What Are Pictures on Headstones Called? A Glossary of Memorial Photo Terms

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MemorialPics round picture for headstones, product example
MemorialPics round headstone picture, shown as a product example. View Round Pictures for Headstones

Pictures on headstones are most often called ceramic headstone photos or porcelain headstone photos. You will also see them called memorial portraits, photo ceramics, cameos, enamel photos, tombstone pictures, or grave portraits. These names usually describe the same kind of product: a portrait on a fired ceramic piece that attaches to the memorial. A picture engraved directly into the stone is different and is usually called a laser-etched portrait or etching. Names vary by seller and region, so ask how a product is made rather than relying on the name.

Common names for headstone pictures

Ceramic headstone photo / ceramic picture
A portrait on a ceramic piece that attaches to a memorial. MemorialPics uses this term on its installation instructions.
Porcelain headstone photo / porcelain picture
Porcelain is a type of ceramic, and in memorial products the two words usually mean the same thing. MemorialPics uses "porcelain pictures" on its about page. See porcelain vs. ceramic headstone photos.
Photo ceramic
Another name for a photographic image on a fired ceramic surface.
Cameo
Often used for a small oval portrait on a memorial, by analogy with cameo jewelry. Usage varies.
Enamel photo
Sometimes used for fired memorial portraits. The same word can describe different products, so ask what the base material is and whether the image is fired.
Memorial portrait, tombstone picture, grave portrait, gravestone photo
General, everyday names for any portrait on a memorial. They do not tell you how the picture is made.
Photo plaque or photo medallion
Sometimes used for a framed or mounted portrait on a memorial. Ask whether the image itself is ceramic, metal, or another material.

Pictures made into the stone

Laser-etched portrait
A portrait engraved into the surface of the stone, usually dark polished granite, by a laser. It is part of the stone rather than a separate piece. See ceramic vs. laser-etched headstone photos.
Hand etching or sandblasted design
Other ways monument companies carve images or designs into stone. These are monument-company services, not attached photos.

Shapes, frames, and covers

Oval
The classic headstone portrait shape. MemorialPics lists ovals in several sizes.
Rectangle, round, heart, square
Other common shapes. A rectangle keeps more of the original photo.
Bronze frame
A metal border around the portrait. It makes the finished piece larger than the picture alone. See ovals with bronze frames.
Bronze cover
A cover over the portrait. See the oval with bronze cover.

Memorial and installation terms

Upright headstone
A standing stone, usually with a polished front face. See pictures for upright headstones.
Flat marker
A marker set level with the ground, in granite or bronze. See pictures for flat grave markers and bronze grave markers.
Crypt front
The panel that closes a crypt in a mausoleum. See pictures for mausoleums.
Niche front
The panel or glass front of a columbarium niche that holds cremated remains. See pictures for columbarium niches.
Monument company
A business that designs, carves, and installs memorials. Some cemeteries require one to install anything on a memorial.
Mounting tape
The double-sided adhesive tape included with MemorialPics pictures. See how to put a picture on a headstone.
Silicone caulk seal
A bead of silicone around the edge of the installed picture, recommended in the MemorialPics instructions to help keep moisture away from the adhesive.
Proof
A preview of the finished image to review before production. Check the crop, faces, and any edits carefully.
QR code memorial
A scannable code on or near a memorial that opens an online memorial page. See headstone QR codes and memorial webpages.

Which name should you search for?

If you want a separate portrait attached to the memorial, search for "ceramic headstone photo" or "porcelain headstone photo." If you want a portrait engraved into the stone, ask a monument company about laser etching. Whatever the name, ask how the image is made, what surfaces the mounting instructions cover, and what the guarantee covers. For an overview of the whole process, see the porcelain headstone photo guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the picture on a headstone called?

Usually a ceramic or porcelain headstone photo. It may also be called a memorial portrait, photo ceramic, or cameo. An engraved image is a laser-etched portrait.

Is a cameo the same as a porcelain photo?

Often the word is used for a small oval porcelain or ceramic portrait, but usage varies. Ask the seller how the picture is made.

Are ceramic and porcelain headstone pictures different?

Usually not. Porcelain is a type of ceramic, and sellers often use both words for the same product.

Sources

Store details come from MemorialPics pages and product listings and may change. Terms are explained in plain language and are not formal industry definitions.