Luvia Lazo Gutierrez is a talented 22-year old photographer who lives in the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle. We awarded her a scholarship to participate in this 2013 Day of the Dead Photography Expedition. She helped us immensely during the week with translation and errands.
A graduate of the Benito Juarez Autonomous University in Oaxaca, Luvia studied languages and speaks fluent Spanish, Zapotec and English. She teaches English and is a self-taught photographer with a keen and sensitive eye for composition and detail. She saw things that we didn’t and made our immersion into the culture so much more meaningful.
Her dream is to carve out a professional career as a photographer and attend a U.S. university Master of Fine Arts degree program. Her family supports this idea if there is scholarship support. Can anyone out there help direct us? And, would anyone be able to donate a good used, recent model Nikon DSLR (D3100, D5100, D7000) and lens(es) for Luvia’s use? Send me an email.
Luvia’s grandparents helped raise her and she takes special care now to give back. She is the primary caregiver of her grandfather whose health is failing. In small Mexican villages like this one, extended families live with and care for each other. The family unit is very important and we saw it as a core value during the workshop experience.
Here are the Best of the Week photos selected by Luvia Lazo Gutierrez. We hope you enjoy them.
If you are interested in attending in 2014, send me an email!
Day of the Dead Best of Week Photos: Starr Sariego
Starr Sariego arrived at our Day of the Dead Photography Expedition eager to know more. And, she was the only one actively using the manual mode of her camera before the class began, manipulating shutter speed, lens aperture and ISO. Being familiar, Starr was able to use the week to hone skills, manipulate light more precisely, and see Oaxaca as a documentary photographer.
For the past year, since she got her new camera, Starr does photo shoots for non-profit organizations in Miami, Florida, where she lives. Her hope is to expand her clientele as a result of this workshop.
To get on the list for the 2014 expedition, contact me.
Here are Starr’s Best of Week photographs that she selected.
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Posted in Cultural Commentary, Photography, Travel & Tourism, Workshops and Retreats
Tagged class, day of the dead, Mexico, Oaxaca, photography, tour, workshop