

• A cover photo printed 4 inches wide ideally needs about 1,200 pixels across
• A photo printed 3 inches wide needs about 900 pixels
• A small back-page photo printed 2 inches wide needs about 600 pixels

Photos with somewhat fewer pixels than this usually still print acceptably, particularly on uncoated paper and at small sizes. Photos far below it will look visibly soft or blocky.

How to check

• On a computer, look at the image's properties or "Get Info" for its pixel dimensions
• On a phone, many photo apps show dimensions in the info panel
• In a design tool, zoom the preview to 100% or more at the printed size and look closely at the eyes

If the photo is low resolution

• Use it smaller. A soft photo looks fine at 2 inches on the back page.
• Crop less tightly. Cropping enlarges the remaining pixels.
• Find a better original. Ask the family again; there is often a better copy somewhere.
• Use a frame or vignette design. A soft oval frame can make a slightly soft photo look intentional.
• Consider AI upscaling with caution. Upscaling tools can sharpen small images, but they sometimes invent details and subtly change faces. If you use one, compare carefully with the original and ask the family whether it still looks like the person.

Part 5: Cropping and framing

Head-and-shoulders crops

For the cover, a head-and-shoulders crop usually works best. Leave a little space above the head, and position the eyes about a third of the way down the photo. Avoid cutting at the joints (chin, elbows, wrists) – crop between them.

Cropping from group photos

If the best photo is a group shot, you can crop to the person, but resolution drops quickly. Check the pixel count of the cropped area. If the cropped face is only a few hundred pixels wide, use it smaller.

Portrait orientation

Most program covers have a portrait-shaped photo area. Landscape photos can be cropped to portrait, or placed in a landscape frame if the design allows.

Keep away from edges and folds

On a folded program, keep faces away from the fold and at least a quarter inch from the trim edge. See bleed, crop marks and fold marks.

Part 6: Gentle improvements

Small adjustments can make a big difference, especially for old or dark photos. Keep them subtle; the aim is to look like the person on a good day, not a different person.

• Brightness and exposure: printed photos often look darker than on screen, particularly on matte paper. Lighten slightly.
• Contrast: a little extra contrast can bring faded prints back to life.
• Colour balance: old prints often turn orange or magenta. A "warmth" or "tint" adjustment, or an automatic colour fix, can neutralise this.
• Black and white: converting to black and white can unify photos from different decades and suits classic designs. It also hides colour casts.
• Dust and scratches: many photo apps have a spot-healing tool. Fix obvious marks on the face; leave the rest.

Avoid heavy skin smoothing, filters or "beauty" effects. People notice when a face looks unnatural.

Part 7: Using several photos

Back-page collage

A collage of three to six photos on the back page – the person as a child, on their wedding day, with grandchildren, at a favourite place – is a popular way to show a whole life. Tips:

• Choose photos with similar tones, or convert them all to black and white
• Vary the subjects: one portrait, one with family, one doing something they loved
• Leave space between photos; a crowded collage is hard to take in
• Keep faces large enough to recognise – fewer, larger photos are better than many tiny ones

Centre spread of an eight-page booklet

For an eight-page program, the centre spread can become a photo timeline across two pages, from childhood to recent years.

Photo boards and slideshows

Many more photos can go on a display board or a slideshow at the service. The program does not need to hold them all.

When there is no good photo

Sometimes there simply is no suitable photo. The person may have avoided cameras, photos may have been lost in a move or a fire, or the only images may be from a difficult period. A program without a portrait can still be beautiful and personal:

• Use a design with a symbol or scene in place of the photo – a cross, a dove, a lily, an ocean view, a mountain, a garden.
• Use a photo of something that represents them: their workbench, their garden, their fishing boat, their hands holding a grandchild's hand, a favourite chair.
• Use a drawing. A sketch by a grandchild or a portrait by an artist friend can be more meaningful than any photograph.
• Use an old photo small inside a decorative frame, rather than large on the cover.
• Leave it out entirely and let the name and a verse carry the cover. Many traditional programs have no photo at all.

Families sometimes worry that guests will notice the absence. In practice, people notice the name, the words and the care that went into the program.

A simple timeline for gathering photos

Photos often hold up the whole program, so it helps to give them their own small plan:

1. Day one: ask two or three family members to send candidate photos by a set time, as original files.
2. Day one or two: shortlist three cover options and a handful for the back page or slideshow.
3. Day two: let the closest family member choose the cover photo.
4. Day two: scan any prints you need, and check the resolution of the chosen files.
5. Day three: place the photos in the program and check them in a test print.

Sharing photos through a single shared folder, rather than in many separate message threads, makes them far easier to find, compare and use.

Looking after the originals

The week of a funeral often brings old albums and boxes of prints out of cupboards. Afterwards, take a moment to look after them:

• Return borrowed prints to their owners promptly, ideally in an envelope labelled with what is inside
• Keep scanned copies together in one folder, named with the year and the people pictured where you know them
• Share the folder with the wider family, so everyone has access to the same images
• Store original prints flat, away from damp, heat and direct sunlight

Many families say that gathering photos for the funeral was the first time in years they had looked at them together. A shared, well-organised folder turns that effort into something lasting.

Photos for other items

• Prayer and memorial cards: a tight head-and-shoulders crop works best at this small size
• Thank-you cards: a smaller portrait, or a favourite candid
• Social media announcement: a clear portrait; the image will be seen small on phones
• Newspaper obituary: a clear, well-lit head-and-shoulders photo; newsprint is unforgiving with dark or busy images

Permissions and sensitivity

• If a professional photographer took the photo (for example, a studio portrait or wedding photo), it is courteous to ask before reproducing it, though many photographers are happy to help in these circumstances.
• If other people appear in a collage photo, make sure they – or their parents, for children – are comfortable being included.
• Think about whether anyone in a group photo has since died or become estranged; including them may be meaningful or painful.

Common photo mistakes

• Using a compressed copy from a messaging app instead of the original
• Photographing a print at an angle under a lamp, causing glare and distortion
• Cropping too tightly from a small photo, leaving a blurry face
• Printing a dark photo on matte paper without lightening it
• Filters or heavy retouching that change the person's appearance
• Faces placed across the fold

Frequently asked questions

What resolution does a photo need for a funeral program?

Aim for about 300 pixels per inch at the printed size – roughly 1,200 pixels wide for a 4-inch cover photo. Somewhat less is often acceptable.

Can I use a photo from social media?

You can, but it may be compressed. Try to get the original from whoever posted it.

Should the cover photo be colour or black and white?

Either. Colour feels contemporary and warm; black and white is classic and unifies photos from different eras.

Should we include a photo of the person when they were ill?

Usually not on the cover. Most families prefer an image from a time when the person felt well and looked like themselves. If the family wants to honour a final chapter – a last birthday, a hospital wedding, a moment with a new grandchild – it can sit more comfortably inside or on the back page.

Can I use more than one photo?

Yes. A cover photo plus a small collage on the back is a popular layout.

Add the photo to your program

In our funeral program maker, you upload the cover photo once and it appears on the program and, with the memorial bundle, on the matching prayer card, social image and obituary page. The live preview shows how it sits in the frame of your chosen theme, so you can try a few candidates quickly. The print-ready download includes 300-dpi images of each page.