The Day of the Dead (also called Día de Muertos) is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to remember those who have died. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of life. In light of this, it is viewed not as a day of sadness, but as a day of celebration. Although originally the celebration took place at the beginning of summer, over time it was associated with the Christian traditions of All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls Day. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars (also called ofrendas), honoring the dead using flowers and favorite foods, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Visitors would also leave possessions of the deceased at the graves.

I had a unique opportunity to participate in a styled shoot at the Red Barn Event Centre in Randleman, NC. It yielded some truly stunning results, and I definitely wanted to share a few of my favorites here on the blog!