Lens on a human landscape captured in Oaxaca
One of the most frequent complaints about contemporary photography is that we’re flooded with a constant stream of images, most of which don’t deserve our attention. The very nature of how we "feed" with images has in fact changed, with most people no longer even seeing photos in front of a computer screen but in the much smaller one of a mobile phone. This, in addition to creating the conditions for rapid and distracted observation, therefore superficial, of photographs that are affected by a continuous scroll doesn’t allow certain images that would require a wider viewing surface to be appreciated. Such is the case with photos like this:
I took this photograph in Oaxaca de Juarez, from a bridge that allows us to approach the Central de Abastos (general market) of the city. These are the kind of images that present the vastness of space but at the same time give the opportunity to read something about the human condition and therefore offer a reflection on the people who live in this place.
On paper, I can assure you, a photo like this you caress it while you look at it. If we look at the negative we can highlight the elements even better thus having a better perception of the composition:
From observing the positioning of people within a vast space like this and seeing them immersed in activities, others simply waiting, perhaps a bus or a taxi, we have elements of understanding the society that populates the place.
This bed of asphalt inspires me a lot and I photograph it anytime I am there in Oaxaca. From a bridge overhanging a vast motorway junction, circled by buildings and structures, I can see a urban landscape that not anyone is going to photograph. And the main reason is because is considered not a nice place of the city, even dangerous, where you find prostitution and maybe drug dealers and thieves. It is the Oaxaca you don’t expect, the one of the working class, not the touristic Oaxaca.
My eye as a street photographer is fascinated by it. I observe from the bridge and take the photograph that will tell me a lot about the journey and an idea of photography that is certainly not that of many photographers who come here and who perhaps take refuge in the cliche.
Hey, guys, if you want to live a fantastic experience in Oaxaca until June 30th the Day of the Dead Photo Expedition is offered at a special price that allows you to save money. Check it out:
JOIN THIS MAGICAL EXPERIENCE IN 2025
10 YEARS OF DAY OF THE DEAD PHOTOGRAPHY EXPEDITION
These 8 days in Oaxaca with Alex Coghe and Brad Zipursky during the traditional celebrations of Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) are a unique photographic and human adventure.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN EXPERIENCE FOR TOURISTS
We are travelers, photographers, observers, writers, videographers, flâneurs. This is not a 4 or 5-star holiday — this is a real photographer–traveler expedition where curiosity, creativity, and immersion are essential.
Alex and Brad will photograph with you, eat with you, and share the journey with you. This is not one of those workshops where you pay for the leader’s vacation, or where a “big name” is advertised but replaced by minor photographers. This is the real thing.
THIS IS AN EXPEDITION LEAD BY ALEX COGHE AND BRAD ZIPURSKY
Alex Coghe
Street Photographer, Writer & Educator based in Mexico City. He works both in color and black & white, with a distinctive approach to authentic street photography that emphasizes form, content, and human presence. Alongside his photographic practice, he shares knowledge through workshops, masterclasses, and writing, building bridges between visual storytelling and personal experience. His work reflects an ongoing exploration of intimacy, urban life, and the poetry of the streets.
Brad Zipursky
Storyographer, Data Storyteller & Street-Documentary Photographer based in Calgary. He explores the intersection of narrative and information, crafting visual and data-driven stories that highlight the human side of everyday life. His work blends documentary sensibility with a passion for storytelling structure, aiming to transform raw experience and data into narratives that resonate and connect.
📅 October 28 – November 4, 2025
📍 Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico
👥 Maximum 4 participants
Discount for the first 3 who sign up (3000 US$ instead of 3500 US$)
Final deadline: October 15, 2025
Languages: English, Italian, Spanish
The expedition will take place even with only 1 participant.
ACCOMMODATION INCLUDED
To keep the group together and build a true sense of community, we will all stay in the same accommodation in Oaxaca City. Comfortable, safe, and well-located : not luxury resorts, but authentic places that keep us close to the action.
WHAT MAKES THIS EXPERIENCE UNIQUE
A best-selling experience since 2015
Guided by acclaimed street photographer Alex Coghe
Authentic cultural immersion: local food, local transportation, engagement with families and communities
A true street photography experience documenting Día de Muertos
Daily photo reviews and mentoring
Safe environment with a leader who knows Oaxaca as his second home
Each participant will leave with a 10-image photo story to be featured in a digital photobook and on The Street Photography Channel on YouTube.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Tuition and daily reviews
Accommodation in Oaxaca City
Professional portfolio review & mentoring program
eBooks & certificate of completion
Exclusive fine art print
Collective printed & digital photobook
Video interview for YouTube with your photos from the expedition
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How to find & tell coherent and meaningful photo stories
How to photograph with intent — not just mindless shutter clicking
How to visualize your photo and “shoot with the mind” before the camera
How to create visually impactful, emotionally strong images
Portrait and candid techniques that add depth and meaning
Creative use of flash, exposure, and shutter speed for storytelling
How to interact with subjects while maintaining a candid approach
Techniques for speed, composition, and layering in the streets
How to work a scene and push your comfort zone
How to build a consistent body of work during a journey
And yes — how to drink mezcal and still shoot straight (and maybe even taste chapulines!)
✨ On the first evening (Oct 28), after our welcome dinner, we’ll go out without cameras to “mind photograph” the streets: observing, composing mentally, and later sharing our visions over mezcal in a local bar.
A TYPICAL DAY
Group breakfast and photo review
Shooting in the streets, markets, cemeteries, parades, and hidden corners of Oaxaca
Flexibility to adapt to spontaneous events and opportunities
Evening and night shooting sessions during the celebrations
Informal dinners and discussions
The expedition starts with a group dinner on October 28 in Oaxaca City and ends the morning of November 4 after breakfast.
OAXACA & DÍA DE MUERTOS
Día de Muertos was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 2008. Far from being a macabre party, it is a celebration of life, memory, and family. In Oaxaca, these traditions are lived from the inside: altars in homes, cemeteries full of music and candles, parades, food, and rituals where locals welcome their dead with joy and respect.
As participants, you won’t just observe from the outside — you’ll live it from within: traveling like locals, connecting with families, tasting Oaxaca’s world-renowned cuisine, and experiencing mezcal culture at its source.
PRACTICAL INFO
All levels welcome
Any camera accepted
Laptop and SD cards required
Oaxaca is one of the safest states in Mexico, and Alex (who lives there) will guide you every step of the way
✨ This is your chance to live and photograph the most vibrant celebration in Mexico — not as a tourist, but as part of a close-knit group of photographers guided by Alex Coghe.
📧 For info and reservations: alexcoghe.store@gmail.com
