TAMPA - After years of working with the dead, a local mortician is bringing her funeral parlour services to the living.

For some, death is a topic they shy away from and it might seem a bit “spooky” to include it as a theme for a family photo shoot.

However, Jessica Dillon founded the Embalmarina's Traveling Postmortem Fauxtography Parlour to provide exactly that experience. 

"Post-mortem photography is just one of those neat things," said Dillon. "People still take pictures of their loved ones at funerals, but it's not the same as it was back in the Victorian era. I have one of my great great grandfather and it was always just a cool image of him in his coffin. He was from North Carolina and he moved out west and died out there, so they took a picture of him in his coffin, sent it back to his family." 

Jessica is a mortician who’s been embalming bodies in Tampa Bay for 11 years. 

"We do their hair and make-up and dress them and casket them and get them prepped for their funerals," said Dillon. 

She's always been interested in a career as a last responder. Working during the pandemic taught her how invaluable her role is. 

She calls herself a perfectionist who uses family photos to get it right. 

"You want the family to have a good memory of their loved one. It's an honor that we can do that for them," she added. 

Now she's helping others create their own post-mortem themed photos while they’re still alive. 

She provides the backdrop and clothing and her biggest prop is a toe pincher casket. 

While Dillon has found a way to merge her career as a mortician and her hobby of photography, she also feels she's serving a greater purpose.

"It's not for everybody but, some people like this kind of thing," she said. "It's cool to be able to offer something unique."

She’s hoping her photos can help make death less frightening. You can block out 20 minute photo sessions with the coffin for $20.