Photo Essay: San Miguel de Allende
In October of 2025 I made a trip to the town of San Miguel de Allende, in the central highlands of the eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. This place is magical, colorful, old (dating to the mid 1550s), full of life. This essay shows some of the flavor of the place.
Local youth dance troupe practicing outdoor. Flamboyant and beautiful and active. They danced on a large patio, one of a set of terraced patios. Day one of the workshop took place in a smaller hacienda with large, bulky buildings made of giant walls and softly-curved architecture. We worked with three models, Enya, Citalli, and Maryam. This is Enya, the first model our group of three photographed. To a newcomer like me, San Miguel was a city full of color, sometimes subdued, sometimes brilliant. Whatever the color choice, it beckoned you to explore, and it always seemed appropriate. Great weather. Cobblestone streets. Layered paint colors. Abundant flowering. It was hard not to want to take pictures of every single street in the city. Hacienda Los Lobos, an hour's drive from San Miguel, the last day of shooting for the workshop. The models here were Clara, Sol, and Mauricio. The hacienda was so big that there was no way to explore all of it in a single day, let alone while orchestrating photo shoots. This is Maryam, the last model of day 1 of the workshop. Our group found this location where the afternoon light streamed down a hallway, and Maryam engaged with us to provide lovely images. We worked this location for a long time, and eventually other groups discovered this setting and its beautiful lighting, and pretty much every photographer tried to get in the game. The San Miguel photo shoot took place just a week or so before Dia de los Muertos, and people in these costumes, called mojigangas, were to be seen gathering for street theater and festivals throughout the city. On day two of the shoot we went to grand private residence with many houses and walled gardens. This is Fara in the afternoon light. Our instructor kept imploring everyone to take advantage of the overhanging trees and moss, so I talked Fara into walking towards me under the trees. Oddly, I don't think anyone else really took the opportunity to make these images. Just another street scene possibly capturing the feel of San Miguel -- artists, locals at work, tourists strolling. Day three of shooting took place in a "house," so-called because the place, like every building in San Miguel, is walled off at the street with 3-story walls painted natural terracottas, but inside is as huge as the entire city block it actually occupies. Here I worked extensively with Clara and Mika, and this is Mika. Astoundingly beautiful, profoundly professional, a joyful person, and easy to work with despite not having English as a first language. A wall, some stairs. A panorama of the inside of Parroquia De San Miguel Arcángel, a breathtaking architectural masterpiece, characterized by its soaring neo-Gothic spires and intricate detailing. This panoramic view captures the grandeur of the sanctuary. Light filters through the nave and illuminates the ornate and spiritual atmosphere of this historic landmark. It was first built in the1540s, demolished and rebuilt more than once, with the current structure in place around 1709. The class arriving at the hacienda for day 1 of shooting, with instructor Elizabeth Opalenik in white. Early morning view of some of the buildings of my accommodations at the Hotel Posada de La Aldea. Sweeping leaves along Calle Hermanos Aldama. The models who were brought in for the workshop were such beautiful people, each one a different personality, and all exceedingly professional. They were incredibly easy to work with. On day two of the workshop I met Sol and had the chance to work with her on two days. She is pictured here. Her warmth, fun and playfulness, and immediate connection with a camera, made her one of my favorite models in the workshop. Another picture of Sol, this time on the last day of the workshop. The light was soft and even in this semi-sheltered location. I found a small enclosure within the Hacienda Los Lobos and asked Clara to hug this curve in the wall. I had the amazing fortune to work with Clara at two different locations during the workshop. With her presence, she can take over any photograph. Part of the inside of Casa Hyder where we shot on day 3 of the workshop. The walls are covered in gloriously colorful artifacts. The house has the feel that comes from generations of cultivated, hand-picked art. A pasaje. or indoor covered passageway, that connects two outdoor streets. Thee are many of these in San Miguel, lined with shops and galleries. City street at night in San Miguel with giant skeleton on wall.