The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) in Colour

Thank you for entering the Day of the Dead contest. This is a lovely photo of a Catrina doll. I like the side lighting and the dark shadow against the gray of the wood. The shadow is complimented by the dark background, which works to make everything pop. The rustic wood provides a nice touch of texture to the photo in addition to the raised "lace" and flowers on the doll. Very nice job.

This is a nice capture of a grave in the process of being decorated with with flowers for Dia de los Muertes. I love the bold colors of the flowers and the marigold petals which are strewn atop the grave in traditional style. The floral cross is another traditional symbol often used for the holiday. .

From this photo, you can almost see what the grave will look like when the decorations are finished and lit candles are placed around it.. The scent of flowers and lit candles along with offerings of food, wine and bread will hang in the air. Departed family members are sure to return to site as beautifully decorated. as this grave, and it will truly be a time of celebration. Well done.

It was no accident that I picked this photo for this contest banner. Everything about the picture shouts Day of the Dead. It is a beautiful photograph and worthy of recognition.

The focus of the artist on his work is riveting. The black background and lighting makes everything pop. The colors are bright and bold. Every detail, like the headband under the artist's hat, is in perfect focus. This picture makes you feel like your really there, waiting your turn to have your own face painted. Amazing.

This is a beautiful photograph. The print of the fabric hat is bold, but is limited to a few colors. Those colors are repeated in the photo and helps keep everything from looking too busy. I like the blush on the face of La Calavera Catrina which plays nicely agains the oranges and pinks in her fabric hat. The black lace trim picks up on her enormous eyelashes and other features. The green background was a good choice to keep things simple by repeating the third dominate color in the hat. I love the bokeh effect which eliminates other distractions and keeps the focus riveted on La Calavera Catrina. Thank you for entering this beautiful photo.

How lucky you were to be present to witness and record the cleaning of the bones. From your wonderful photo, It looks as if the ritual has just begun as t.he bones have been unsealed, but the cloth has not been changed and the bones do not appear to have been cleaned. I love the details you can see in this photograph. I am curious about the white spots, which I am guessing is some type of powder sprinkled over the bones before they were sealed the previous year.

For those who are not familiar with the ritual, the locals of Pomuch carefully clean what they call "the holy remains." each year in preparation for the Day of the Dead. During the process, the bones are removed and cleaned. The process is a complete ritual where small bones are cleaned first, followed by the medium, then large one.s, and finally the skull Once the beloved bones are ready, they are placed in a wooden box, lined with a fresh white cloth decorated with flowers or crosses. The skull is set in the upper part, as shown, and the lid is left ajar so the skull can peer out at the upcoming festivities.

Thank you for entering this photographic record of a very interesting culture and ritual.