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Where do I begin?!
Sunday night's All Souls Procession and Grand Finale has completely blown me away as it was my first experience with the A.S.P!
The amount of people in our community that had come out to publicly honor & remember their Loved Ones is such a beautiful thing to witness and photograph.
Back Stage:
Arriving at MSA Annex at 2:45 pm to beat the road closures and crowds I made my way to the back area of the stage, mostly because I wasn't sure where to go😅.
I was called over to the "green room" by long-time ASP Photographer Susan Tiss while we started talking about the Grand Finale, I became more comfortable in the space and started doing my thing, snapping away to get some behind-the-scenes shots of the performers.
After that being in the green room, I rushed over to the Monier Apartment Building to meet with the Balcony Crew and set up our base of operations for the Grand Finale (special thanks to Derek of Monier Apartment Building for giving us acsess to the 4th-floor floor balcony, overlooking the mainstage ).
The Procession:
Once I arrived at Grande Ave around 4:30 pm people had already started to gather on the sides of the street, all the restaurants were lively and street vendors were in full swing.
I walked up and down getting portraits of the Procession's Attendees.
As the Urn was ushered to the street's center, Attendees started to fill the hull of the Urn with prayers, wishes, memories, photographs, and sentimental items, a somber feeling rushed over me as I was reminded that life is too short and we should cherish all the people in lives every day because you'll never know who will pass on.
"Death doesn't discriminate, it'll take anyone & eventually everyone".
As a photographer who advocates for printing the digital images that dominate our day-to-day experience with photos, I was filled with joy to see SO many printed photographs of memories people hold on to.
"By printing a digital image you create the physical embodiment of a composition that makes you feel a certain feeling that only photographs can create. In the age of Digital Screens, the impact of having a physical photograph is heightened by being able to hold onto the tangible memory of whom that composition represents". - Why Should you Get Your Digital Images Printed into Photographs?
The Grand Finale:
A Birds Eye View -
I was fortunate enough to be a selected Media Circle member to be on the fourth-floor balcony that overlooked the main stage, seeing thousands of people come together was a sight to see.
The Main Stage -
After leaving my balcony post I made my way through the crowds and to the front of the main stage, as soon as I got in position to start snapping away, a rolling thunder came through the speakers, and a myriad of cultural instruments played by Poranguí ushering in the start of the Grand Finale.
Conclusion:
Tucson's 33rd annual All Souls Procession has left its mark on my life as a positive first experience. I will look forward to being a part of that experience for others in the years to come, hearing memories about the people in photographs from their loved ones has reinforced my belief that
"Photographs allow Us to preserve moments as tangible objects we can hold when their compositions are unholdable. Until We find a way to make video function without electricity or mechanical movements, Photographs will continue to be the most popular way to share Our legacy with the world" - Why Should you Get Your Digital Images Printed into Photographs?
A Huge Thank you to
The directors -
Derek Dumais - apartment balcony access
The other Media Circle Members that have welcomed me into the group
"to all our supporters, sponsors, friends, fellow artists, and crews: A most heartfelt and ginormous THANK YOU! The transcendent soundscape of Porangui and Ashley, The grounding heartbeat of Odaiko Sonora The Music Crews who fill the streets with life, For our rugged and tireless Tech Director Paul Weir For the glamorous glitterati- TRN Wolf and all the Attendants and Ambassadors, We are grateful to all the folks who keep us safe: For our eyes and ears on the street, The Ushers led Pixel Pereira. For Officer Tom Mueller and his serene spirit and good guidance. For our friends at TFD and United Fire. For our exhilarating Cast:
Denise Bey Jujubey Ensemble, Erika Marquez, Cocada Davia Moore, Samba Southwest, Shaman, Jacob Davis Aurelia Cohen Sewers and Builders- Athena Hagen and Denise Bey Dance of the Dead Musicians - Kululu, March Fourth, Shylah Ray, Ricky Abud/Session Yoga Tech and Safety crews:
GIGI, Heather Cosette, Zane Nichols, John Thierry, Johnny Walker Bill Elm at the helm, Gary Taylor, Soundwave, Az Pro Sound, 5th Avenue Productions, Total Lighting Systems, Tripod Urn Lighting Systems, and the brave and durable Hook Crane. For the boisterous Ghost Buskers crew and the AZ Party Bike, Allison Dee, Hannah Hindley, and Arts Caravan Our amazing and tireless Event and Volunteer Coordinators Sage Graham and Alyssa Hard For The Journey Thru Grief Installation artists headed by Jessica Flax. The splendid Community Altar was created by Jose Duran, Vanda Pollard, and a host of volunteers And blessed by Azteca Coatlicue We are thankful for the magical day that is Procession of Little Angels: For Sharon O Brien, Stories That Soar, Danitza Soto, Jacob “Gumbo” Devaney, St. Philips Youth Choir, Red Herring Puppet Company, Jody Cummins, the face painters who stayed til every last kid was painted,
and all the families who build altars along the path and celebrate with us. To our Media Partners: Visit Tucson, 520 Culture, Bustos Media, KXCI and Raven’s Eye Design, and Kathleen Dreier who herded all those photo cats who share our stories with the world. Big Up to Santa Pachita and DJ Herm for making us dance our butts off… Big shout out to our neighbors in Mercado, Menlo, Sin Nombre, and Hollywood for putting up with us- your noisy neighbors and to Barista Del Barrio and CP at Mariscos Chihuahua for opening your doors for us- Big Thanks to our Sponsors Big and Small Rio Nuevo Gadsden Company Mercado District Westbound Kukai Agustin Kitchen Decibel Coffee Works City of Tucson Black Knights Lex Libris Elliot Photo Fotosmith Sukay Tiss Pueblo Vida Brewing Company
Creative Machines Ten West Fest Madison House Brooklyn Pizza/Skybar
Tucson Thrift Shop Petroglyphs Arizona Commission on the Arts Kindle Foundation Xerocraft Homicide Survivors inc.
Taco Giro United Fire Hotel McCoy
Hotel Tuxon Clean Up crews that woke up early the next day to keep our community
clean. Neighborhoods- Barrio Hollywood, Menlo, Mercado, and Sin Nombre" Thank You to the People of Tucson for participating and supporting Your community!
May All Souls be happy- May All Souls be healthy- May All Souls be well-
Till 2023!