BRIGHTON, Colo. — Ever since she was young, Nalleli Vazquez has had a passion for photography.
Vazquez specializes in maternity and children’s sessions but recently, she started doing sessions inspired by Día de los Muertos.
“I’m a person that’s very crafty, I like to create backgrounds,” explained Vazquez.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated Nov. 1-2 every year primarily in Mexico, but also by others around the world including some in the United States. The holiday is rooted in Aztec culture, where the dead are the guests of honor. The ceremony is like a family reunion that helps people remember the deceased and celebrate their memory.
Through the years, people have developed different combinations of the fundamental traditions, which most often include setting up a candlelit altar so spirits can find their way back to their relatives. The altar includes food and items that were important to the one who passed. Families then often gather in the graveyard for a big party that includes a huge feast, cleaning the tombstones, singing songs and talking to their ancestors.
