Oaxaca Day of the Dead Workshop

Day of the Dead in Oaxaca

Oct 28 - Nov 6, 2021

Photo Workshop with Jo Brenzo & Dan Burkholder

El Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a multi-day celebration throughout central and southern Mexico at the end of October. During these special days, locals believe that the spirits of their departed loved ones travel from the world of the dead to visit the living. Oaxaca celebrates this ancient holiday with an outpouring of bright colors, unique tradition and intense beauty. Families build altars decorated with candles, flowers, skull-shaped candy and meaningful portraits. Communities gather at the cemeteries to clean, decorate and celebrate with food and music.

Join Jo Brenzo and Dan Burkholder to embrace the many sides of the Day of the Dead. Jo has lived in Mexico for many years and knows where to go to experience the quiet family shrines as well as the festive parades and fiestas that mark this important Oaxacan celebration. Whether your camera of choice is an iPhone, Mirrorless or DSLR, Jo and Dan will guide you to fresh and creative photo possibilities. Classroom sessions throughout the workshop will offer image reviews and valuable image editing lessons for those using both laptops and iPhones or iPads. In the Hotel Marques del Valle, you will be staying in a choice location directly on the Zocalo, the Central Square of Oaxaca, where photographic opportunities are just a 10 second walk away!

Schedule Highlights

Oct 28 — Arrive in Oaxaca and Meet for Dinner with the Group
Oct 29 — Children's Costume Parade
Oct 30 — San Martin del Tilcajete Field Trip (where wooden animals are made)
Oct 31 — Xoxocotlan pueblo panteón (cemetery featuring local celebrations)
Nov 1 — San Miguel Panteón Altars Shooting Session, Camparsas (costumed, carnival procession in Oaxaca)
Nov 2 — Oaxaca Free Time
Nov 3 — Oaxaca Free Time or Optional Tours
Nov 4 — Mitla Archeological site, Teotitlan del Valle (famous weaving village outside Oaxaca), El Tule Tree
Nov 5 — Oaxaca Free Time, Final Presentation and Group Dinner
Nov 6 — Departure from Oaxaca

Classroom sessions are scheduled each day and include lectures, instruction and feedback from Jo and Dan. Image processing, problem solving and image reviews are offered in group settings. Individual help is also available for any specific needs.

In each cemetery and in every home, families from every ethnic group of Mexico decorate according to their specific traditions. Flowers, food and decorations present death as a phase of life.

Cost for the workshop is $3000 which includes the following:

Hotel for 9 days
All field trip transportation
Workshop Instruction
Oaxaca guide/experience with Jo Brenzo

Not included:

Flights to and from Oaxaca
Transportation to and from the airport (taxi's and vans are inexpensive and easy to get)
Any additional Covid-related tests or vaccines that may be required
Passport
Meals

All participants will receive Dan's and Jo's Preparing for Your Adventure newsletters chocked full of suggestions to help with your equipment decisions and trip preparations. If you have other questions about the trip, give Dan a call at 518-678-7186 or
Jo at 011 52 415 154-5366.

Day of the Dead, Oaxaca, Oct 2021 DEPOSIT

$1,000.00

Day of the Dead, Oaxaca, Oct 2021 REGISTRATION

$3,000.00

Reserve your spot today. Oaxaca's Day of the Dead celebration is a must-see for so many photographers!

Space is Limited so Reserve Your Place Today

A $1000 deposit holds your place in the trip with the full payment (additional payment of $2000) due Aug 1, 2021. If you need to cancel before Aug 1, $500 will be refunded. Because of advanced planning, if the cancellation is within 90 days of the workshop start date, we will not be able to refund any of the workshop fee.

On the unlikely chance that we need to cancel the workshop for any reason, you will be refunded the entire workshop price.

Jo Brenzo is a fine-art photographer who has exhibited, taught, and curated exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Jo owns the Photographic Gallery in San Miguel de Allende, which has become a hub for artists throughout the region. An intrepid traveler, she leads photography workshops throughout Latin America. Jo has a connection with Oaxaca that spans decades.

Dan Burkholder, master photographer, artist and photographic innovator, was one of the first fine art photographers to champion digital technology, developing the digital negative in 1992. Sharing his pivotal methods, Dan has become a unique teacher and mentor for thousands of photographers by bridging the worlds of classic photography with the evolving ing digital era. Dan promotes a lightweight approach to image making where you can shoot with any digital camera that allows you to transfer images to iPhones and iPads. Always ready with a good dose of humor, Dan has led photography groups to a variety of picturesque cultures including Cuba, Peru, Croatia, Romania, Vietnam and Mexico.