ABSTRACT
In this chapter it is argued that post-mortem, or lit de parade, photographs provide an indeterminate state between the living and the dead, with the deceased captured as being and not being within the photograph. For some, the act of photographing the dead can be seen as blurring the lines between the dead and living, while for others this blurring may allow the bereaved to maintain and create new bonds and relationships with the deceased. Thus a dynamic process is created, with the postmortem photographs acting as a tool to help the living to come to terms with death, while at the same time keeping the dead alive.
