Dia de Muertos

Dia de Muertos is a Mexican celebration going back hundreds of years before the Spanish arrived in Mexico.  It was originally practiced by the Aztecs and other tribes of southern Mexico who welcomed back the spirits of their ancestors every year at the beginning of Summer.  With the arrival of the Spanish and Catholicism this ancient tradition became associated with All Saints Day and All Souls Day on November 1st and 2nd.  Over time this celebration has spread throughout Mexico and Latin America, and many other countries including the U.S.

The following video published by the British Museum does a very good job of explaining the celebration.

Rich and colorful cultural traditions such as the Day of the Dead provide lots of opportunities for photographers.  Although it revolves around the remembrance of dead family members, it is a celebration of life and not a sad or solemn occasion so taking photographs is perfectly OK.  As I mentioned earlier, this festival is spreading throughout the U.S. so every year there are events beings held in more and more cities throughout the country.

Last year I attended Noche de Altares in Downtown Santa Ana, California which is organized by El Centro Cultural de Mexico in the middle of Orange County.  Short of getting on an airplane and flying to a small town in southern Mexico, this is the best place to get a sense of what this celebration is all about.  There are altars for the deceased, Aztec dancers, music and plenty of vendors selling food and drink.

Below are some of the photographs I took at that event.

Sugar skull masks for sale by vendors

One of the many altars lining 4th Street

Marigolds and notes for deceased loved ones

Virgen de Guadalupe and marigolds

Young girls in traditional Mexican dress posing with La Catrina

Young girl celebrating Dia de Muertos with her family both living and deceased

Notice the food and drink laid out on the altar for the returning spirits of the deceased

Face painters do brisk business at the festival

Photography tips -

Lighting is mixed after dark so bring your fastest lens and shoot RAW if possible which will give you the flexibility to fine tune white balance and lift shadows in post processing.  If you don't have very fast glass, come earlier in the day before the sun goes down and bump up the ISO.  You will probably  have to use flash in certain situations - you just kind of have to use your judgment.