At the city's cultural center, we found a number of students building Day of The Dead altars. The students decorate them with items they believe are beautiful and attractive to the souls of the departed. I took an overhead vantage point to abstract the students and stress the colors of the overall altar. This altar is a work in progress – it eventually will be covered with candles, food, skulls, and various objects representing the interests of the deceased. The abstracted students seem contemplative – they sit in a row, rhythmically repeating the role of floral tributes and candles that are arrayed on a wall just behind them. The late afternoon light adds symbolic warmth to the vivid colors, and provides dappled shadows, creating a quiet, thoughtful mood.