We say our goodbyes with this image of the final touches put on one of the most complex and colorful carpets made on Good Friday on Calle Ancha. I hope you enjoyed our humble Semana Santa coverage.
Here’s another intimate portrait of a cucurucho father and his son on their way to find their spot for their turn to carry the float of the Escuela de Cristo Good Friday procession. Even though the setting looks peaceful; there were thousands of people all around us; this portrait was made during a split second … Read more
We continue with the more intimate photographs of the Holy Week with this framed portrait of a cucurucho at a shrine set up on the path of the procession. I shot about five candid portraits before he noticed me and offered an smile in return.
This intimate photograph of a mother and her cucuruchito son was captured as they waited for the La Merced procession on Good Friday. During the photo walks I lead during Lent & Holy Week I teach how to focus on the intimate moments that are happening all around the very public and crowded Holy Week … Read more
The passion and devotion that goes into making the processional carpets is incredible. Often we only mention how long it takes to elaborate the carpet at its spot, but we forget to mention all the time that it took to get everything ready. For instance, how about the time collecting all those flowers and then … Read more
Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala gives everyone a chance to participate. Even the children get their procession. One for boys and another for girls. Cucuruchos start carrying the floats at an early age and that’s how the traditions is passed on for generations. If you have never experienced the Easter week in Antigua Guatemala, you … Read more
One of the most important lessons we can take from experiencing the Holy Week in Guatemala is the many different ways of being human. And let’s be clear, this is not better or worse, just different, positively different, I may add! For instance, all along the processional routes one receives so many good vibes from … Read more
Some of the more intricate and complex designs of alfombras, carpets, can take as long as 12 hours. Such was the case of this carpet with macadamia nuts, placed one by one to form the images. Each image took about 3.5 hours to make. The creators were so proud of their carpet design and lend … Read more
Here’s the short story, this grandmother poses on the other side of a procesional carpet, or alfombra in Spanish. A relative is taking a couple of snapshots. The photo walk group I am leading and I decide to also make some portraits of her. A cucurucho decides to photo bomb as he walks toward the … Read more
The Palm Sunday procession kicks off the Holy Week 2017. The Jesús Nazareno “La Reseña” and Santísima Virgen de Dolores procession leaves iglesia La Merced at 11am and comes back 12 hours later after having serpentined through the streets of Antigua Guatemala. By the way, I framed the procession of Virgen de Dolores inside a … Read more
The Holy Week is almost over. I have a few dozen photographs such as this one in my archives now. Tomorrow, Domingo de Resurrección or Domingo de Pascua [Easter Sunday], the last procession will come out. I will try to cover it in more intimate manner, to create a cozy atmosphere. Stay tuned for the … Read more
Good Friday, good vibes. That’s how I can summarize the sensations most people feel while spending a few hours during the Good Friday in Antigua Guatemala. Everything that came before it was a preparation for Good Friday. Starting on Easter Monday we begin the process again to be ready for Good Friday 2017. Here I … Read more
I don’t know how it happened, but nowadays many cucuruchos, the cone head float carriers, are also carrying cameras to photograph the processions within. I guess there are no regulations within the brotherhoods yet because some cucuruchos even brought along monopods and selfie sticks to get even higher shots. Some even bring speed lights or … Read more
Here’s your Spanish word of the day: Cucurucho or cone head. Every so often cucuruchos need to refuel so they continue to carry the heavy floats of the Holy Week. Often they refuel with the street food vendors, but sometimes they need the extra kick, so they visit the coffee shops. What kind of coffee … Read more
It is such impressive vista these massive floats, andas in Spanish, being carried by 80 to 100 cucuruchos through the different streets of Antigua Guatemala. At least once in your lifetime you must come to Antigua Guatemala to see the massive and numerous processions during the Holy Week or Semana Santa as it’s known in … Read more