Funeral Streaming, Videography and Photography Blog
Guides and real funerals I have streamed, filmed and photographed across the UK. How the services work, what they cost, and what the days actually look like.
Funeral Live Streaming · Funeral Videography · Funeral Photography
Cinematic Funeral Videography at Henley Natural Burial Ground
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of filming a funeral at the beautiful Henley Natural Burial Ground in Henley-on-Thames.
It was another hot summer’s day. A small group of close family and friends gathered in the open countryside for a very personal ceremony, led with care by the celebrant. The setting itself — peaceful, green, and surrounded by fields and trees — already carried a quiet sense of calm.
A Different Kind of Funeral Film
The brief for this funeral was a little different from funeral streaming or a traditional long-form recording.
The family didn’t want a complete, unedited record of the service with the original audio. Instead, they asked me to create a short-form cinematic funeral film — a carefully edited collection of moments from the day, set to one music track and shaped through visual storytelling.
This style of funeral videography is less about documenting every minute and more about capturing the feeling and atmosphere of the farewell.
What I Focused On
For a cinematic funeral film, I concentrate on the details that tell the story without words:
The surroundings before everyone arrives, the trees, the woodlands, the meadows
Flowers and personal touches
People gathering and quiet interactions between family and friends
Moments from the ceremony itself
The landscape surrounding the burial which I achieved with some stunning Drone Shots
The finished film is relatively short and can be viewed above. That was very much the intention. It is designed to be watched and rewatched — a lasting, atmospheric record of the day rather than a full-length document. Easy to share!
Why Natural Burial Grounds Suit Cinematic Filming
Natural burial grounds lend themselves particularly well to this kind of visual storytelling. There is something especially peaceful about a farewell that takes place outdoors, surrounded by trees, open fields and countryside.
The light, the space, and the natural setting all help create a film that feels calm, respectful and true to the day.
Every Family Wants Something Different
One of the things I value most about being a funeral videographer is that no two families want exactly the same thing. Some prefer a full recording of the service. Others want a shorter, more cinematic piece that captures the mood and the important moments.
That is why I always take time to listen carefully to what the family actually wants their finished film to be.
It was a privilege to be trusted with this one at Henley Natural Burial Ground.
Funeral Videography at St Michael at the North Gate, Oxford
This funeral was filmed at St Michael at the North Gate in Oxford, Oxfordshire — the city’s church, with a Saxon tower from around 1040 standing just inside the old north gate.
It was a Church of England service for Stephen Charles Dixon. The building, the light and the family’s music gave the film its character. This was funeral videography, not a live stream: three cameras through the service, drone footage inside the church, then an edited film for the family to keep.
The Church
St Michael’s is small, old and vertical. The nave is narrow. Light drops from above. There is a balcony, and the Saxon tower sits on the street outside. A single camera at the back would have given you the pews and flattened the rest.
I arrived early, before the family, and walked the building with the vicar. He was easy to work with, which matters in a church this old. Positions have to be agreed. Nothing should cut across the service.
Three cameras went in. One wide on the floor, so the whole church stayed in frame. One closer for the minister, the readers and the front. One on the balcony for the height of the room — the roof, the aisle, the way people filled the nave.
The drone
Before anyone arrived I flew a drone inside the church, down the nave, so the film opens on the building itself: ceiling, aisle, stone, the length of the room. That only happens when the vicar is comfortable with it and the church is empty enough to do it safely.
It is a small thing in the finished film and a large part of why this church was worth filming properly. St Michael’s is not a blank chapel. The pictures should show that.
Stephen’s music
The family led parts of the service. Stephen’s grandchildren played guitar and sang. That is the passage families go back to. A live stream would have let people watch it once. The film lets them sit with it again.
The funeral was arranged with The Individual Funeral Company in Oxford, with Lucy’s team. Days like this work when the funeral director, the vicar and the cameras are not fighting each other for the same space.
Funeral Videography in Oxford
I film funerals across Oxford and Oxfordshire — city churches, college chapels, crematoriums and burial grounds. If you want a film of the day rather than a live audience, start here: Funeral Videography
Funeral videos and funeral videography starts from £750.
Call or text 07772 509101, or use the contact page.
“My dear friend George Richmond, the Director of Photography for the Marvel movie Deadpool, took on the responsibility of selecting a videographer for my husband's funeral. He chose you out of everyone he looked at, and I am immensely grateful for that decision.
Your work is truly remarkable - from the beautiful opening shots to the impeccable sound quality and the finer details throughout. The way you captured the vibrant blue sky was touching, especially since my husband had such an affection for blue skies. My heartfelt thanks for everything you've done.”
— Lady M ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️