In Latin American culture, the Quinceanera is a rite of passage for a young girl. It is the traditional, time-honored Spanish celebration where a girl formally crosses over from youth to womanhood and is presented to the world as a young lady. The term derives from her 15th birthday celebration, and for many is a joy to behold. For Jasmin and her mother Angela, it is a terrific time to bond closer together creating lasting memories, to honor the past, allthewhile embracing the future. When Angela contacted me to capture this event in early December, I jumped at the opportunity. Surrounded by her "court" or in this case - her "caballeros," the celebration took months to prepare. Jasmin and her caballeros, practiced for weeks on end a series of very specific and fluid traditional dances. So on the day of the celebration, all was in place and ready for the public unveiling. Covering the entire day, from getting ready, through the religious ceremony, all the way through the evening dances, Jasmin's Quinceanera was magical. I especially enjoyed capturing the formal dances she performed for her audience. It was an honor for me to be asked to record this rare and momentous event for them, giving them to ability to digitally share their video with friends and family all across North America. It also gave me the opportunity me to craft a video that would live for years to come, and become a source of family pride.
photo courtesy "Drive the Image" Photography