Funeral Photographer: Westminster Cathedral & Mortlake Crematorium

Westminster Funeral Photographer: Capturing Moments of Remembrance

In the heart of London lies Westminster Cathedral and a few weeks ago, I was given the profound responsibility of capturing a funeral service for the family. The lady who booked me as their Funeral Photographer had been through all my work and loved my approach and storytelling style and wanted exactly this for her mums funeral. She wanted photos of everything captured naturally so as a family they could look back on the celebration of Life that they had organised for her.

The Gathering Outside Westminster Cathedral

As I arrived to Photograph the Funeral at Westminster Cathedral families and friends had already started gathering outside the cathedral. They were greeting on the steps of the Cathedral and pinning blue ribbons of remembrance on each other . These were some lovely moments to capture, friends who hadn’t seen each other for a long time catching up. The Hearse from Chelsea Funeral Directors arrived and the Funeral Director paged towards the Cathedral where everyone was waiting. Family members carried Lucy into the church, which was a long walk to the front and placed her in the middle aisle surrounded by incredible art, marbles and Mosaics.

Inside the Cathedral: A Service of Celebration

The interior of Westminster Cathedral is pretty incredible. They don’t usually allow photographers in, but as Lucy was a valued member of the church, then I was allowed the privileged of being one of the very few London Funeral Photographers to do this. I wasn’t allowed to go all the way to the front and had to keep my distance, but I think this just helped in showing what an incredible place Westminster Cathedral was. As the service began, the grandeur of the architecture complemented the profound gravity of the occasion. The priority is always the service and the families involved, being discreet but at the same time capturing everything. Images that tell a story of love, loss, and the celebration of a loved ones life.

Mortlake Crematorium: A Final Goodbye

The service transitioned to Mortlake Crematorium which serves the areas of Ealing, Hammersmith, Fulham, Hounslow and Richmond Upon Thames in the West and Southwest of London. The sun was out in full, the Hearse arrived from just behind the purple Lavender and slowly made its way towards the Crematorium. The committal was much more intimate than at the cathedral. The minister invited everyone forward to stand around Lucy’s Coffin, prayers were offered and family members sprinted her coffin with Holy Water before leaving to go outside. There was a real sense of closure at this moment. .

Once outside the crematorium, a beautiful dove release took place. As the doves fly into the sky, it symbolises peace, hope, and the spirit of the departed ascending to the heavens. It was a serene moment, one I think always underscores the importance of rituals in helping us process grief, loss and closure.

Here are some of the other photos I captured on the day whilst Photographing Lucy’s Funeral

Westminster Funeral Photographer

It was an absolute priviledge to work alongside Chelsea Funeral Directors and Westminster Cathedral to Photography this funeral. For me being a funeral photographer is not just about taking pictures, it's about capturing the essence of memories, of lives lived and cherished. It's a delicate task, but one that I approach with the utmost reverence and care. I love what I do and please do get in touch should you require a Funeral Photographer, Funeral Videographer or even Funeral Streaming.

Should you wish for us to document a family funeral in Rugby , then you can discover more about our services here: Westminster Cathedral Funeral Videography - Westminster Funeral Photography and Westminster Funeral Streaming Company.

As Featured on the The London Funeral Guide