Headstones With Photos: Ceramic, Laser Etched Or Full Colour?

A photo turns a headstone from a record into a portrait, and it is the feature families ask us about most. There are three ways to put a photo on a memorial in Australia, and they differ in cost, detail and how they age. This guide explains each one and how to choose the right photo.

The three options

Laser etched into black granite

The photo is etched directly into polished black granite by a laser, one tiny point at a time. The result is a fine, monochrome portrait that is part of the stone itself. It cannot fade, peel or be removed, and it is the most durable of the three. We etch on the largest machine of its kind in Australia, and two etched images are included in the price of every headstone in our designer, from $3,232 for a 650 x 650 mm stone. On a plaque, an etched photo is included from $388.

Ceramic photo

A ceramic photo is a full colour image fired onto a porcelain tile, then fixed to the headstone, plaque or niche. It is the traditional choice in many European and Asian communities and it suits any stone colour, including bronze plaques where etching is not possible. Good ceramics are guaranteed against fading for decades, and ours are priced by size in the designer.

Full colour etching on granite

For a colour image on stone itself, the etched portrait is hand coloured and sealed. It gives a painterly effect that suits landscapes, flowers and club colours. See our full colour images page.

Which one should you choose?

Many families combine them: a laser etched portrait on the headstone and a small ceramic photo on the base or the plaque.

Choosing a photo that works

• Sharp and well lit. A clear face with soft, even light etches best. Harsh shadows and flash glare are hard to reproduce.
• Face fills the frame. We can crop a group photo, but the face needs enough pixels. A phone photo at full size is usually fine. A tiny scan of an old print may not be.
• Plain background. Busy backgrounds compete with the face. We can soften or remove a background on the proof.
• Old photos. Send the best copy you have. We restore scratches and fading before etching, and you see the result on your proof before we start.
• Two photos. Every headstone in our designer includes two etched images, so a portrait and a favourite place, pet or hobby is a popular pairing.

What a photo headstone costs

Because two etched images are included, a photo headstone from us costs the same as a headstone without one: from $3,232 for 650 x 650 mm and $4,325 for 760 x 760 mm, delivery included. A ceramic photo is priced by size when you add it in the designer. Our headstone price guide has the full tables, and our guide on what to write on a headstone helps with the words that go beside the photo.

See it before it is made

Upload the photo in the online designer and place it on the headstone at true scale. When you order, a designer prepares the image and sends a proof showing exactly how the etched photo will look. Nothing is etched until you approve it.