Monday, September 30, 2013

Having a “Rip-roaring” time at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park- Washington, DC

I finally made it out to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, or commonly known as the National Zoo, when I was in Washington, DC a couple of weeks ago. Since it is part of the Smithsonian Institute admission is free compliments of the U.S. taxpayer.

The National Zoo is famous for their giant pandas that were lent by China as part of the “panda diplomacy” in the 1970s. They are one of the few zoos in the country that have them in captivity. The crowds were too large that day to get a decent shot of the pandas, but I am fortunate that the San Diego Zoo is one of the other few zoos in America that have the giant pandas, so I can always photograph them at my leisure.

As a result, I left the crowds there and headed over to the big cats and caught this male lion begging for some dental floss.

So what is your favorite zoo?

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Surf’s up in Sunset Cliffs, San Diego and the Pacific Ocean is calling your name!

From one coast to another! Yes, the lavish lifestyle of a travel photographer. I was in Washington, DC a couple of weeks ago waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom and now I am back in my hometown of San Diego, California soaking up the sun.

My photography has taken me all over the world, but sometimes I forget that I live in an American paradise here in “Sun” Diego. The weather has been in the high 70s this week so the other day I went to one of our hidden gems called Sunset Cliffs. This area has sheer cliffs that borders the Pacific Ocean and as the name states, it is a popular place for locals to watch the sunset.

There are some surfing spots below the cliffs and I spied on these two surfers as they headed down toward the ocean. I followed them down the cliffs and I captured one of the surfers just as he jumped into the water while his friend looked on.

I hope everybody has a great weekend. I am going sailing today and the weather will be at a high of 82 degrees. With that type of weather I may be jumping into the water just like the surfer!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Cherry Blossom Sunrise at the Jefferson Memorial - Tidal Basin, Washington, DC; USA

This is not a true HDR photograph since this is from a single RAW file. I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II with 21-megapixels and if I shot HDR with multiple RAW exposures I would need to start clearing out my camera gear to make room for more hard drives.

The Yoshino Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC only bloom in the spring and the window of opportunity is very small. I photographed this on a Tuesday when the cherry blossoms were at their peak and by that Friday night strong winds blew most of them off the trees. As with any once-a-year photographic opportunity, it can be very crowded with people, especially at sunrise.

The most photogenic groups of cherry blossoms are located around the Tidal Basin which is a man-made inlet adjacent to the Potomac River. That morning hordes of photographers were jockeying for position to get their shot and in the process stepping into each other’s shots. Having spent some time at the Tidal Basin the day before I scouted out a great place to photograph the sunrise for the next day.

I stood on the bridge between The Jefferson Memorial and The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. I set up my tripod right against the bridge railing so if any photographer wanted to get in front of my shot, he or she would find themselves swimming in the Tidal Basin, a very dirty Tidal Basin.

The weird looking sky is compliments of airplane contrails. I think some lowly government bureaucrat ordered a fly by just to ruin my sunrise shot.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Let’s Run into Spring with the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC!

The best nonpartisan event in Washington, DC is the annual bloom of over 3,700 cherry blossom trees. The cherry trees were a gift from Japan in 1912 as a commemoration for the 1854 Treaty of Peace and Amity which officially established formal relations between the two countries.

The arrival of the cherry blossoms also marks the arrival of spring to the nation’s capitol. The most photogenic groups of cherry blossoms are located around the Tidal Basin which is a man-made inlet adjacent to the Potomac River. Here photographers can frame the vibrant pale pink and white flowers with iconic landmarks such as The Thomas Jefferson Memorial and The Washington Monument. With the recent addition of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, photographers have yet more opportunities for creative compositions.

Photographers are not the only ones who enjoy the cherry blossoms in the morning. Joggers have a scenic view as they circle around the Tidal Basin. I took this photograph the morning the National Park Service declared the official peak bloom for the cherry blossoms. I used my external flash for fill light on the passing jogger (you may see a hint of her shadow). I composed this composition with the joggers and the path of the Tidal Basin serving as leading lines to the beautiful Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Spring was a little late in arriving into the nation’s capitol so I had to wait an extra week for the bloom. When it finally did arrive, what a grand entrance it made!

Goodbye winter and hello spring!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Back to the Future with Lincoln and Washington

Back to the future (or history) at the Lincoln Memorial. Make sure you drive 88 miles per hour and make Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown proud! For those not in the know this is in reference to the classic 1980s movie Back to the Future

The cherry blossoms finally bloomed in Washington, D.C. and that made me a very happy man. In between photo ops with the President Obama and investigating the truth behind Area 51 at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (where’s Agent Fox Mulder) I kept busy while in the nation's capitol.

If I ever make any money from my travel photography, hopefully one day I can retire and cruise around in my DeLorean at 88 miles per hour.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Sunday, September 22, 2013

Photobombing Thomas Jefferson - Tidal Basin, Washington DC, USA

No, I am not an impostor! This is Sam Antonio Photography’s official travel photography blog.

For my friends and for those for some odd reason who follow me and my second rate photography, know I love to shoot in saturated colors. So what is this black and white photograph?

I love going out to the Jefferson Memorial because it is not swamped with tourists as other memorials and it has gorgeous views of the tidal basin since it sits on prime real estate. Besides, Thomas Jefferson is considered one of America’s most intellectual president, just showing up at his memorial makes me that much smarter.

I love this anecdote of President Jefferson. Reflecting on Jefferson’s broad-based knowledge, President Kennedy once welcomed a group of forty-nine Nobel laureates to the White House with these words:

“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” (Address to Nobel Laureates, Dinner for Nobel Prize Winners of the Western Hemisphere, 29 April 1962.)

The inside of the memorial has very dull colors so I went with black and white to give it more of an artistic flair. I jumped into the frame of this long exposure shot at the last minute. I just love photobombing Tommy Jefferson!

I’m Sam Antonio and I approve this photograph.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Ring of Fire! National Mall - Washington, DC

Ring of Fire! by Sam Antonio Photography
Ring of Fire!, a photo by Sam Antonio Photography on Flickr.
Sunset on the National Mall in Washington, DC. I took this in front of the U.S. Capitol with my Canon 5D Mark II camera mounted on a small table top tripod. I forgot to remove my UV filter, but as a result it gave me this “ring of fire.” I like making mistakes like this. It is still cold here in DC and waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom.

I have been busy brokering a budget deal with Congress, working with the State Department on increasing world peace and playing golf with the President. I will be catching up with all of you soon.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

It’s Spring Time at the White House - Washington, DC

Back in March I spent a couple of days in Tampa, Florida and then flew to Washington, DC to spend Easter with my sister and to photograph the cherry blossoms, where I had to wait for a week for them to bloom.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC is the address to one of America’s most famous residence. Occasionally you may spot President Obama milling around here when he is not too busy golfing around Hawaii or playing a pick up game of basketball.

Now where are those cherry blossoms?

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

My Camera is my Passport

“My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.” - Steve McCurry

Chiapas is Mexico’s southernmost state. It is an amazing place with a diverse population of indigenous people (many direct descendants of the ancient Maya), striking Maya ruins and the magnificent colonial town of San Cristóbal de las Casas.

I planned on just spending two days in San Cristóbal, but ended up staying for four. With its cobblestone streets, intriguing indigenous people with their flamboyant traditional clothing and the glorious coffee (Chiapas is a renown coffee growing area), I found San Cristóbal the perfect place to linger.

This part of Mexico has a highest population of indigenous people who are very close-knit and suspicious of outsiders. They are very sensitive to having their photo taken and as a result I made very few photographs that I was satisfied with.

For three days I struggled to make images of the indigenous people, many who come from the neighboring villages of Chamula and Zinacantán. Fortunately, I was able to meet up with a fellow photographer and fellow San Diegan Jim Cline. Jim owns and operates his own photography tour business Jim Cline Photo Tours that concentrate on Latin American and Asia. I met Jim a week earlier in Oaxaca during Day of the Dead celebration. He was leading his annual photo tour group there and I would run into him occasionally around town. He was in San Cristóbal a couple of days ahead of his next tour group and through Jim I was able to connect with some of his local contacts.

On the last evening I met up with Jim and he was able to organize an impromptu portrait session with some of young girls who sell their wares in front of the main cathedral in the town plaza. This young girl and her toothy smile made the wait all worth the while.

I am still amazed after all these years how my camera has given me many unique insights to different cultures.

‘My camera is my passport’ and it has been stamped many times with cultural visas from around the world.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Monday, September 16, 2013

Shaking, Burping and Breaking Chicken Necks in San Juan Chamula, Mexico

San Juan Chamula, Mexico rocks! Literally!

In November of last year I was in the ethnic minority village of San Juan Chamula, located in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, and something happened that I have never witnessed before - an earthquake! As a native Californian I have experienced earthquakes, but they usually happen in the early morning when I am sleeping in bed just in time to wake me up. I was standing outside when I felt the ground rumble. I looked behind me and a very old building started to sway. The locals started to run out of buildings and headed toward the town square. I was so fascinated with the building swaying back and forth that some local grabbed me and lead me to the town square. I found out later that the earthquake registered over 6.0 on the Richter Scale and 7.4 in Guatemala where it was centered.

After recovering from the shock of the earthquake I headed to the San Juan Chamula church where they drink Coca-Cola, burp and sacrifice live chickens. More on that later.

I do not have any photos inside the church since photography is not allowed at all. This part of Mexico has a highest population of indigenous people (many are direct Mayan descent) who are very close-knit and suspicious of outsiders. They are very sensitive to having their photo taken and as common courtesy you must ask permission from them otherwise you risk physical danger. You have been warned!

Looking at the building exterior, combined with the fact that Mexico is second largest Catholic country (behind Brazil) in the world, you would think this is a Catholic church.

Yes and no.

The Spanish brought the Catholic church to Mexico with the expedition of Hernan Cortes in 1519. The small town of San Juan Chamula fought hard against the Spanish conquest but eventually succumbed to the church in 1524. Today the church has not perform the Catholic mass since 1968 and is not recognized by the Vatican in Rome. What is practiced in the church today is a syncretism of Roman Catholicism and animism (life is spirit and all of nature is holy).

A step inside the church is a leap into the bizarre. There are no pews inside, instead the ground of the church is strewn with fresh pine needles giving an aroma of walking through a forest. Visually the church interior is ablaze with hundreds of flickering candles. On the walls you can still see the hints of the Catholic church with statues of saints like St. John the Baptist that are still highly revered.

Curanderos (medicine men) perform strange ceremonies by rubbing freshly killed chicken bodies on worshippers to cleanse them of their infirmities. I can say this was one of the most unique travel experiences I have ever witnessed when I saw a curandero break the neck of a chicken (no blood sacrifice I assume to keep the church clean) and then continued to rub it all over a worshipper’s body. My natural instinct was to take a photo, but I was well aware of the customs and for once I was satisfied I experienced this with my own eyes and not from behind my camera lens.

If that was not enough to overwhelm your senses, worshippers drink Coca-Cola or pox (pronounced “posh” and made from distilled sugarcane). This is done to induce burping which is believed to expel evil spirits.

From surviving an earthquake, listening to Coca-Cola burping and watching a cleansing ceremony with freshly killed chickens, it was just another crazy travel day of this intrepid travel photographer.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Sunday, September 15, 2013

Just Around the Yellow Corner...in Izamal, Mexico

Mexico has designated 83 towns and villages as Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) throughout the country. To achieve such a designation a town must demonstrate natural beauty, historical significance and cultural diversity.

70 km east of the beautiful colonial town of Merida in the Mexican state of Yucatan, is the enchanting “Magical Town” of Izamal, nicknamed La Ciudad Amarilla (the Yellow City) for the glowing yellow paint that covers the colonial buildings. Izamal is a beautiful place to experience the diversity of three cultures: Maya, Mexican and Spanish.

I spent an entire day walking around this colorful town with its mustard yellow colored walls, cobblestone streets and colonial lamp posts. Every corner I turned opened up to another street scene that felt more like a Hollywood movie set than an old colonial town.

You can also get around town by hiring a Victoria or Calesa (a horse-drawn carriage) which serves as taxis for both locals and tourists.

Or you can get around the old fashion way like this local woman with a bicycle.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Pope Francis: The Pontiff of Firsts

At the Convent of San Antonio de Padua, Izamal, Mexico, a statue of Pope John Paul II, which was made in remembrance of his visit to Izamal in 1993, is situated in the courtyard of the convent. The convent sits on a hill formed from a Mayan pyramid.

I framed the statue of Pope John Paul II as if he was holding up the stain glass painting of the Virgin Mary.

Today was a big day for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected as Pope Francis. The pope of many firsts:

First non-European pope of the modern era.

First from Latin America.

First Jesuit.

First to assume the name Francis.

Even though my parents are from the Philippines (where over 85% of the population are Roman Catholic) I was raised as a Protestant.

Another first.

This Protestant offers many congratulations to my Catholic family members and friends on the election of their new pope.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

How do you say yellow in Spanish? Searching for color in Izamal, Mexico

Mexico has designated 83 towns and villages as Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) throughout the country. To achieve such a designation a town must demonstrate natural beauty, historical significance and cultural diversity.

70 km east of the beautiful colonial town of Merida in the Mexican state of Yucatan, is the enchanting “Magical Town” of Izamal, nicknamed La Ciudad Amarilla (the Yellow City) for the glowing yellow paint that covers the colonial buildings. Izamal is a beautiful place to experience the diversity of three cultures: Maya, Mexican and Spanish.

In the middle of the town plaza is the brightly colored Franciscan convent of San Antonio de Padua which contrast well against the Yucatan’s blue skies. The convent was built in the 16th century on the remains of a Mayan pyramid and if you look closely you can see the Mayan stones integrated into the stonework of the monastery’s arcade walkways. I framed the monastery’s main church, the Santuario de la Virgen de Izamal, with the arcades of the enormous courtyard.

Buenas tardes mi amigos!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Monday, September 9, 2013

Mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy...

"To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy." - Henri Cartier-Bresson

The children's parade (comparsas) at Day of the Dead (El Dia de los Muertos) in Oaxaca City, Mexico.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Everybody has a story...

“Most of my images are grounded in people. I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face. I try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that you could call the human condition.” - Steve McCurry

Photographing Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebration in Oaxaca City, Mexico put my skills as a travel photographer to the test. The fast paced action of the spontaneous street parades, the wild Banda bands and joyous spirit of the Mexican people made for a memorable week.

While I spent a good portion of that time behind the lens, I also found time to step out from behind it and be an active participant in the celebrations and meet the locals.

I met Alejandro, a college student, on my second evening in town and he invited me to join his group of girlfriends and dance the night away on the streets of Oaxaca.

I had a unique cultural experience getting my haircut from Carlos the barber. Although I took four years of Spanish in college, it was still a task to communicate with him to make sure I would not go bald. In the end, I still had my hair and he taught me about futbol and I shared my passion for American football.

I met Cesar while enjoying my morning coffee at a sidewalk cafe on Oaxaca’s zocalo (public square). He shared some great tips on where to photograph the best street parades and the small cemeteries, without tourists, where I could get an intimate feel for the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead.

Now that I have returned to the United States, looking at my photographs brings both happiness and sadness. As much as I cherished meeting, photographing, and understanding the Mexican people, I also know that I may never meet these people again in my lifetime.

Everyone I met on my journey had a story to tell and storytelling is the essence of a travel photographer.

Come join me on my journey....

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Saturday, September 7, 2013

Lost in Social Media and in the Jungle of Palenque, Mexico

I thought I had posted this photo here on this blog.

I lost track since I am involved in a million social media sites like Facebook, Google +, Twitter, Pinterest....

I think I am losing touch with reality since my life has been enveloped by social media.

Just the other day I received the biggest shock of my life, my Apple iPhone rang! Nowadays, everybody uses their smartphones for everything but talking on the phone. It was a good friend of mine who wanted to know if we could meet for lunch. I scolded him for calling me on my phone and told him to leave a message for me over at Facebook.

I think I need to take another trip to have some real human contact.

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Palenque, along with Chichen Itza and Uxmal, ranks as one of the most magnificent example of Maya architecture in Mexico. Located in the tropical jungle of Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, Palenque is the type of playground befitting Indiana Jones. The dense jungle covering these hills forms an evocative backdrop to the exquisite Maya architecture.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Friday, September 6, 2013

All Smiles at the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca City, Mexico

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday and is celebrated throughout Mexico. Family and friends get together to pray and remember their loved ones who have passed away. This is not a time of mourning, but rather it is a joyful celebration of life, food, friends and family.

The history of the Day of the Dead is a syncretism of Pre-Hispanic and Spanish customs. The celebration takes place on November 1–2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2).

I photographed this young boy at the children comparsas (parade) in the zocalo (public square) of Oaxaca City, Mexico. I crouched down to photograph at his level, but I could not get him to smile. So I put down my camera for a moment and stuck out my tongue. He returned the favor by flashing this toothy grin!

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Making Photographs at the Day of the Dead - Oaxaca City, Mexico

I had a great time talking with Tosin at TIA International Photography on traveling the world and making photographs. You can read my interview over here . It makes for great bedtime reading since it will quickly put you to sleep. You have been warned!

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There it was shattered on the ground in three pieces. Three pieces was all that was left...countless memories captured for a lifetime laying on the ground.

I stared at my broken Olympus Stylus compact film camera with stunned disbelief. Just a moment before I handed it to my brother, Rick, to take a photo of me and he jokingly fumbled with it to pretend it was going to slip out of his hand...unfortunately it did.

So there we were at the Rock of Gibraltar on the Iberian Peninsula with a broken camera and one angry brother.

Unbeknownst to me this would be my beginning into digital photography. The year was 2000 and in 2001 I would buy my first digital camera, a Canon PowerShot S100. I would never load another roll of film in a camera again.

In subsequent years I would buy bigger and more expensive Canon digital SLR cameras to parallel my growing understanding in photography. As with most budding photographers I started out taking snapshots, then progressing to “postcard” images and now I find myself involved in expressive travel photography. Photography with meaning and emotion.

When I first started to get serious with digital photography my primary focus was landscapes and cityscapes. One day I was in a cafe with a friend showing my photos from a recent trip. After I was done he said, “Great photos of buildings and landscapes, but what of the local people? Where is the soul of the country?” That comment has stuck with me ever since.

In 2008 I started to change my focus from beautiful sunsets, cityscapes at dusk, and national parks to people photography, in particular, street photography.

Henri Cartier-Bresson said, "You don't take a photograph, the photograph takes you."

That is the essence of street photography. You never know what is around that next corner, who will step in the frame or how your subject will react.

Photographing people in my travels has always been difficult. I have no problem delivering a speech before hundreds of people, but approaching strangers and asking for a photograph was a whole different story.

The great photojournalist Robert Capa once stated, “If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re probably not close enough.” To understand the people you are photographing you must be in proximity to them. It’s not the camera equipment that makes a successful photograph, but rather the connection you make with people that makes all the difference.

On my recent trip to Mexico last year I wanted to take “good pictures” by getting “close” to the Mexican people.

Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”

In the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca, Mexico the vibrant celebration of Day of the Dead celebration was pouring out on the streets. I saw this photogenic young girl and wanted to make her photograph. Ten minutes earlier there were clouds in the sky making for even, diffused light, suddenly some of those clouds dissipated which made for uneven light. I spotted one of the parents holding an umbrella as part of their costume and I asked them if I could borrow it for a moment. I handed it to this young girl to shade her face and to cut down on the bright light.

I didn’t take this photograph, I made it.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Bewitched in Oaxaca City, Mexico!

El Dia del Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is popular celebration throughout Latin America, especially in Mexico. I know zombies are the flavor of the month in today’s popular culture, but that is not what this celebration is about.

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday and is celebrated throughout Mexico. Family and friends get together to pray and remember their loved ones who have passed away. This is not a time of mourning, but rather it is a joyful celebration of life, food, friends and family.

The history of the Day of the Dead is a syncretism of Pre-Hispanic and Spanish customs. The celebration takes place on November 1–2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2).

In the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca, Mexico I was able to take in the sights, sounds and smiles of the Day of the Dead.

On the days leading up to November 1 and 2 (along with celebrating the Catholic holidays, on the 1st, people celebrate the lives of lost children, and on the 2nd they celebrate the spirits of adults) many parties erupt on the streets of Oaxaca. This is another Day of the Dead tradition called Comparsas which is a carnival-like procession of people in costume, dancing and wild music accompanied by a banda band (think Mexican Polka music).

On the morning of October 31, young children, dressed in costumes and accompanied by their parents and teachers, paraded around town on their way to school. The children comparsas circled around the town’s zocalo (public square) which made for a vibrant public spectacle.

Photographing this procession was exciting, but technically difficult at times since there were fast moving subjects in low light. Two keys elements in street photography are preparedness and patience and they surely came in handy that morning.

I remembered a quote from photojournalist Steve McCurry when he learned to watch and wait on life. “If you wait,” he realized, “people will forget your camera and the soul will drift up into view.”

I waited patiently for a “soul to drift up into my view” and I was rewarded with this bewitching portrait.

Happy Travels!

Text and photo copyright by ©Sam Antonio Photography

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