A final salute

My family asked me to photograph my grandfather's funeral.

"Did you bring your camera in?" my grandma asked me at the funeral home.
"No, of course not," I told her.
"Will you go get it?"

She didn't want any photos of the open casket or the family crying, but she wanted me to document everything else. I didn't ask her why or try to change her mind. I videoed the 21-gun salute and held my breath so that I wouldn't cry and ruin the sound of the video.

My grandfather was a lot of things, but he was most proud of being a veteran. I think he would have appreciated these final tributes.