I have never heard of this and it is kinda creepy IMO. Especially considering the degree of separation.
Apparently some off the wall family member of GMIL took a camera and was taking pictures of the funeral. To include GMIL in the casket as well as various family members around the casket (including MIL and her siblings as they were mourning at the viewing). Dh's aunt said she heard a constant clicking at the grave site but when she turned around could never see anything.
MIL eventually found out that this person has a whole photo album of dead relatives funerals. MIL warned her that if she ever saw a photo of her dead mom she would come after her and she wanted the photos destroyed or erased. MIL was some kind of upset. This woman isn't even a close family member, she is the niece of GMIL's BIL.
Re: Pictures at a funeral?
Especially since:
1. she's not a close relative.
2. she took several pictures.
3. she took pictures of people mourning.
4. etc. etc. etc.
Now, at my gma's visitation, we did take some cousin pictures because all of us had not been together for several years. However, gma nor her casket, were in the picture. And it was a posed picture, not just random shots around the room.
I had a very close friend pass away and someone took pictures and then posted the on FACEBOOK- there are numerous pictures of me crying hysterically- not cool- very insenstive.
But as PP said, there are photos in some of my family albums of caskets too. I think the whole thing is strange, IMHO.
Funerals are already creepy enough. I'd never been to a funeral until my fiance's grandmother died earlier this year because my family cremates then has a memorial service. Seeing his grandma in the coffin and having his family talking about how beautiful she looked was kind of terrifying to me. I can't imagine taking pictures. That's just morbid.