Reflection of Joy

“Reflection of Joy”
Location: Valencia, Spain
Date: March 2017
Photographer: Stacy Orbaker
Affiliation: Staff
Home Country: United States
Category: People
Award: Honorable Mention
2023 International Photography Exhibition

“During the month of March, Valencia Spain is host to a festival called Fallas. Each neighborhood has a Fallera/o Mayor as well as a court. They are the faces of the neighborhood during the year leading up to the culminating event on March 19th. Fallas was declared an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. That same year, I took this image during the Ofrenda parade in which each neighborhood carries flowers to the Plaza de la Virgen. The long march is filled with as much emotion as tradition. The father and child captured in the photo found moments to create joy during the long walk. Can you see the child’s smile reflected in his glasses? A simple game between the two brought them both joyful smiles. The Ofrenda is tradition rich in culture and rich with relationships.”