Rookie

My dad died recently, and everything has been complicated and hard for me to fully understand. The whole experience feels very surreal. I wanted—needed—to gather all of my thoughts and feelings and make something out of it to help me process the situation a little better. This series of photographs was inspired by Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a very important Mexican holiday that takes place on the first two days of November. It is customary to visit the graves of our departed loved ones and make altars and decorate them with flowers, candles, and fake candy skeletons. It’s a way of celebrating life by celebrating death, to bring us closer to our memories and to one another, and to force us to abandon our fear of death and to embrace the little time we have on earth. I grieve for my dad, and even though he’s not around anymore, I know he is with me every time I think of him.

Thanks to Kenia Filippini for modeling, Zaid Díaz for styling, and María Rangel for modeling, styling, and art directing. Special thanks also to Miaus and Manolin.

María Fernanda Molins lives in Mexico, where she does lots of things, but mostly takes pictures.