When my mom passed away, I thought choosing photos for her funeral program would be easy.
After all...
I had thousands of pictures.
Then reality hit.
Which ones do you choose?
The newest one?
The one everyone loved?
The one where she looked happiest?
The one that captured who she really was?
Suddenly, I wasn't just picking photos.
I was trying to tell the story of 77 beautiful years in just a handful of images.
It felt impossible.
If you're feeling that way too...
You're not alone.
At Was It Sad?, one of the most meaningful parts of creating a funeral program is helping families choose photographs that tell a life story—not just fill empty spaces on a page.
I'd love to help you create that story.
But if you're creating your own memorial because it's what your family needs right now, I hope this guide helps you choose photos you'll be proud to look back on for years to come.
Choose the Most Meaningful Ones.
This might be the biggest piece of advice I can give.
The perfect funeral program isn't filled with glamorous photos.
It's filled with real life.
The smile everyone remembers.
The laugh that lit up a room.
The family vacations.
The birthday parties.
Sunday dinners.
Those ordinary moments often become the most extraordinary memories.
Every family has one.
The photo everyone immediately thinks of.
Maybe it's:
This usually becomes your cover photo.
Choose one where:
Instead of selecting random photos...
Think of the funeral program like a photo album.
Tell their story from beginning to end.
For example:
A school picture.
A family portrait.
A favorite childhood memory.
Graduation.
Military service.
Wedding day.
College.
Career.
Marriage.
Children.
Vacations.
Holiday gatherings.
Sunday dinners.
These photos often become family favorites.
The hugs.
The laughter.
The birthday celebrations.
Those are priceless.
Don't avoid recent photos.
They remind everyone of the person they knew and loved most recently.
Ask family members:
"What's your favorite picture of them?"
You'll probably hear the same few photos mentioned over and over.
Those deserve a place in the program.
This is something I wish someone had told me.
Don't choose photos because they look perfect.
Choose them because they feel true.
Maybe they weren't dressed up.
Maybe their hair wasn't perfect.
Maybe they were laughing so hard their eyes were closed.
That's life.
And that's often exactly how people remember them.
The best funeral programs have balance.
Include:
That combination tells a richer story than formal portraits alone.
There isn't one correct number.
As a general guide:
5–10 photos
15–25 photos
25–60+ photos
Remember...
More isn't always better.
Choose photos that move the story forward.
Whenever possible:
✔ Original photos
✔ Avoid screenshots
✔ Avoid blurry images
✔ Avoid heavily filtered social media pictures
✔ Use the highest resolution available
If an older photo is slightly imperfect but deeply meaningful...
Use it anyway.
The memory matters more than perfection.
Some of my favorite funeral programs include photos of things like:
Those ordinary moments often tell the biggest story.
If someone had never met your loved one...
Would these photos help them understand who they were?
If the answer is yes...
You've chosen well.
When I was choosing photos for my mom's funeral program, I kept wondering...
"Did I leave out an important memory?"
Eventually I realized something.
No funeral program can include every picture.
No keepsake can capture every laugh.
No photo album can hold every beautiful moment.
But together...
The photos you choose can help people remember how it felt to know them.
That's what matters most.
Choose a clear, high-quality image that reflects your loved one's personality. A natural smile and warm expression often create the most meaningful cover.
It depends on the size of your program. A 4-page program usually includes 5–10 photos, while larger keepsake booklets can comfortably feature 25 or more.
Absolutely. Even if an older photo isn't perfect, it may capture an irreplaceable memory. Meaning often matters more than image quality.
Yes. A mix of professional portraits and candid moments gives a fuller picture of your loved one's life and personality.
If choosing photos feels overwhelming, you don't have to do it alone.
At Was It Sad?, we help families thoughtfully organize photographs into beautiful funeral programs that tell a complete life story—not just a timeline.
We'll help you choose the right cover image, organize your memories, enhance older photographs when possible, and design a keepsake your family will treasure for generations.
But if you're creating your own because that's what your family needs right now...
I hope this guide helped make one difficult decision a little easier.
Because every homegoing deserves a back story.
And every story deserves to be remembered through the moments that mattered most.