DAY OF THE DEAD AT THE ICONIC MANUEL ÁLVAREZ BRAVO PHOTOGRAPHY CENTER IN OAXACA, MEXICO WITH MAGDALENA SOLÉ AND TINO SORIANO
Work on an individual Project with daily one-one-sessions with Magdalena and Tino
Learn the art of editing and sequencing through lectures and demonstrations
Photographing the mystical Day-of-the-Dead rituals with access to the most significant events
Our workshop is surrounded by the excitement of Mexico’s most revered festival, the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is an ancestral celebration that long pre-dates the Spanish Conquest. Ancient cultures, like the Zapotec, Toltec, and Aztec, worshiped death, viewing it not as an ending, but the beginning of a 9-stage journey through the underworld to ultimate peace.
Starting on October 31, the veil between worlds of the living and the dead is lifted for 48 hours and the dead return in waves for a visit with their still living. The young souls return first, followed by the elder souls in the final hours. Flickering candlelight, the scent of marigolds and mole guide each soul home, included are also items specific to the loved ones being called back. When the hour has come for them to return to the underworld, they are sent off with church bells, parades, and fireworks.
The true spirit of Dia de los Muertos is in the remembering. It’s in the celebration of life everlasting. Today, as a result of the Spanish conquest, Catholic undertones pervade the Dia de los Muertos traditions, blending seamlessly with the ancestral traditions initiated thousands of years ago. You’ll find the cross and various other Catholic symbols throughout the altars as well as idols that represent the Aztec and Zapotec gods of death.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated every year from October 31st to November 2nd. The Día de Muertos is known for its exuberance and mystery and at the same time, for its warmth and intimacy.
It is a life enriching experience to participate in the greatest of all Mexican rituals among a sea of candles, the smell of Cempazuchil (Marigold, the flower of the dead), and the stunning street dancers of the Etla valley. Graveyards, where people commune with the dead as well as the decorated altars in people’s houses will serve as exquisite backdrops to create amazing photographs.
Schedule
During the first morning, Monday, October 26th, the group will meet at 9:00 AM in the lobby of the Marques del Valle Hotel. We will walk together to the Manuel Alvarez Bravo Photography Center for a critique of everyone’s portfolio. Everyone must bring a selection of around 15-20 images. You don’t need to bring fine art prints; work prints are fine.
Starting on Monday afternoon you will shoot every day. The first five days you will photograph a story with Tino and Magdalena’s guidance. You will meet with them individually every day to review your work. The reviews will be held at the Photography Center. Film shooters will drop their film every day at 7:00 pm and pick up the prints the next day before their appointment with Tino and Magdalena.
Below is a sampling of possible projects you might sign up for:
Boxing Gym Wrestlers Brick Factory
Candle Making Family
Embroidery Family
Weaver Family
School for the Deaf
School for Down Syndrome children Orphanage
Slaughter House
Garbage Dump and the Families that live from collecting Trash
Dog Shelter
Circus (seasonal)
Charros (Mexican horseman)
Local Families
Swimming Pool
House for the Elderly
Artisanal Mescal Maker
and many others
• On Saturday, October 31st there will be a group critique to review the story that you shot during the previous days. This will conclude the individual assignment part of our workshop.
THE DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVITIES
Celebrations, and processions will be present through the entire length of our workshop, however they will reach peak during the days of October 31 and November 1, at which times we planned activities that will immerse us in the experience of commemorating the dead.
We will visit graveyards flooded in candlelight where families spend the night with the departed ones eating, drinking, and sometimes the graves are also illuminated by a battery powered TV when a soccer game is shared with the dead.
Beginning the evening of October 31 until November 2, the group will focus on photographing the Day of the Dead celebrations.
During those days you are going to explore some of the most beautiful and authentic cemeteries and celebrations. The Day of the Dead is one of the most important and visually compelling festivities in the country. During the shoots, Tino, Magdalena, Candy and Alberto, will be there to help you. It is a good idea to spend some time with Tino and Magdalena and observe how they work. But we also recommend that you spend some time exploring by yourself, creating your own images and connecting with local people.
October 31st
The Day of the Dead celebrations begin.
The day is filled with Comparsas lively street parades for the dead, where people dress in elaborate costumes and dance to the rhythms of the bands.
At night we will visit a small and picturesque cemetery, a magical place flooded with the light of thousands of candles, and marigold flowers adorn the graves. Entire families sit by the graves to mourn their departed ones as they await to commune with their spirits.
November 1st
Very early the next morning, we will depart to a mountaintop cemetery to witness how the elaborately decorated graveyards and their sea of candles mix with the first rays of the early morning light. This is a one-of-a-kind mystical experience that never ceases to amaze. That night we go to a nearby village to experience one of the most impressive, colorful and vibrant Comparsas yet.
November 2nd
Visit live animal markets or continue to photograph the festivities.
November 3rd
There will be a final group critique and a group show at the Alvarez Bravo Photographic Museum, which will be open to the general public throughout the day and evening, showcasing the work of the participants.
November 4th
Departure