Shunkan.org - Blog

So I went to Old Town San Diego to take pictures of Dia de los Muertos, the day of the dead, for the first time, and I have to say that I really liked it. Experiencing different cultural approaches makes me think in a different way, too.
Instead of ignoring and avoiding to talk about death like many western cultures do, people seem to be celebrating on this particular day, remembering the departed in a rather joyful way. Their is something to be learned from every country and every culture in the world!
From a photographer's point of view I loved to see all those awesome colors of course, and I had a lot of fun taking pictures of those beautiful painted faces, making them look as if they were wearing a mask.

Cross at the El Campo Santos-cemetery, decorated with Mexican marigold.

Beautiful face painting on the day of the dead, right before the procession started.

Skeleton at a gravesite on the El Campo Santos-cemetery, with flowers decorated for Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

Awesome face painting and costumes everywhere. These guys even came from Orange county to celebrate the day of the dead.

Cutest skeleton ever at the El Campo Santos-cemetery.

Most guys used a flash or some other unflattering light on that day. I rather cranked up the ISO to 6.4K and dragged those girls to the much softer lights of a restaurant.

Girl with beautiful face painting and colorful dress in front of the 'church of the immaculate conception'.

Colorful altar at the El Campo Santos-cemetery on Dia de los Muertos. Notice that kissing couple in the lower middle.

Couple with awesome face painting and costumes. The heart and the cross seem to play an important role here.

Colorful dressed skeleton.

Dia de los Muertos - face painting.

'Till death do us part...' Cute skeletons on a wedding cake.

Pretty girl with beautiful face painting.