I can understand why it would seem weird to you. Having lost my son, I can offer that everything about the world carrying on - and, worse, me - without him was for a long time beyond surreal, weird X a bazillion. While I didn’t opt for photos like these, I totally get now why some parents do.

Having lost my son and my parents, I can offer that child loss isn’t something most of us can “get past”. Common fears incl. how to live without the child, and that people in our lives will forget them, so while I have not had similar photos done I totally get why some do.

The few bereaved parents I’ve met who had this done wanted the hypercolourizing. For some, it represented their fondest dream, an alternate reality, hence dream-like colour and light. A couple of them wanted it to look like their late child was with them spiritually, so sort of a heaven/earth mashup.