“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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Showing posts with label Oaxaca City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oaxaca City. Show all posts
Sunday, September 8, 2013
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
Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery
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
Facebook | Google + | Twitter | Pinterest | Photography Blog | Travel Photography Gallery
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