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Dave Wyman | profile | all galleries >> Holiday Festivals of Los Angeles >> Photographing the Dead - 2003 - 2004 >> Dia De Los Muertos - 2004 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Dia De Los Muertos - 2004

El Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead, Los Angeles, 2004

A mixture of assorted Indian beliefs, including Aztec, Mayan, and Christian, this is the day when the dead are reunited with and honored by their family and friends. Families construct alters - simple to elaborate - decorated with photographs of the dead, as well as candles, colorful marigolds, and foods the departed enjoyed while they were among the living. The festivies here were enjoyed at historic Plaza de Los Angeles, Olvera Street and La Placita Church.

For a fuller discussion of the Day of the Dead, go HERE.

My two "good" digital cameras were both laid low by a glich with some software updates, so I used my seemingly inferior Minolta Xt camera, with its lack of controls. But I think the camera and I both did well at this year's fantastical and phatasmagorical Day of the Dead.
Elegant Celebrant at the Day of the Dead
Elegant Celebrant at the Day of the Dead		 The Dead Watch Us
The Dead Watch Us		 The Dead are in Some Ways Not So Different
The Dead are in Some Ways Not So Different
The Dead Walk Among Us
The Dead Walk Among Us		 A Day of Symbols
A Day of Symbols		 The Virgin
The Virgin
Virgins Adorn Votive Candle Holders
Virgins Adorn Votive Candle Holders		 There is Music This Day
There is Music This Day		 Church Candles
Church Candles
Votive Candles in the Church
Votive Candles in the Church		 Symbols and Offerings on the Day of the Dead
Symbols and Offerings on the Day of the Dead		 Rosaries for Sale in front of La Placita Church
Rosaries for Sale in front of La Placita Church
Dancer at the Day of the Dead
Dancer at the Day of the Dead		 Portrait at the Day of the Dead
Portrait at the Day of the Dead		 Young Dancers
Young Dancers
Roasted Corn for the Living
Roasted Corn for the Living		 Hotdogs, Chiles and Onions
Hotdogs, Chiles and Onions		 Sugar Skull and Orange - Offerings for the Dead
Sugar Skull and Orange - Offerings for the Dead
The Dead are Offered Sugar Skulls
The Dead are Offered Sugar Skulls		 Becoming One with the Dead
Becoming One with the Dead		 Face Painting - Day of the Dead
Face Painting - Day of the Dead
Family Portrait on the Day of the Dead
Family Portrait on the Day of the Dead		 Celebrant on the Day of the Dead
Celebrant on the Day of the Dead		 Day of the Dead Portrait
Day of the Dead Portrait
Celebrant with Veil
Celebrant with Veil		 Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking		 Along Olvera Street
Along Olvera Street
Dead Woman
Dead Woman		 Dead or Alive?
Dead or Alive?		 Another Portrait of the Elegant Celebrant
Another Portrait of the Elegant Celebrant

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Guest 09-Dec-2004 18:29
Excellent concept for a gallery - really enjoyed my visit!
Guest 05-Dec-2004 07:00
An amazing record of a fascinating ritual celebration!!!
I've always wanted to see it, and your gallery has at least given me a very vivid taste of what i've been missing! ...now i just have to persuade the girlfriend that people dressed as the dead makes for a great holiday!!! ;)
Great work Dave
Yiannis Pavlis01-Dec-2004 05:08
fantastic captures ,my compliments on the gallery , i never saw these images before .great seen. Yiannis.
Daniel Wickwire24-Nov-2004 15:38
Dave. Thanks for the comment on my gallery. I just browsed through your contribution to the "Day of the Dead" here. Fabulous images!!! I also reacted immediately to the b&w composition. In a similar way as I did to the few images I have posted from Puerto Vallarta. B&W does take it to a different surreal place. I look forward to photographing more of this in the future. In my case, I was using a film camera at midnight and only had half a roll of 3200 speed film. Lucky to get six good images I guess. Hey, I also really enjoy the color images here. I think that it adds a bit more of the "traditional" to the mix since color is so important to these traditions. Take care. Daniel.
Phil Douglis01-Nov-2004 22:08
A shocking yet beautiful gallery, Dave. My favorite is the sole black and white image, which makes the day of the dead truly feel dead. And all of these images were made with a very basic point and shoot digital camera, proving still once again that it's never the camera that makes the picture, but rather, the photographer.
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